Monday, June 29, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine


Myanmar Election Commission Rebuffs Military-Backed Party, Upholds Use of National Hero’s Image

Posted: 29 Jun 2020 07:01 AM PDT

The election commission said there is no law barring electoral campaigns from using images of national hero General Aung San—father of State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Around 800 Myanmar Migrants Stranded in Jordan Without Work Amid COVID-19 Lockdown

Posted: 29 Jun 2020 06:27 AM PDT

Jordan's ban on international flights has left hundreds of migrants stuck without work as many face boredom and hunger.

Myanmar Extends COVID-19 Visa and Flight Bans Until July 31

Posted: 29 Jun 2020 05:47 AM PDT

After six new coronavirus cases over the weekend, the government has extended bans on international flights and visas, apart from in exceptional cases.

Myanmar Govt Vows Legal Action Against Fake News Sites

Posted: 29 Jun 2020 05:39 AM PDT

The government has vowed to investigate the Forward Media Group site after it published fake comments by an NLD spokesman about a senior government official.

Rakhine Govt Backtracks After Warning of Myanmar Military Clearance Operations Prompts Thousands to Flee

Posted: 29 Jun 2020 04:54 AM PDT

The evacuation prompted diplomatic missions in Myanmar to issue a statement on the worsening humanitarian and security situation in Rakhine and southern Chin State.

Global Death Toll From Coronavirus Tops 500,000

Posted: 28 Jun 2020 10:33 PM PDT

The global toll from the coronavirus has surpassed 500,000 deaths from 10 million cases, a US study showed; the US and Brazil have seen the most deaths.

Saturday, June 27, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine


The Day When Myanmar’s First Christian Convert was Baptized

Posted: 26 Jun 2020 07:30 PM PDT

U Naw was ostracized for abandoning Buddhism for Christianity and he died in obscurity but his baptism is still marked annually, 201 years later.

The Irrawaddy Business Roundup

Posted: 26 Jun 2020 07:00 PM PDT

This week, many regions in Myanmar approved new investments, the World Bank released a new GDP projection and local firm Yoma moved to back mobile money company Wave Money.

Will Myanmar’s Next Govt Be an Ethnic-NLD Coalition?

Posted: 26 Jun 2020 06:30 PM PDT

The Irrawaddy talks with U Sai Nyunt Lwin of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy about the 2020 election and whether ethnic parties might join a coalition government.

Friday, June 26, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine


Quarter of a Million Myanmar Workers Left Jobless Due to COVID-19

Posted: 26 Jun 2020 06:01 AM PDT

Some 250,000 Myanmar workers at home and abroad have lost their jobs since March as factories and other employers have shut due to COVID-19, the Labor Ministry said.

Arakan Army Seizes Three Soldiers’ Sons in Western Myanmar

Posted: 26 Jun 2020 05:00 AM PDT

Myanmar's military says it is hunting three young men who reportedly went missing after looking for a drone that belonged to the armed forces.

Top Myanmar General, Indian Defense Chief Talk Border Security, Insurgency

Posted: 26 Jun 2020 01:38 AM PDT

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing met Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh in Moscow to discuss cooperation, as analysts say Myanmar seeks to balance Chinese influence.

Senior Myanmar Police Officer Accused of Sexual Exploitation of Female Officer

Posted: 26 Jun 2020 01:36 AM PDT

A senior policeman has been detained following reports on social media of a sex-for-promotions scandal in the police force.

The Day a Student Leader was Hanged for Anti-Junta Activism

Posted: 25 Jun 2020 07:00 PM PDT

On this day in 1976, student leader Salai Tin Maung Oo became the only student in Myanmar's history to be hanged after leading the 1974 anti-junta protests.

The Day Anti-Chinese Riots Erupted in Myanmar

Posted: 25 Jun 2020 06:30 PM PDT

The rising influence of Mao Zedong among Yangon's Chinese community was blamed for anti-Chinese attacks that led to the severing of diplomatic ties with China.

Thursday, June 25, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine


World Bank: Myanmar Economy to See Growth Drop by 6.3% This Fiscal Year Due to COVID-19

Posted: 25 Jun 2020 05:30 AM PDT

The bank warns the pandemic is "dealing a severe blow to Myanmar's economy" in its latest projection.

Myanmar to Launch Investment Policy Review

Posted: 25 Jun 2020 01:36 AM PDT

In its latest review, the France-based OECD has helped Myanmar identify policies and reforms needed to secure more investment, MIFER said.

US Moves to Protect Lobster Industry by Threatening Tariffs on China

Posted: 24 Jun 2020 10:13 PM PDT

The US is considering slapping punitive tariffs on Chinese seafood if it finds the country is not honoring their Phase 1 trade agreement.

Japan Hits Back Against S. Korean Criticism on World Heritage Sites

Posted: 24 Jun 2020 09:46 PM PDT

Dismissing claims it has failed to recognize the suffering of Korean workers at World Heritage sites during WWII, Tokyo hit back at Seoul's efforts to have them delisted.

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy

The Irrawaddy Magazine


Myanmar Military: Rakhine Internet Blackout Still Required to Protect Military Secrets

Posted: 24 Jun 2020 05:28 AM PDT

The Myanmar military says the internet shutdown in Rakhine and Chin states will continue so as to prevent leaks of military secrets and stop the spread of hate speech online.

Construction on China’s BRI Deep Sea Port to Start Soon in Myanmar’s Rakhine State: Govt

Posted: 24 Jun 2020 05:26 AM PDT


The Ministry of Commerce says construction will start soon on the Kyaukphyu deep-
sea port, a key piece of China's Belt and Road Initiative with access to the Indian Ocean.

Chinese-Made Arms Due for Myanmar Seized on Thai Border

Posted: 24 Jun 2020 02:47 AM PDT

Large quantities of top-quality weapons destined for rebel armies have been seized by the Thai authorities and eight suspects have been arrested.

Myanmar Military Says It Won’t Control How Personnel Vote in Upcoming Election

Posted: 24 Jun 2020 02:14 AM PDT

The Myanmar military says its personnel may vote freely in November's election—the first time 1 million military personnel and family members will vote outside their barracks.

Myanmar’s Yoma Strategic to Buy Majority Stake in Wave Money From Telenor

Posted: 24 Jun 2020 12:06 AM PDT

Tycoon Serge Pun's Yoma Strategic Group has announced it will buy a 51-percent stake in mobile financial services company Wave Money from Telenor.

Tuesday, June 23, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine


The Day Deadly Prison Riot in Rangoon Jail Erupted

Posted: 23 Jun 2020 06:30 PM PDT

The British colonial authorities crushed a prison riot in Yangon (then Rangoon) in June 1930 as disturbances gripped the city.

Monk Charged with Murder of Teenager in Myanmar’s Magwe Region

Posted: 23 Jun 2020 05:47 AM PDT

Police say the monk stabbed the teenager "out of anger" but the victim's family believes it was premeditated and are calling for justice.

Arakan Army Blamed for Ambush on Police Trucks in Western Myanmar

Posted: 23 Jun 2020 05:43 AM PDT

Three border police were killed and four others injured in an alleged AA attack on trucks bringing reinforcements to tackle the rebel army.

Myanmar SMEs Urge Suu Kyi to Ease COVID-19 Loan Policies

Posted: 23 Jun 2020 05:11 AM PDT

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Myanmar say they aren't able to access government and foreign-backed loans due to strict repayment and application requirements.

Myanmar Seeks to Fly Illegal Migrants Home From Malaysia As More Suicides Reported Amid COVID-19

Posted: 23 Jun 2020 04:32 AM PDT

Thousands of unregistered migrants are stranded without work in Malaysia but the government cannot bring them home yet despite the eighth reported suicide.

Top Myanmar General’s Visit to Russia Will Strengthens Ties: Myanmar Military

Posted: 23 Jun 2020 01:54 AM PDT

Myanmar's military says that Senior General Min Aung Hlaing's visit to Russia this week will continue to bring the militaries of the two countries closer together.

Monday, June 22, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine


Myanmar Called to End Yearlong Internet Blackout in Volatile West

Posted: 22 Jun 2020 05:53 AM PDT

Rights groups and diplomatic missions are demanding a mobile internet ban is lifted in parts of Rakhine and Chin states as it affects people's daily lives.

Myanmar Heads of State, Ministers Acquire Land in Capital

Posted: 22 Jun 2020 05:38 AM PDT

The State Counselor, president and Union ministers have acquired highly valuable plots of land in the capital, attracting criticism from the former ruling party.

Local Officials Resign En Masse in Myanmar’s Conflict-Torn Rakhine State

Posted: 22 Jun 2020 05:23 AM PDT

Sixty administrators in a single township in Rakhine have resigned out of fear of being caught up in the conflict between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar military.

In Myanmar, General-Turned-Politician Hopes His Party Sees Success in Coming Election

Posted: 22 Jun 2020 02:05 AM PDT

The Irrawaddy talks with U Shwe Mann, ex-general and former Parliament speaker, about how his new Union Betterment Party will contest Myanmar's elections later this year.

Sunday, June 21, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine


The Day the British Sentenced Folk Hero Maung Thant to Death

Posted: 20 Jun 2020 10:11 PM PDT

On this day in 1911, a poor farmer who embodied rural people's hopes of a better life and opposition to colonial rule was sentenced to hang by the British.

Saturday, June 20, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine


The Day Myanmar’s First Prime Minister Met Winston Churchill

Posted: 19 Jun 2020 07:00 PM PDT

As a strong defender of imperialism, Sir Winston Churchill defused any potential tension with U Nu by saying they must bury old animosities.

Irrawaddy Business Roundup

Posted: 19 Jun 2020 06:30 PM PDT

This week, Myanmar officials said foreign investment for 2019-20 is on track and a Korean industrial complex will go ahead as they lifted limits on foreign ownership of banks.

Friday, June 19, 2020

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine


JOOX Prepares World Music Day Online Festival to Shake off COVID-19 Blues

Posted: 19 Jun 2020 06:25 AM PDT

JOOX World Music Day 2020 features numerous artists from Myanmar and overseas with revelers encouraged to help those struggling during COVID-19.

Myanmar Sees Largest COVID-19 Spike as Migrants Deported from Thailand Test Positive

Posted: 19 Jun 2020 05:09 AM PDT

Twenty-three COVID-19 cases detected on Friday among migrants deported from Thailand brought the country's largest daily increase since its first reported case in late March.

Myanmar’s Ethnic Parties Find Strength in Unity as They Prepare for General Election

Posted: 19 Jun 2020 04:44 AM PDT

Having consolidated their bases, Myanmar's ethnic parties plan to work together in the coming election to achieve their common goals of federalism and self-determination.

Over 8,000 Citizens Prosecuted in Myanmar for COVID-19 Breaches

Posted: 19 Jun 2020 04:20 AM PDT

Violations include assaulting health teams, fleeing quarantine centers, organizing religious gatherings and weddings and failing to follow nighttime curfews.

KIA Warns Civilians Fighting with Myanmar Military Could Erupt Anytime

Posted: 19 Jun 2020 03:15 AM PDT

The Kachin Independence Army told locals in Kutkai, Shan State that clashes could break out anytime in their area, despite a ceasefire from the Myanmar military over COVID-19.

Recalling a Birthday Marked in Silence

Posted: 19 Jun 2020 03:02 AM PDT

As Daw Aung San Suu Kyi turns 75 today, The Irrawaddy revisits this commemoration of her birthday in 2008—spent, like so many before it, as a prisoner of the military.

Another Low-Level Administrator Killed in Myanmar’s Rakhine State

Posted: 19 Jun 2020 12:47 AM PDT

A clerk of the Kyaukphyu Township General Administration Department in Rakhine State was abducted from his home Tuesday night and found dead the next day, police said.