Tag: myanmar

Categories
-Top News ASEAN News Asia News

Myanmar Grants Amnesty to 3,000 Prisoners for New Year


Included in the released group were 3,303 citizens of Myanmar and 36 individuals from other countries, comprising 13 Indonesians and 15 Sri Lankans….reports Asian Lite news

Myanmar’s State Administration Council granted amnesty to more than 3,000 prisoners on Wednesday, the first day of the traditional Myanmar New Year.

Among them were 3,303 Myanmar nationals and 36 foreign prisoners, including 13 Indonesian nationals and 15 Sri Lankan nationals, the council said as quoted by Xinhua news agency report.

The amnesty is to mark Myanmar’s traditional New Year’s Day, bringing joy to the people and looking forward to positive relations with respective countries, while addressing humanitarian concerns, it added.

In a separate pardon order, the council reduced the sentences by one-sixth for some prisoners jailed across the Southeast Asian country.

It’s a customary practice for Myanmar to pardon prisoners annually to celebrate its traditional new year.

Last year, more than 3,000 prisoners were released on Myanmar’s traditional New Year’s Day.

ALSO READ: India Urges Immediate Evacuation from Myanmar’s Rakhine State

Categories
-Top News ASEAN News India News

India Urges Immediate Evacuation from Myanmar’s Rakhine State

The MEA spokesperson said that there is a lot of fighting happening there, underscoring that the security situation is not conducive at all in Rakhine State….reports Asian Lite News

Amid the deteriorating security situation in the Rakhine state of Myanmar, the Ministry of External Affairs said that it has told all the Indians to evacuate and move away from there.

“We had issued an advisory for the Rakhine State, where the situation there is very delicate, the security situation has deteriorated. We told all Indian nationals to evacuate themselves and move away from there and we also told our nationals who are there or otherwise from anywhere else not to travel to that part,” Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a media briefing on Friday.

“The situation in Myanmar remains a cause of concern because of the deterioration in the security situation,” he said.

The MEA spokesperson said that there is a lot of fighting happening there, underscoring that the security situation is not conducive at all in Rakhine State.

Asserting that India wants peace and stability in Myanmar, Jaiswal asserted by saying, “There is a lot of fighting happening there, and the security situation is not conducive, but we call upon all sides.”

“We want peace and stability in the country, we want constructive dialogue in the country, and we want inclusive federal democracy to be established through dialogue and through constructive engagement…” he went on to say.

In February, India issued an advisory for Indian citizens, advising them not to travel to the Rakhine state of Myanmar amid a deteriorating security situation.

The Ministry of External Affairs cited the deteriorating security situation, disruption of means of telecommunications, including landlines, and severe scarcity of essential commodities in Rakhine State.

“In view of the deteriorating security situation, disruption of means of telecommunications, including landlines, and severe scarcity of essential commodities, all Indian citizens are advised not to travel to the Rakhine State of Myanmar,” the MEA advisory had stated.

It also advised the Indian citizens who are in Rakhine State to leave the state immediately.

Notably, a fresh uptick was noticed in incidents of violence in Myanmar recently. This came after three ethnic minority forces launched a coordinated offensive last October, capturing some towns and military posts. The experts called it the ‘biggest test’ for junta since taking power in 2021.

This also led to a huge influx of people from Myanmar into the state of Mizoram along the Indo-Myanmar border after the Myanmar army launched airstrikes in the bordering areas.

Myanmar marked the third anniversary of the military coup on February 1, where the military seized power in a coup three years ago. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Martial Law Imposed in Eastern Myanmar Townships

Categories
-Top News ASEAN News Asia News

Martial Law Imposed in Eastern Myanmar Townships

According to the media report, the council said on Wednesday in its order statement that the martial law was imposed to ensure security…reports Asian Lite News

Myanmar’s State Administration Council imposed martial law in Momeik and Mabein townships in Shan state of eastern Myanmar, media reported.

According to the media report, the council said on Wednesday in its order statement that the martial law was imposed to ensure security, uphold the rule of law, and maintain peace and stability in the region, Xinhua news agency reported.

Subsequently, in its separate order, the council granted administrative and judicial power for the townships to the commander of the northern command to effectively carry out the works on security, law enforcement, and peace and stability of the region, the report added.

Myanmar has remained under a state of emergency, which was initially declared in February 2021 for one year and subsequently extended five times, each for six months, until end of July this year.

ALSO READ: MHA scraps Free Movement Regime with Myanmar

Categories
ASEAN News India News

MHA scraps Free Movement Regime with Myanmar

This comes just two days after the Home Minister’s statement that the government has chosen to erect a fence along the entire 1643-kilometer India-Myanmar border….reports Asian Lite News

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday announced for “immediate suspension of Free Movement Regime (FMR)” between India and Myanmar to ensure the internal security of the country and to maintain the demographic structure of India’s North Eastern states bordering Myanmar.

“Since the Ministry of External Affairs is currently in the process of scrapping it, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has recommended the immediate suspension of the FMR,” Shah said.

The Home Minister in a post on X, made the announcement, saying that the aim of abolishing the FMR between India and Myanmar is to safeguard the internal security of the nation and preserve the demographic composition of India’s North Eastern states that share borders with Myanmar.

“It is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resolve to secure our borders. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided that the Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar be scrapped to ensure the internal security of the country and to maintain the demographic structure of India’s North Eastern States bordering Myanmar. Since the Ministry of External Affairs is currently in the process of scrapping it, MHA has recommended the immediate suspension of the FMR,” Shah said in the post.

This comes just two days after the Home Minister’s statement that the government has chosen to erect a fence along the entire 1643-kilometer India-Myanmar border.

On February 6, Shah announced that a patrol pathway will also be constructed along India-Myanmar border in order to enhance surveillance capabilities. Furthermore, the Minister had said, two pilot projects of fencing through a Hybrid Surveillance System (HSS) are under execution, and they will fence a stretch of 1 km each in Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur.

“Additionally, fence works covering approx 20 km in Manipur have also been approved, and the work will start soon,” Shah had stated further.

The fresh announcement to scrap FMR is significant in an effort of the government to curb the influx of illegal migrants and insurgents.

The plan is part of consideration to end a point of contention as local residents complain that the FMR policy has become a major subject of contention as it is often misused and facilitates “illegal immigration, drug and arms trafficking”.

Manipur government as well as other northeast states facing the issue has also raised the matter with the Central government earlier.

The 1,643-km-long India-Myanmar border, spanning Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh, currently operates under the FMR, which permits individuals living near the India-Myanmar border to travel 16 km into each other’s territories without a visa. Initiated in 2018, the FMR policy was a component of India’s Act East policy.

As per FMR policy, those belonging to the hill tribes, being citizens of either India or Myanmar and residing within a 16 km radius on either side of the border, can cross with a border pass valid for one year, allowing a stay of up to two weeks per visit.

“We plan to terminate the FMR along the Indo-Myanmar border shortly. Our aim is to install fencing along the entire border, a project expected to be completed in the next four-and-a-half years. Individuals entering will be required to obtain a visa,” stated an official privy to the plan being prepared by the Ministry of HomeAffairs.

“The objective is not only to halt the misuse of the FMR, which insurgent groups exploit for attacks on the Indian side before escaping to Myanmar, but also to stop the inflow of illegal immigrants and disrupt networks involved in drug and gold smuggling.”

Another official shared that the process of “tendering for an advanced smart fencing system covering 300 km of the India-Myanmar border is already in progress, and the project’s implementation will commence shortly.” (ANI)

ALSO READ: ‘UK closer to large-scale conflict than in many years’

Categories
-Top News ASEAN News Asia News

‘Democracy Rises, Junta Falls in Myanmar’

Monday marked the third anniversary of the military coup that overthrew the civilian government …reports Asian Lite News

The democratic forces are gaining ground and the military junta is “losing”, Myanmar’s Permanent Representative Kyaw Moe Tun, who represents the democratically-elected government overthrown in a coup three years ago, has said while appealing for effective UN Security Council action against the dictatorship.

“We the people of Myanmar are unified in opposition to the military dictatorship. And if we wish to live in a free, peaceful, inclusive, just and democratic society,” he told reporters on Monday before a closed Council meeting on the situation in that nation.

“Democratic forces are gaining ground and the military junta is losing every day,” he said.

“But we need help from the international community, coordinated concrete actions, both from the Security Council and individual member states,” he added.

Monday marked the third anniversary of the military coup that overthrew the civilian government of President Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, who are in detention along with scores of leaders.

Although Myanmar is now effectively ruled by the military known as the Tatmadaw, the UN recognises only the representative of the overthrown democratically-elected government.

Kyaw Moe Tun continues to speak for Myanmar at the General Assembly, the Security Council and other UN bodies as the General Assembly’s accreditation committee has refused to recognise the junta.

He said that the “significant success of Operation 1027” and other actions by the allied forces have “revealed that the military is not too big to fail after all”.

Operation 1027 was launched on October 27 last year by a rebel group, the Three Brotherhood Alliance uniting the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, the Arakan Army and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, has made headway against the Tatmadaw forces overrunning over 30 towns and several military command centres and outposts.

Kyaw Moe Tun warned that the military coup has a “huge impact on the region and beyond” and said that “it is high time” the Council enforced its December 2022 resolution demanding the military uphold democracy.

He asserted that under the military, organised crimes like human trafficking, drug trade and online scams were flourishing in Myanmar.

The polarisation of the Council prevents action against the Tatmadaw, which has the support of veto-wielding China and Russia.

Nine members of the Council led by Britain, demanded “an immediate end to all forms of violence and we urge restraint and de-escalation of tensions” by the junta.

“We continue to urge the Myanmar military to immediately release all arbitrarily detained prisoners,” they said in a joint statement.

“We strongly condemn the ongoing violence harming civilians, including the military’s continued use of indiscriminate air strikes,” they added.

Ecuador, France, Japan, Malta, South Korea, Slovenia, Switzerland and the US joined Britain in issuing the statement that also called for creating conditions for the safe return of the Rohingyas, about a million of whom have fled the country.

ALSO READ: EU condemns human rights violations in Myanmar

Categories
-Top News EU News

EU condemns human rights violations in Myanmar

The military’s actions have fueled a growing humanitarian crisis with 2.6 million people displaced from their homes, and more than 18 million people in need…reports Asian Lite News

Three years since February 1, 2021 the day when the military in Myanmar overthrew its democratically elected government, foreign ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, United States, and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs on behalf of the European Union have condemned sexual and gender-based violence and the restriction of fundamental freedoms by the military regime.

The joint statement reiterated their call for the Commander-in-Chief and the military to change course, immediately ceasing violence against civilians, releasing all unjustly detained political prisoners, allowing full humanitarian access, and creating space for inclusive dialogue with all stakeholders.

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the military regime’s ongoing atrocities and human rights violations, such as sexual and gender-based violence, and the restriction of fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, through peaceful protests and the media,” the statement read.

It noted that under the military regime, violence against civilians has escalated, with thousands jailed, tortured, and killed. Airstrikes, shelling, and arson have been used to destroy civilian infrastructure, including homes, schools, healthcare facilities, and places of worship.

The statement further read, “Systematic discrimination against members of religious and ethnic groups, including Rohingya, is rife. Many are displaced and continue to face horrific conditions, and others have been forced to flee across Myanmar’s borders. The military’s actions have fueled a growing humanitarian crisis with 2.6 million people displaced from their homes, and more than 18 million people in need.”

The statement also called on “all members of the international community to support efforts to push the Myanmar military to cease violence, to bring about genuinely inclusive dialogue, in order to establish a credible, peaceful democratic future for Myanmar; to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of people in Myanmar and refugees who have fled to neighbouring countries, including its most vulnerable communities, and to cease providing the Myanmar military with the arms and equipment that are necessary for them to commit atrocities.” Further, it strongly encouraged unified efforts by ASEAN to resolve the crisis saying, “We commend the constructive efforts of the ASEAN Chairs and Special Envoys. We call on the military regime to implement ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus and engage meaningfully and positively with ASEAN representatives for Myanmar to transition towards an inclusive democracy,” the statement read.

ALSO READ-Australia sanctions 5 entities with links to Myanmar regime

Categories
-Top News ASEAN News India News

India Calls for Democratic Transition in Myanmar

New Delhi has long been advocating for the “complete secession” of violence and Myanmar’s transition towards “inclusive federal democracy.”…reports Asian Lite News

Expressing concern over the “deteriorating” situation in Myanmar, where the military seized power in a coup three years ago, India has urged for an early resolution to the conflict with the return of peace and stability in the country.

“We are concerned with the deteriorating situation in Myanmar, which has direct implications for usas a neighbouring country and a friend of Myanmar. We want an early resolution of the issue through dialogue,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Thursday.

The Ministry of External Affairs, in its weekly press briefing, also emphasised that New Delhi has long been advocating for the “complete secession” of violence and Myanmar’s transition towards “inclusive federal democracy.”

On February 1 2021, the military junta seized power in a coup ousting the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate.

“India has been long advocating for the complete secession of violence and Myanmar’s transition towards inclusive federal democracy. We want an early resolution to the conflict through early dialogue, return of peace and stability in the country,” Jaiswal said.

Notably, a fresh uptick was noticed in incidents of violence in Myanmar recently. This came after three ethnic minority forces launched a coordinated offensive last October, capturing some towns and military posts. The experts called it the ‘biggest test’ for junta since taking power in 2021.

This also led to a huge influx of people from Myanmar into the state of Mizoram along the Indo-Myanmar border after the Myanmar army launched airstrikes in the bordering areas.

India has expressed concern about the issue and called for the end of violence and the resolution of the situation through constructive dialogue.

“Our position on the ongoing situation in Myanmar is very clear. We want secession of the violence and the resolution of the situation through constructive dialogue. We reiterate our call for the return of peace, stability and democracy in Myanmar,” the then MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.

“There has been a movement of Myanmar nationals to the Indian side. We are deeply concerned with such incidents close to our border,” Bagchi said.

Earlier today, several countries imposed sanctions against the military regime.

The US designated four individuals and two entities linked to Myanmar’s military regime. It said that the country’s military has continued to carry out a “campaign of violence and repression” against the people of Myanmar.

“We are taking this action to target the regime’s sources of revenue, which support military activities against civilians. The action also targets those who provide material and support for the production of arms in Burma (Myanmar),” said US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.

The US reiterated its call for the Myanmar military to change course and create space for meaningful and inclusive dialogue towards a future democratic Myanmar.

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs on behalf of the European Union also condemned sexual and gender-based violence and the restriction of fundamental freedoms by the military regime.

The joint statement reiterated their call for the Commander-in-Chief and the military to change course, immediately ceasing violence against civilians, releasing all unjustly detained political prisoners, allowing full humanitarian access, and creating space for inclusive dialogue with all stakeholders.

Australia also imposed additional targeted sanctions on five entities with direct links to the Myanmar military regime to limit the regime’s access to the funds and materials that enable it to continue to “commit atrocities against its own people”.

Australia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Penny Wong, in a statement said the sanctions are a response to the regime’s ongoing repression of the people of Myanmar, escalating violence, and the continuing deterioration of the political, humanitarian and security situation. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Myanmar hands over three Chinese warlords to Beijing

Categories
-Top News ASEAN News India News

Myanmar hands over three Chinese warlords to Beijing

This is the latest twist in the stunning downfall of the military-backed Chinese mafia in Myanmar….reports Asian Lite News

Myanmar has handed over three Chinese warlords to Beijing, who were notorious for trafficking thousands of foreign nationals to forcibly run scams, a media report said.

Bai Suocheng, Wei Chaoren and Liu Zhengxiang led three of four families which ruled Laukkaing on Myanmar’s north-eastern border with China, BBC reported.

They were were taken to China on a chartered flight, with seven others, the report said. This is the latest twist in the stunning downfall of the military-backed Chinese mafia in Myanmar.

And it’s yet another blow for Myanmar’s military regime, whose power is waning, BBC reported. Myanmar’s army, which had been locked in a brutal stalemate since it sized power in early 2021, is now losing as it battles well-organised ethnic armies on more than one front.

General Min Aung Hlaing is known to have supported the Chinese mafia in Laukkaing. For years, China had been pressing his regime to rein in the scam centres, where people are trapped and forced to run telephone and online scams targeting victims everywhere, BBC reported.

China’s unease at what was happening across its border encouraged three insurgent armies to launch coordinated attacks against the military in late October last year – and it hastened the fall of the mafia families.

The four families took over control of Laukkaing in 2009. Liu Guoxi, who led the fourth family, died in 2020. Over the years, their reign turned a poor Burmese border town into a den of criminal activity, especially for lucrative scam centres. The UN estimates that hundreds of thousands of people have been trafficked into these centres across South East Asia, BBC reported.

ALSO READ: Myanmar Extends State of Emergency

Categories
-Top News ASEAN News Asia News

Myanmar Extends State of Emergency

The extension was made in accordance with the Section 425 of the State Constitution due to unusual circumstances in the country…reports Asian Lite News

 Myanmar’s National Defence and Security Council (NDSC) has extended the state of emergency in the Southeast Asian country for six more months, the council’s information team said.

According to media report, Acting President U Myint Swe declared the extension of the state of emergency for six months during the NDSC’s meeting on Wednesday as quoted by Xinhua news agency report.

The extension was made in accordance with the Section 425 of the State Constitution due to unusual circumstances in the country, the report said.

The meeting also discussed matters on combating telecom frauds, development of the country and promotion of education sector, preparation for the general election and preparation for national census, the report added.

Myanmar declared the state of emergency in February 2021 for one year and then extended it four times until January 31 this year.

ALSO READ:

Categories
-Top News ASEAN News Asia News

Myanmar Soldiers in Mizoram Flown Back Home

Officials said that a Myanmar Air Force aircraft landed at the Lengpui airport here in the afternoon to take back the soldiers….reports Asian Lite News

As many as 184 of the 276 Myanmarese soldiers, who fled to Mizoram on January 17 after their camps were captured by armed pro-democracy ethnic groups, were flown back home on a Myanmar military aircraft on Monday, officials said.

Officials said that a Myanmar Air Force aircraft landed at the Lengpui airport here in the afternoon to take back the soldiers.

“A Myanmar Air Force transport plane from Mandalay (Myanmar) landed at Lengpui airport and evacuated 184 Myanmar soldiers to Sittwe (Akyab) in two sorties. Before the departure of the Myanmarese soldiers, the Indian authorities have completed all necessary formalities,” a senior official told IANS.

The remaining 92 Myanmar soldiers would be airlifted on Tuesday, the official said.

The 276 Myanmar Army personnel took refuge in Mizoram’s Lawngtlai district on January 17 after their camps were captured by the Arakan Army militants.

The Myanmar soldiers, with their arms and ammunition, reached Bandukbanga village, situated on the Mizoram-Myanmar-Bangladesh border trijunction, in Lawngtlai and were taken to Assam Rifles’ Parva camp in the district.

“Necessary formalities including collection of biometric details of the Myanmar military personnel have been conducted. Necessary medical support was also given to the soldiers.” the official said.

With the latest influx, the number of soldiers who fled Myanmar since November 13 last year and reached India, has touched 636.

Earlier, Indian Air Force helicopters airlifted some of these soldiers to Manipur’s Moreh and handed them over to the Myanmar Army authorities from the border town.

On January 2 and 9, a total of 151 Myanmarese soldiers were flown back home on a Myanmar military aircraft that came to Lengpui airport.

Fierce gun battles between the Myanmar Army, popularly known as Tatmadaw, and the armed fighters resumed in October last year in areas close to the Indian border leading to the fresh influx of soldiers and civilians into Indian territories. Due to the fighting between the Army and the pro-democracy forces thousands of Myanmar citizens including women and children also fled to Mizoram in the recent months.

The first influx from Myanmar happened in February 2021 after the Military junta seized power there. Since then, over 32,000 people, including women and children, have taken shelter in the northeastern state from Myanmar.

ALSO READ: India To Fence Myanmar Border