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Cambodian, Myanmar discuss bilateral cooperation and ASEAN issues

Cambodian, Myanmar discuss bilateral cooperation and ASEAN issues

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn met the visiting Foreign Minister of Myanmar, U. Wunna Maung Lwin, to discuss bilateral cooperation and ASEAN issues…reports Asian Lite News

At the meeting held on Tuesday, Lwin congratulated Cambodia as the incoming chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2022 and expressed full support for Cambodia’s priorities and deliverables, the press release said.

Cambodian, Myanmar discuss bilateral cooperation and ASEAN issues

In the joint effort to fight against Covid-19, Myanmar’s foreign minister appreciated Cambodia’s timely assistance in cash and kind which contributed to Myanmar’s effort to control and mitigate the severe impacts of Covid to the country, Xinhua news agency reported.

For his part, Sokhonn thanked Myanmar for providing Cambodian nationals living and working in Myanmar with Covid vaccination and requested Myanmar to render them necessary support for their stay.

“Both sides agreed to enhance works in advancing cooperation on areas such as trade, economic, people-to-people exchanges as well as cooperation on multilateral fora,” the press release said.

Earlier in the day, Lwin paid a courtesy call on Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, and both sides exchanged views on bilateral relations and recent regional development.

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“There was also a candid discussion on how to support efforts in addressing the Myanmar crisis, as well as enhancing ASEAN and solidarity,” the press release said.

It added that Hun Sen accepted an invitation to visit Myanmar on January 7-8, 2022.

Lwin concluded his two-day working visit to Cambodia on Tuesday.

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Suu Kyi sentenced to 4 yrs in jail

Following the coup which toppled her National League for Democracy (NLD) government, Suu Kyi has been under house arrest in an undisclosed location….reports Asian Lite News

 Aung San Suu Kyi, the former de facto leader of Myanmar who was ousted during the February 1 military coup, was on Monday sentenced to four years in prison after she was “found guilty on charges of inciting dissent and breaking Covid rules under a natural disasters law”, the media reported.

According to the BBC, Monday’s sentencing was the “first in a series of verdicts that could jail her for life”.

The 76-year-old former State Councillor faces a total of 11 years, She has denied them all.

Following the coup which toppled her National League for Democracy (NLD) government, Suu Kyi has been under house arrest in an undisclosed location.

Protesters holds placards and portraits of Aung San Suu Kyi during a protest. (Photo Aung Kyaw Htet_SOPA Images via ZUMA Wire_dpa_IANS)

Meanwhile, ousted President Win Myint was also jailed on Monday for four years under the same charges.

The coup was staged after the military alleged voter fraud in the 2020 general elections in which the NLD won by a landslide.

The military takeover triggered widespread demonstrations and Myanmar’s military has cracked down on pro-democracy protesters, activists and journalists, according to rights groups.

Suu Kyi is one of more than 10,600 people to have been arrested by the junta since February, and at least 1,303 others killed in the demonstrations, according to the monitoring group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

ALSO READ: New Delhi needs to remain focused on Myanmar

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‘India-Myanmar border fencing a priority for govt’

Terming the PLA and MNPF “terrorists” and strongly condemning the attack, Biren Singh said that he has directed security forces to apprehend the perpetrators and punish them…reports Asian Lite News.

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on Sunday said that to check infiltration from Myanmar and trans-border movement of “inimical elements”, the government is making fencing the state’s border with the neighbouring country a priority.

He said that the Union Home Ministry has already started erection of fencing along the around 400-km-long India-Myanmar border in Manipur, but due to the dispute in some patches, the process was stopped in these areas but it continued elsewhere.

The Chief Minister was talking to the media after paying his tributes at the Imphal airport to Assam Rifles Colonel Viplav Tripathi and four jawans of the paramilitary forces who were killed by People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and Manipur Naga People’s Front (MNPF) militants in the border Churachandpur district. Tripathi’s wife, and their 9-year-old son were also gunned down in the deadliest militant attack.

Terming the PLA and MNPF “terrorists” and strongly condemning the attack, Biren Singh said that he has directed security forces to apprehend the perpetrators and punish them.

“The state government will not compromise with such heinous violence and killing of innocent people. The army, paramilitary, and the state security forces are always alert to foil the militants and any other acts of violence,” he said.

Defence sources said that after the wreath-laying ceremonies, the bodies of Colonel Tripathi and riflemen Suman Swargiary, Khatnei Konyak, R.P. Meena, and Shyamal Das were sent to their respective home states on Sunday.

The PLA and MNPF, in a joint statement on Saturday night, claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that they did not know that the Commanding Officer’s family was also in the convoy.

“In the disturbed area, family and kid should not accompany. Chief of Army of PLA (Irengbam Chaoren) has congratulated the participating cadres in the operations,” said the statement, signed by both the militant outfits’ publicity in-charges.

The incident took place near Sekhen village, as the militants first detonated IEDs and then fired on the convoy of 46 Battalion Assam Rifles, when Col Tripathi, along with his family members, was going to supervise a civic action programme in Churachandpur.

Police and intelligence officials have suspect that the guerillas came from Myanmar and after the attack, went back over the border. For the first time, the militants in the northeast killed the family members of a security force official.

Manipur has over 40 outlawed insurgent groups, a large majority of them lying low following their signing of separate suspension of operations agreements with the government.

In 2015, 20 para-military personnel were killed in an attack by terrorists in Manipur, after which the Army had launched a surgical strike on their camps.

ALSO READ-Fresh Influx of Myanmar Refugees to Mizoram

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26 Delhi-bound Myanmarese nationals held in Guwahati

Police have registered a case at the Paltan bazar police station under the Indian Penal Code, the Foreigners Act, and the Passport Act….reports Asian Lite News

A total of 26 Delhi-bound Myanmarese nationals, including 10 women, were arrested on Sunday as they arrived in Guwahati from Mizoram, police said.

A police spokesman said that acting on secret information, police arrested the 26 Myanmarese nationals, who include seven teenagers and rest aged 20 to 28, from a private lodge at Rehabari here.

Upon interrogation, it was found that the apprehended foreign citizens belonged to Falam district of Chin state of Myanmar and they were on their way to Delhi to study the Bible. Forged Indian documents including Aadhar cards, and voter identity cards, prepared in Mizoram were seized from them, the spokesman said.

Police have registered a case at the Paltan bazar police station under the Indian Penal Code, the Foreigners Act, and the Passport Act.

According to officials in Aizawl, around 11,500 Myanmarese nationals of Chin stock have taken refuge in 11 districts of Mizoram, whose six districts have an unfenced border with the neighbouring country, since the military coup there on February 1 and few of them have crossed over to neighbouring Manipur too.

The Chin, also known as the Zo, share the same ancestry, ethnicity and culture as the Mizos of Mizoram.

This is believed to be the first case of the Myanmar nationals, sheltered in Mizoram, venturing out of the northeastern states.

Often, Rohingya Muslims from the refugee camps in southeast Bangladesh enter the northeastern states of India illegally in search of jobs or get trapped in human trafficking.

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Fresh Influx of Myanmar Refugees to Mizoram

The Champhai district along the India-Myanmar border is currently sheltering 4,550 refugees, the highest, followed by Aizawl district where 1,700 refugees have taken shelter….reports Asian Lite News

With the fresh influx of refugees from Myanmar, the number of people taking shelter in Mizoram after the military coup hit the neighbouring country has gone up to around 11,000, officials said on Saturday.

District administrations and police officials said that around 150 to 160 people, including women and children, took shelter in Mizoram’s Champhai, Lawngtlai and Hnahthial districts bordering Myanmar during the past few days.

Mizoram Home Minister Lalchamliana told the media here that if the attacks and counter-attacks by the Myanmar military and the opposition forces continue, more people are likely come into Mizoram for shelter.

Most of the refugees from Myanmar have been provided makeshift shelters by various local NGOs, including the Young Mizo Association which also provided them food, medicines and other basic necessities on humanitarian ground, while several others are living with their relatives.

The officials said that the district administrations are unable to help the immigrants formally as they are yet to be granted refugee status by the government or international agencies.

A demonstrator stacks bags on a street as a barricade during a demonstration against the military coup and the detention of civilian leaders in Myanmar(ians)



According to the media and intelligence reports, the fresh refugee influx occurred in Mizoram as the Burmese government-in-exile, the National Unity Government (NUG), called for a countrywide uprising earlier this week and clashed with the military soldiers who undertook massive operations against the resistance forces.

Sounds of fierce gunfights and bursting shells and other firearms between the cadres of anti-coup NUG and the Myanmar army could be heard from the villages bordering Myanmar.

According to the officials of the Crime Investigation Department (CID), which maintains the data of Myanmarese refugees, around 11,000 refugees, including about 20 legislators, have taken shelter in Mizoram’s 11 districts since March this year.

The Champhai district along the India-Myanmar border is currently sheltering 4,550 refugees, the highest, followed by Aizawl district where 1,700 refugees have taken shelter.

A majority of those who have taken shelter in the bordering state belong to the Chin community, also known as the Zo community, who share the same ancestry, ethnicity and culture as the Mizos of Mizoram.

Myanmar’s Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Services Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing. (Xinhua_U Aung_IANS)



Six Mizoram districts – Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Serchhip, Hnahthial and Saitual – share 510 km unfenced borders with Myanmar.

Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga had earlier urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide asylum, food and shelter to the refugees who arrived in the state since the military coup in Myanmar on February 1.

Referring to the Union Home Ministry’s advisory to the four northeastern states bordering Myanmar and also to the Assam Rifles and the BSF for taking action to prevent illegal influx from Myanmar into India, Zoramthanga had said, “This is not acceptable to Mizoram.”

A Mizoram government delegation had already met the Vice President, Union Minister of State for Home and Home Secretary in Delhi to persuade them to impress upon the Centre not to forcefully push back the Myanmar nationals sheltered in Mizoram.

As per the MHA advisory, the state governments and UT administrations have no power to grant “refugee” status to any foreigner, and India is not a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention of 1951 and its 1967 Protocol.

A one-year state of emergency has been declared in Myanmar, where power has been transferred to Senior General Min Aung Hlaing after President U Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi were detained by the military on February 1.

Meanwhile, the Mizoram government has decided to enrol children of Myanmarese refugees into the state government schools.

Last week, Mizoram’s School Education Director James Lalrinchhana, referring to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act-2009), had asked all the district and sub-divisional education officials that children aged between 6 and 14 years belonging to disadvantaged communities have the right to be admitted to schools in a class appropriate to his or her age for completing elementary education.

ALSO READ: UK sanctions target key biz associate of Myanmar junta

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UK sanctions target key biz associate of Myanmar junta

Raab announced new sanctions against Myanmar businessman U Tay Za and his business empire Htoo Group, UK government said in a statement…reports Asian Lite News.

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Thursday announced new Myanmar sanctions, saying these sanctions target a key business associate of the military junta for providing financial support and arms to the military.

Raab announced new sanctions against Myanmar businessman U Tay Za and his business empire Htoo Group, UK government said in a statement.

Htoo Group of Companies, of which U Tay Za is the founder and chairman, is a large business network that operates across the region, which contributed funds to the 2017 Rohingya clearance operations in Rakhine.

U Tay Za is associated with the military through his extensive links with the former and current junta regimes and has provided support for serious human rights violations in his role in assisting the military to procure arms.

“These sanctions make clear that the UK will take concrete measures to limit the junta’s access to finance and economic resources, including by targeting business networks associated with the military regime,” the statement said.

Raab said, “The military junta has shown no signs of halting its brutal attack on the people of Myanmar.”

On February 1, the Myanmar military overthrew the civilian government in Myanmar and declared a year-long state of emergency, which was later extended until August 2023.

Along with our partners, the UK will continue to restrict the junta’s access to finance and the supply of arms used to kill innocents, including children, and target those who support the junta’s actions, the statement said.

Myanmar refugees staged a protest against China’s support to the new military rule in Myanmar at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Wednesday 03rd March, 2021. (Photo: IANS)

Enforced with immediate effect, sanctions will freeze all UK assets held by Htoo Group and U Tay Za, as well as banning the business tycoon from entering the UK. Sanctions will also block others from providing funds or economic resources to both those designated.

“These sanctions follow recent efforts to ensure that the supply of arms to Myanmar is halted, and follow on from the Communique the UK secured at the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers’ Meeting, that committed members to prevent the supply of arms and technical assistance to the military. In addition, on 18 June, the UK worked with partners to deliver a UN General Assembly Resolution which urged member states to prevent the flow of arms to Myanmar,” the statement said.

Under the UK’s presidency the G7 continues to call for a return to democracy, an end to the violence and the immediate adoption of the ASEAN 5-point consensus, including the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners, it added. (ANI)

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US govt announces $50 million assistance to Myanmar

In addition, US Ambassador to the United Nations also announced $5 million in aid to help Thailand fight Covid-19….reports Asian Lite News

The United States on Tuesday announced $50 million in critical humanitarian assistance to the people of Myanmar, including those forced to flee violence and persecution.

During an official visit to Thailand, US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield announced humanitarian assistance to Myanmar.

“This aid will enable our international and non-governmental organization partners to provide emergency food assistance, life-saving protection, shelter, essential health care, water, sanitation, and hygiene services to the people of Burma, including those who have fled from Burma or been displaced from their homes across Burma,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.

A demonstrator stacks bags on a street as a barricade during a demonstration against the military coup and the detention of civilian leaders in Myanmar(ians)

In addition, US Ambassador to the United Nations also announced $5 million in aid to help Thailand fight Covid-19.

“This assistance from the American people will enable humanitarian partners to help the most vulnerable affected populations in Burma and Thailand, benefiting more than 700,000 of Burma’s people and contributing to the provision of life-saving humanitarian assistance,” the statement said.

It further stated that the Covid-19 assistance to Thailand will support health workers administering vaccines and will strengthen the vaccine supply chain to help ensure that they reach the most vulnerable populations.

“We urge other donors to generously support the urgent humanitarian needs of the people of Burma. We further urge the international community to join us in doing more to combat Covid-19 and bring the pandemic to an end — in Thailand and around the world,” the statement added.

Earlier on Friday, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) also stated that a massive wave of Covid-19 infections currently surging throughout Myanmar is compounding hunger, as families struggle amid job losses, rising food and fuel prices, political unrest, violence and displacement.

The WFP said it has estimated that the number of people facing hunger could more than double to 6.2 million in the next six months, up from 2.8 million prior to February. On February 1, the Myanmar military overthrew the civilian government and declared a year-long state of emergency.

The coup triggered mass protests, which were quashed with deadly violence in the country. (ANI)

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US govt condemns assassination plot on Myanmar’s UN envoy

The US officials have arrested two men – Phyo Hein Htut and Ye Hein Zaw for the assassination plot…reports Asian Lite News

US Permanent Representative to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield on Saturday (local time) condemned the assassination attempt on Myanmar’s UN envoy Kyaw Moe Tun, who is currently pressured to resign by the country’s military junta.

“We unequivocally condemn this threat to Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, which fits a disturbing pattern of authoritarian leaders and their supporters reaching across the globe – including into the United States – to persecute and repress journalists, activists, and others who dare speak or stand against them,” Thomas-Greenfield said in a statement, reported Sputnik.

The US officials have arrested two men – Phyo Hein Htut and Ye Hein Zaw for the assassination plot. Htut and Zaw, both are citizens of Myanmar and were currently residing in New York.

In an attempt to kill Myanmar’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Htut had communicated with an arms dealer in Thailand, who sells weapons to the Burmese military, which overthrew Myanmar’s civilian government in February 2021.

She further expressed her solidarity with Myanmar’s envoy, who “continues to demonstrate remarkable courage and bravery in speaking on behalf of the people of Burma [Mynamar] who demand a return to democracy,” reported Sputnik.

Kyaw Moe Tun had denounced the military takeover of the country and sided with the government in exile.

On February 1, the Myanmar military overthrew the civilian government and declared a year-long state of emergency. The coup triggered mass protests, which were quashed with deadly violence in the country.

Earlier on Sunday, Myanmar’s military leader Min Aung Hlaing declared himself prime minister of the country and said that he plans to be in charge for two years during an extended state of emergency before holding an election in 2023.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers have appointed Brunei’s second Foreign Minister Erywan Yusof as a special envoy to Myanmar to facilitate mediation among the stakeholders and to find a peaceful resolution of the political crisis in the country.

Over 945 people have been confirmed to be killed since the military takeover on February 1, according to Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP). (ANI)

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US says Myanmar poll plan shows need for ASEAN to step up efforts

The official briefing reporters ahead of a week of virtual meetings involving US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington had proposed expanding engagement with ASEAN…reports Asian Lite News

The plan by Myanmar’s ruling generals to hold elections in two years shows they are stalling for time and the need for Southeast Asian countries to step up pressure on them, a senior State Department official has said.

“It’s clear that the Burmese junta is just stalling for time and wants to keep prolonging the calendar to its own advantage,” the official told reporters ahead of a ministerial meeting this week between the United States and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which includes Myanmar.

“So, all the more reason why ASEAN has to engage on this and … uphold the terms of the five point consensus that Myanmar also signed up to,” he said referring to a plan by ASEAN leaders to tackle the turmoil.

The official briefing reporters ahead of a week of virtual meetings involving US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and regional counterparts said Washington had proposed expanding engagement with ASEAN to include five new “multi-ministerial”-level dialogues, which it hoped the bloc would agree to soon.

The official said one of the areas was climate, but did not list the others.

He said he expected Blinken to provide details to ASEAN ministers of continued US support for Southeast Asia in the fight against COVID-19, which has hit the region hard.

Blinken would also raise what Washington sees as China’s human rights abuses in Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet, he said.

Asked about China’s warnings that if Washington expected cooperation on issues such as climate, it would need to de-escalate tensions, the official replied:

“Look, if we can’t force China to cooperate, we can continue to point out the advantages, and hopefully they’ll see that this is also in their advantage to work with us on climate issues.”

Washington is seeking to show through Blinken’s participation in five consecutive days of regional meetings that the Biden administration is serious about engaging with allies and partners in its bid to push back against China’s growing influence.

As well as the US-ASEAN ministerial talks, Blinken will also participate virtually this week in ministerial meetings of the East Asia Summit, the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the Mekong-US Partnership and the Friends of the Mekong initiative.

ALSO READ: Myanmar junta must return elected govt: Raab

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Myanmar junta must return elected govt: Raab

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab

On February 1, the Myanmar military overthrew the civilian government and declared a year-long state of emergency…reports Asian Lite News.

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Monday (local time) condemned the extension of the state of emergency in Myanmar and said that the junta must hand back control to an elected government and respect the democratic will of the people of the country.

“The decision by the military to extend the so-called state of emergency in Myanmar is unjustifiable and a blatant attempt to solidify their undemocratic power grab. The junta must hand back control to an elected government and respect the democratic will of the people of Myanmar,” Dominic Raab tweeted.

Earlier on Sunday, Myanmar’s military leader Min Aung Hlaing declared himself prime minister of the country and said that he plans to be in charge for two years during an extended state of emergency before holding an election in 2023.

Min Aung Hlaing’s announcement comes six months after Myanmar’s democratically elected government was overthrown in a military coup, sparking waves of protests throughout the country.

On February 1, the Myanmar military overthrew the civilian government and declared a year-long state of emergency. The coup triggered mass protests, which were quashed with deadly violence in the country.

Meanwhile, 945 people have been confirmed to be killed since the military takeover on February 1, according to Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP). (ANI)

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