News
NLD pledges support for ceasefire process
Myanmar’s new government to be formed by the National League for Democracy will support the nationwide ceasefire process, senior party officials on 26 November assured five ethnic armed groups that signed the pact last month with President U Thein Sein. Leaders of the five groups met the officials ...
Relatives of landslide victims urged to reject compensation
A Kachin civil society group is urging relatives of those killed in a landslide near a Hpakant jade mine on 21 November to reject an offer of K600,000 compensation for each victim, and has reiterated threats to press charges against those involved in the mining ...
Yangon police open almost 100 election-related cases
Yangon Region police say 95 cases have been opened due to complaints filed in relation to the 8 November election. The majority involve alleged infractions of electoral laws, but 18 are being considered under other laws, such as the criminal code, the Electronic Transactions Law and ...
Kachin civil society group seeks charges over landslide
A Kachin civil society network is seeking to bring charges against the operator of the Hpakant jade mine which dumped the tailings that collapsed in a massive landslide on November 21, according to an area resident. The confirmed death toll from the landslide had risen to ...
Myanmar Government seeks $500m to cover forex losses
Inflation, flood relief and the depreciation of the kyat against the US dollar have prompted parliament to consider a government request for almost US$2 billion in supplementary funding for the current fiscal year. The additional cash, however, poses significant risks of overheating the economy by ...
Publisher, four others jailed over calendar
A Muslim publisher and four others have been detained in Insein Prison for attempting to produce a calendar containing quotes from government officials in the 1950s and 1960s using the term “Rohingya”. The calendar contains quotes from speeches by former prime minister U Nu and other ...
Myanmar MPs push for changes to Arms Act
Myanmar’s pre-colonial law on weapons should be updated on the basis of expert advice, two upper-house members of parliament say. U Shu Maung, Amyotha Hluttaw MP for Shan State constituency 8, said the act appeared to take different forms in upper and lower Myanmar and ...
Myanmar government moves to bring non-ceasefire groups into dialogue
The Myanmar government’s chief ceasefire negotiator has indicated that the ethnic armed groups that refused to sign last month’s nationwide ceasefire agreement still have a chance of being included in the process leading up to political dialogue. His remarks indicated a shift in government policy to ...
More suspected cholera outbreaks reported
Local politicians and relief workers in central Shan State have reported two suspected outbreaks of cholera among villagers displaced by the fighting that is focused on two townships, Kye-thi and Mine Shu/Mong Shu. Shan Youth Group activist Ko Sai Oo said he was trying to ...
As inflation rises, Myanmar's Central Bank aims at monetary tightening
The Central Bank of Myanmar plans to tighten monetary policy to counter inflation, though at the request of banks has extended the deadline to meet a new reserve requirement ratio until January, said senior officials. Amid signs of overheating, the Central Bank has been holding deposit ...