Page 15 - Myanmar

India's foreign secretary visits Myanmar, discusses border management

India's Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra on Monday concluded a two-day visit to Myanmar during which he discussed issues relating to border management and security. Kwatra's visit came amid escalating violence between ethnic armed organisations and the Myanmar army that could have some impact on the border regions in India's northeastern states. External Affairs Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said the foreign secretary paid a working visit to Myanmar on November 20 and 21. "Held discussions on important bilateral issues relating to border management, security and ongoing bilateral cooperation projects and India's support to democratic transition in Myanmar," Bagchi said on Twitter. India shares a 1,643-km border with Myanmar that stretches from the India-Myanmar-China trijunction in Arunachal Pradesh to the India-Myanmar -Bangladesh trijunction in Mizoram. The military junta seized power in Myanmar after a coup in February last year, derailing the experiment with limited ..

US expands sanctions on Myanmar, North Korea's aviation, defence sectors

The Biden administration is expanding sanctions against the aviation and defense sectors of North Korea and Myanmar as it continues to punish the two countries for weapons-related violations of US and United Nations regulations and human rights abuses. The Treasury Department announced Tuesday that it had imposed penalties on two agents for North Korea's state-owned airline Air Koryo and redesignated a previously sanctioned North Korean cyber agency that it said launders profits from cryptocurrency heists to further Pyongyang's weapons programs. Treasury also announced sanctions against the Myanmar aviation firm Sky Aviator Company Limited and its owner for facilitating weapons purchases for the country's military government to crackdown on protesters following a February 2021 coup. North Korean agents Ri Sok, an Air Koryo representative based in China, and Yan Zhihong, an airline logistics manager, were targeted with sanctions for their support for for North Korea's nuclear weapons

After 3-yr lull, IndiGo to resume flights to China, Myanmar from March 2023

IndiGo used to operate daily flights on Delhi-Chengdu, Kolkata-Guangzhou, Kolkata-Yangon routes till early 2020

Wildlife experts red flag care of exotic animals smuggled in from Myanmar

While smuggling of endangered and exotic animals from Myanmar has been rising, the upkeep, nursing, protection and care of the recovered wild animals is not always appropriate and adequate

FATF called for enhanced due diligence on Myanmar following blacklist: RBI

Earlier in February 2020, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Iran was put on blacklist by the anti-terror financing and anti-money laundering watchdog

UN envoy: Myanmar crisis deepens, taking 'catastrophic toll on people'

The UN special envoy for Myanmar warned Tuesday that the political, human rights and humanitarian crisis in the military-ruled Southeast Asian nation is deepening and taking a catastrophic toll on the people. Noeleen Heyzer told the U.N. General Assembly's human rights committee that more than 13.2 million people don't have enough to eat, 1.3 million are displaced and the military continues operations using disproportionate force including bombings, burnings of homes and buildings, and the killing of civilians. Heyzer's briefing was her first at the U.N. in New York since she visited Myanmar in August and met the head of the military government, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing. She said the meeting was part of broader efforts by the U.N. to urgently support a return to civilian rule. She stressed that there is a new political reality in Myanmar: a people demanding change, no longer willing to accept military rule. Heyzer said she made six requests during the meeting with the military's

Air strike during concert in Myanmar's Kachin state kills at least 60

Myanmar has been gripped by violence since the army overthrew an elected government early last year

FATF blacklists Myanmar, calls for due diligence to transactions in nation

Money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog FATF has put Myanmar on the "black list" and has called on members to apply enhanced due diligence to business relations and transactions in Myanmar

Graft convictions extend ex-Myanmar leader Suu Kyi's prison term to 26 yrs

A court in military-ruled Myanmar convicted the country's ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, on two more corruption charges on Wednesday, with two three-year sentences, to be served concurrently, added to previous convictions that now leave her with a 26-year total prison term. Suu Kyi, 77, was detained on February 1, 2021, when the military seized power from her elected government. She has denied the allegations against her in this case, in which she was accused of receiving USD 550,000 as a bribe from Maung Weik, a tycoon convicted several years ago of drug trafficking. She had already been sentenced to 23 years' imprisonment after being convicted of illegally importing and possessing walkie-talkies, violating coronavirus restrictions, breaching the country's official secrets act, sedition, election fraud and five other corruption charges. Supporters and independent analysts say all the charges are politically motivated and an attempt to discredit her and legitimise the military's

Myanmar's ex-leader Suu Kyi convicted again, gets sentence of 3 years

A court in military-ruled Myanmar convicted former leader Aung San Suu Kyi in another criminal case Thursday and sentenced Australian economist Sean Turnell to three years in prison for violating an official secrets law, a legal official said. Suu Kyi received a three-year sentence after being tried and convicted with Turnell under the secrets act, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to release information about the case. Three members of Suu Kyi's Cabinet were also found guilty, each also receiving sentences of three years in prison. Turnell, an associate professor in economics at Sydney's Macquarie University, had served as an adviser to Suu Kyi, who was detained when her elected government was ousted by the army in 2021. He was arrested five days later while waiting for a car to take him to the airport. The exact details of the offense have not been made public, though state television said last year that Turnell had access to secr

US expands, extends legal status for Myanmar immigrants to May 2024

The Biden administration has said it is expanding and extending temporary legal status in the US for several thousand people from Myanmar after a military coup last year in the Asian country. The Monday's decision extends Temporary Protected Status for 18 months for an estimated 970 people of Myanmar until May 25, 2024, and makes an additional 2,290 eligible to live and work until that date if they were in the United States on Sunday. People of Myanmar are continuing to suffer a complex and deteriorating humanitarian crisis due to a military coup, upheaval, and security forces' brutal violence against civilians", said Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Myanmar, also called Burma, has been ruled by the military for most of the past 70 years. The army's takeover interrupted a gradual transition toward democratic civilian government and a more modern, open economy and resulted in a slew of sanctions against the military, which controls many industries as well as army fami

OPS urges PM Modi to secure release of Indians held captive in Myanmar

Deposed AIADMK leader and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention in securing the release of Indians held in captivity in Myanmar

13 including 7 children killed as Myanmar army helicopters target school

At least 13 people including seven children were killed, while 17 others were injured after army helicopters fired at a school in Myanmar, media reports said

Rescue Indian workers duped into bonded labour in Myanmar, CPI urges Centre

Workers hailing from Tamil Nadu were duped on the pretext of job offers and forced into bonded labour in Myanmar, the CPI said on Monday and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take immediate steps to rescue them. After falsely promising job opportunities in Thailand, Tamil Nadu workers were taken by unscrupulous elements to Myawaddy in Myanmar and they were forced into bonded labour there, the party said citing social media accounts. In a statement, the Left party's State Secretary R Mutharasan said such workers faced torture in Myanmar and their families back home are distressed. Steps should be taken on a war-footing by the Union government to bring them back home, he urged Modi. Also, the Centre should provide them domestic job opportunities. He alleged that workers faced the agony of seeking employment abroad as the BJP-led Centre has deceived the people on its promise of providing 2 crore job opportunities every year.

Bangladesh asks Myanmar to exercise restraint amid escalated border tension

Bangladesh on Saturday asked Myanmar to exercise restraint as tensions escalated in frontiers over the use of artillery guns along the borders by its forces which killed a Rohingya child and wounded several others in the past several days. Bangladesh does want war, home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told reporters here when asked for comments on the Myanmar security forces actions on the borders, frightening both Bangladeshis and Rohingyas who took refuge in makeshift camps in the neighbourhood. Kamal said Bangladesh would inform the United Nations if Myanmar does not end the firing near the Bangladesh border as "we have repeatedly warned Myanmar through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but they did not heed the warnings". He said Bangladesh wanted to resolve issues with Myanmar peacefully and expected the neighbour to realise their mistake and refrain from doing anything in future that impedes bilateral relations. "As we do not want conflict, our efforts are underway to find a .

3 wild animals rescued in Mizoram, suspected to be smuggled from Myanmar

Mizoram police on Friday rescued three exotic wildlife species in an operation against illicit smuggling of wildlife species, said the police.

India should help in bringing back peace in Myanmar: Mizoram CM to PM

Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga has told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that India should play a vital role in bringing back peace in trouble-torn Myanmar, an official said on Thursday. The chief minister on Wednesday called on the prime minister in New Delhi and they discussed a wide range of issues, including the Myanmar political crisis, he said. During the interaction, Zoramthanga told Modi that India must play a crucial role in restoring peace in Myanmar. The prime minister, on his part, said the Centre would make efforts to bring back peace in the neighbouring country, the official said. Over 30,000 Myanmarese have taken refuge in Mizoram since the Myanmar Army seized power by ousting the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February last year. The chief minister also urged Modi to take measures for shifting the Assam Rifles base from the heart of Aizawl to a designated camp at Zokhawsang, around 15 km from the state capital. He also requested Modi to .

Myanmar reports 299 Covid-19 cases in 24 hrs; tally rises to 617,355

Myanmar confirmed 299 new cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the tally to 617,355

30,401 from Myanmar took refuge in Mizoram after Feb 2021 coup: Minister

Altogether 30,401 people from Myanmar have crossed the international border and taken refuge in Mizoram after the neighbouring country's military ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February last year, state Home Minister Lalchamliana has informed the assembly. Of the 30,401 Myanmarese, 29,253 are currently sheltered in the state as per reports submitted by district deputy commissioners to the home department on August 20, the minister said in a written reply on Tuesday. The government has completed the profiling of all the Myanmarese in the state, while identity cards and refugee certificates have been issued to 30,177 people. "Although profiling is more or less completed, it is a continuous process and conducted in a phased manner as there are still new entrants and some people used to return to their villages on a regular basis," he said. Lalchamliana said the state disaster management and rehabilitation department has so far disbursed Rs 3 crore as a relief to

Myanmar's ex-leader Aung San Suu Kyi sentenced to 3 more years in prison

Two days after Myanmar's former State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi has been sentenced to three years in jail for electoral fraud in 2020, increasing her total prison term to 20 years