Myanmar govt

YANGON: Myanmar security forces cracked down on anti-coup protesters in the country's second-largest city on Friday (Feb 26), injuring at least three people, two of whom were shot in the chest by rubber bullets and another who suffered a wound on his leg. Protesters had gathered on a wide road outside a park in Mandalay in the early afternoon when security forces arrived and began firing what sounded like gunshots and using flash bang grenades to disperse the crowd. Bullets, shell casings and other projectiles were later found by local residents on one of the main streets and shown to journalists. The victims were all taken to a private clinic for treatment. One of the men who was shot in the chest with a rubber bullet also had a white bandage wrapped around his head. The man with an injured leg was later photographed in a cast that stretched from his foot to his knee. The confrontations underscore the rising tensions between a growing popular revolt and the … [Read more...] about Myanmar protesters injured as police escalate use of force

YANGON: Myanmar's deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi was hit with another charge on Tuesday (Feb 16), after the military imposed a second straight overnight Internet shutdown in an attempt to grind down an anti-coup uprising. In the two weeks since the generals ousted Aung San Suu Kyi and put the civilian leader under house arrest in the administrative capital Naypyidaw, big cities and isolated village communities alike have been in open revolt. The military justified its power seizure by alleging widespread voter fraud in November elections that Aung San Suu Kyi's party won. After her detention in a dawn raid on Feb 1 - the day of the coup - she was charged under an obscure import and export law, over walkie-talkies that were found in her home during a search. The Nobel laureate's lawyer told AFP on Tuesday she had been hit with a second charge, of violating the country's disaster management law. "She was charged under section eight of the Export and Import Law and section 25 … [Read more...] about Aung San Suu Kyi hit with second charge as Myanmar junta tightens grip

SINGAPORE: It was only a decade ago in 2011 that Myanmar started democratic reforms and opened its doors to foreign investment. Industries such as oil exploration, retail and wholesale, telecommunications, and insurance and banking have since been opened up. Aung San Suu Kyi’s landslide victory in the 2015 elections further cemented the country’s path towards democracy. Foreign investors piled in. World Bank data shows that foreign direct investment inflows jumped to a high of 6 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2015. Foreign direct investment inflows have since tapered off, hitting a low of 1.7 per cent of GDP in 2018. Now, with the army back in control , there are concerns foreign investor sentiment will take another hit. READ: Myanmar military takeover threatens country's development: World Bank READ: Myanmar nationals in Singapore express disbelief over military coup back home, worry about families Htwe Htwe Thein, an Associate Professor … [Read more...] about What does military rule mean for foreign investments in Myanmar?

SINGAPORE: On Monday (Feb 1), a day before Myanmar’s new Parliament would be sworn in, elected members of the National League for Democracy (NLD), including President Win Myint, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, Cabinet members and parliamentarians, were deposed by Myanmar’s armed forces. The Tatmadaw justified Aung San Suu Kyi’s detention on an alleged possession of illegally imported walkie talkies. While the motivations for the military takeover remain unclear, the Tatmadaw’s objective of preserving its central role in Myanmar’s politics cannot be ruled out. READ: Commentary: Why a military coup cannot be the solution in Myanmar The military had earlier alleged voter fraud in Myanmar’s general elections, insisting that there were up to 8.6 million irregularities in voter lists across Myanmar’s 314 townships. This accusation was categorically rejected by the civilian-appointed Union Election Commission, which cited the lack of evidence in support of the Tatmadaw’s … [Read more...] about Commentary: ASEAN can do better on Myanmar this time

YANGON: Foreign investors flocked to Myanmar as it began its democratic transition a decade ago, but this week's military coup is likely to accelerate a trend of Western withdrawal - and China's expansion. Myanmar's untapped potential was up for grabs in 2011, when generals in charge of a junta loosened their iron grip after 49 years, paving the way for democratic reforms and economic liberalisation in the country of more than 50 million people. Investors pumped money into telecommunications, infrastructure, manufacturing and construction projects. But the buzz was already fading by 2017 for the West, after a military crackdown on Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state led to allegations of genocide. And the sight of generals running the show again could be the last straw for Western businesses, analysts say. READ: US leads condemnation as Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi charged after coup READ: UN wants to 'make sure' Myanmar coup fails, says Guterres "Now with the coup, … [Read more...] about Back to ‘basket case’? Myanmar economy at risk after coup