In a statement issued on 23 September, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar called on the international community to refrain from engaging in any way with illegal terrorist organizations and their representatives. On 25 September, the Ministry issued a statement noting that the absence of Myanmar, the country-concerned, in the three interactive dialogues against Myanmar organized by the 48th Regular Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, stating that politically motivated resolutions and unfair mandates only create mistrust and divisions within the country, Therefore, Myanmar strongly rejects and objects to the reports and deliberations made by country-specific mechanisms which do not help address the challenges the country has been facing.
The activities of the Tatmadaw
The International Army Games 2021 was held in the Russian Federation on 22 August, and the Tatmadaw participated in contests involving Tank Biathlon, Snipers’ Competition, Medical Corps Competitions, Air Force Skills Competition and cultural competitions. Members of Myanmar’s Tatmadaw won various prizes, including the third prize in Tank Biathlon, first prize in Traditional Costume Performance, second prize in Individual Singing in Russian, second prize in a performance highlighting the country’s culture, as well as the third prize in online fan voting.
On 27 September 2021, the Office of the Commander- in-Chief of the Myanmar Tatmadaw issued a statement on the ceasefire and peace process. The statement announced that in view of the upcoming 75th anniversary of Myanmar’s Union Day on 12 February 2022, the Tatmadaw would unilaterally extend the suspension of all military operations until 28 February 2022, except when other forces attack people’s lives and property, transport networks, national defence and administration, and state security and governance. This would also enable more effective prevention, control and treatment of COVID-19 in the country, as well as the acceleration of the peace process.
Political developments
From 23 August to 24 September, the Union Election Commission examined the activities of political parties for compliance with prevailing laws and regulations, as regards party
memberships, party funds and property, party finances, audits and funds liquidation.
Under an amnesty, the authorities have released a total of 5,315 detainees who had been
arrested in earlier months during the riots and demonstrations but were not involved in terrorist acts. Additionally, the leniency extended to closing the cases of 702 people in hiding who had contacted the authorities for amnesty.
Social sectors
Mobile markets continued to operate in Yangon Region, to provide the public with essential medicines and primary foods at fair prices. Since 14 September, various types of rice were sold under a special programme in Yangon Region, allowing each person to buy up to 5 bags of rice. In addition, the sale of palm oil to wholesalers at K3,700 per viss was organized on 20 September, and with no more than two per cent increase in retail prices, about 5,829 tonnes of palm oil were distributed and sold within 10 days.
On 10 September, a Social Security Board-Care Well General Clinic was opened in Hlinethaya Township, Yangon Region, as part of the joint collaboration between the Ministry of Labour’s Social Security Board and the Care Well Medical Company. Social pensions continue to be provided to persons with disabilities, vulnerable groups and senior citizens. The Ministry of Labour and the Yangon region government cooperated in the vaccination of 231,298 insured workers from 2,737 departments and work units against COVID-19. Vaccination is still ongoing. The Ministry of Industry held a coordination meeting on workers’ skills certification and job skills standards, as part of the plans to produce skilled workers.
The Ministry of Education worked hard throughout in preparation for the reopening of basic education schools, universities, colleges, and training schools, the COVID-19 situation permitting. The Union Minister for Education also instructed education officials to improve basic education schools with libraries, school furniture, systematic learning in school laboratories, and school gymnasiums.
Following the instructions of the Head of the State, 17 Myanmar nationals who had been defrauded of money and stranded in Malaysia were repatriated at the expense of the state on 6 and 20 September.
The Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs is exploring means to improve the lives of former Myanmar national team players who have been honoured by the country. On 1 September, the Ministry held discussions on the provision of pensions based on the award received, the conduct of a census of players, and additional support to athletes with disabilities.
Relief work was carried out in the flood-hit regions and states by local Tatmadaw forces, the Myanmar Police Force, firefighters and local people. Residents affected by landslides and blockage of debris due to the flood have been evacuated, while reconstruction works were implemented without delay.
Efforts to revive the economy
On 3 September, the Central Bank of Myanmar issued a notification under the Foreign Exchange Management Law, stating that within four months of the receipt of export income, exporters must sell or convert to Myanmar Kyat at the prevailing exchange rate all unused export income in foreign currency, through a Myanmar bank holding an authorized dealer licence issued by the Central Bank of Myanmar. The Core Banking and Trade Finance and ERP System for the Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank were introduced on 28 September.
The Department of Road Transport Administration began the initial and two-year renewal of motor vehicles and motorcycles on 13 September, as well as reduction of the suspension period for overdue fines. Renewals are being allowed without a vehicle inspection. Starting from 30 September, the Myanma Railways launched Yangon-Nay Pyi Taw express train, two Yangon-Bago railbus engine (RBE) trains, two Insein-Okkan RBE trains, and Pathein-Hinthada- Kyangin passenger cargo trains to facilitate the travel of people and flow of goods.
Myanmar participated in the 18th Sino-ASEAN Expo held in Nanning, the People’s Republic of China from 11 to 13 September, with 22 exhibitions filled with Myanmar’s agricultural products, cotton fabrics and lacquerwares. Union Minister for Commerce Dr Pwint San attended the opening ceremony of the Expo held online, where he expressed thanks to the People’s Republic of China and the ASEAN countries for the donations and assistance related to COVID-19 control in Myanmar.
The Working Committee to Remedy the Potential Economic Impact of COVID-19 announced that businesses that took loans from the COVID-19 fund could extend the repayment period for another six months. On 11 September, the government announced that livestock businesses affected by the COVID-19 could apply for loans.
Collaboration between the Ministry of Commerce and the Myanmar Fuel Oil Importers and Distributors Association led to the launch on 22 September of a plan to sell fuel oils at fairer prices. The name and address of gas stations that will sell fuel oils at discounted rates in each region and state have been published in newspapers.
Agriculture and Livestock Sector
The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation held a meeting with onion growers and entrepreneurs on 1 September and said that the government would encourage investment from the start of crop cultivation to the production and distribution of value-added products. Efforts should be made to produce 100 per cent of local agriculture products and related consumer goods on lands owned by the government, Tatmadaw and private owners in the respective regions and states. The Chief Ministers, military commanders, and officials of the respective regions and states are conducting field trips to assess the situation.
A panel discussion was also held on 18 September on the domestic production and consumption of edible oil. Work is underway to improve access to healthy cooking oil for the people and to further develop oilseed production processes in order to reduce imports of cooking oil, especially unhealthy palm oil.
The COVID-19 pandemic
In addition to the regular COVID-19 prevention and control measures, the State Administration Council has organized COVID-19 diagnostic tests in religious places and accelerated the vaccination campaign against the disease across the country, including for people in remote areas and camps for internally displaced persons. Businesses, civil society and community organizations contributed immensely to these efforts with donations of medical equipment and supplies, cash, time and voluntary labour. With such cooperation from the people, it is not surprising that the case positivity rate had dropped. Stay-at home restrictions were lifted in six townships in Sagaing, Bago, and Ayeyawady regions.
The Ministry of Health held a meeting on the potential use of traditional substances /medicines in COVID-19 prevention, control and treatment activities, and to encourage research to this end. The Department of Medical Research and the Tatmadaw Medical Research Unit have been working together to explore the potential use of traditional medicinal plants such as Hsay Khar Gyi (Andrographis paniculate or green chiretta).
Of 24 million doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine purchased from the People’s Republic of China, 4 million doses arrived in Myanmar on 24 September and 26 September respectively. As of 26 September, 2 million doses of Covishield, 10 million doses of Sinopharm, 2 million doses of Sinovac (altogether 14 million doses of vaccines) have been purchased by the Ministry of Health in Myanmar. By 28 September 2021, 11,590,241 doses had been administered to 7,799,489 people (3,790,752 fully vaccinated people and 4,008,737 people vaccinated once).
The media
On 9 September, the Ministry of Information held a diplomatic briefing for embassies in Yangon. The briefing focused on key aspects of the current situation in Myanmar: (i) political developments, (ii) the evidence related to the massive fraud and vote-rigging of the 2020 general election, including 11.3 million so-called voters with non-existent/ ineligible/repeated or otherwise questionable identities; (iii) the evidence of violence and terrorist acts committed by the so-called NUG and People’s Defence Force (PDF) against civilians; and (iv) the progress made in the fight against COVID- 19 despite the NUG/PDF attempts to disrupt vaccination activities with threats and bombs, and undermine public health facilities by pressuring health staff to abandon their patients and join the civil disobedience movement.
On 30 September, Union Minister U Maung Maung Ohn held a meeting with local and foreign media outlets at the Ministry of Information in Nay Pyi Taw. The meeting aimed to provide accurate information for the State and the people, build mutual understanding and trust between state-owned and private media, cooperate for the benefit of the State and its people, prevent rumours and misinformation, and provide timely information to the media.
On 7 September, the NUG declared war against the Myanmar government from its base camp on the Thai border. On 8 September, the Information Team of the State Administration Council released a statement condemning the NUG declaration as an exhortation to the public to use violence to undermine the stability and socio-economic well-being of people in the country. The statement recalled that the Peace Process Steering Team meeting (formed with representatives of ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) that had signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement) had held a meeting (19/2021) on 7 September 2021 with 35 participants from nine organizations.
The meeting had focused on the efforts being made to vaccinate the people of Myanmar, including EAOs and other measures for the prevention, control and treatment activities of COVID- 19. The statement also reminded that the Tatmadaw had issued statements 20 times from 21 December 2018 to 7 September 2021, on its unilateral ceasefire with a view to achieving durable peace. To this end, the Tatmadaw’s Peace Negotiation Committee on Ethnic Armed Organizations had been modified on 1 February 2021 to facilitate holding continual dialogue between the Tatmadaw and the EAOs. The statement further noted that the government was striving for prevention, control and treatment of COVID-19, and its vaccination programme included people without discrimination, including those living in EAO areas, those from IDP camps and the Bengalis from Rakhine State. Therefore, it was regrettable that the NUG continued to incite people to violence, while PDF terrorists continued to kill civilians, commit bomb attacks and disrupt activities to control COVID-19. The government would continue to prioritize the prevention, control and treatment of COVID-19, the peace process, security, stability and socio-economic well-being of people. The statement further requested all organizations and all ethnic national peoples to cooperate with the government in these endeavours.
Regarding the fake news on the demonetization of K5,000 and K10,000 banknotes, the Leader of the Information Team of the State Administration Council Major-General Zaw Min Tun urged the public not to be misled. He said the State Administration Council was strictly abiding by the 2008 State Constitution and that Article 36 (e) explicitly forbade such a move. The Central Bank of Myanmar had also issued a notice to the public on 16 September stating that banknotes would not be demonetized.
On 17 September, the Ministry of Information had laid out the agenda for the reorganization of the Department of Information and Public Relations and expansion of the informationsector, with a view to heightening public awareness and strengthening public relations and services. At the meeting, Union Minister U Maung Maung Ohn underscored the necessity for the Ministry to provide services that would satisfy the people and gain their trust.
The media conference (9/2021) of the Information Team of the State Administration Council was held on 30 September in Nay Pyi Taw. Team leader Major-General Zaw Min Tun presented the plans for the peace process, the security situation and the video testimonies from detained PDF members. The representative of the Union Election Commission (UEC) summarized the completed activities and future plans of the Union Election Commission. Following this, the officials responded to reporters’ questions.
For the eighth month of the State Administrative Council, the gains in nation and state-building have been steady. The people, the government and the Tatmadaw will need to continue working together in a spirit of determination and reliance on national strengths to build on these gains and tackle the remaining challenges.
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