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Friday, March 27, 2020
Making news today:
Myanmar asks the World Health Organization to provide more assistance to help with the large numbers of returned migrant workers who have increased the risk of spreading the coronavirus. In other stories making front-page headline news: Industry bodies cooperate to sell food staples at Yangon industrial zones in a move aimed at preventing shortages and overcharging, garment factory workers under surveillance for coronavirus to receive 60 percent of their salaries from the Social Security Board, a villager in Mandalay Region runs amok over having his health checked and is arrested after attacking officials, and four Chinese nationals detained with expired visas and more than 200 Chinese passports seized in Yangon’s downtown Lanmadaw Township.
Noteworthy stories:
7Day News Daily
Myanmar asks the WHO to provide more help for dealing with migrant workers who have returned home in large numbers
The return of migrant workers from Thailand poses an enormous risk for spreading COVID-19, Minister of Health and Sports, Dr Myint Htwe, told a coordinating meeting of the National-level Central Committee on Prevention, Control and Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 yesterday.
The massive influx of migrant workers has created a significant situation for Myanmar that other countries do not face and the Department of Health has asked the World Health Organization to provide more help, Myint Htwe said.
Ministry spokesperson Dr Khin Khin Gyi said the WHO had been asked to provide more aid because substantial amounts of medicine and equipment would be needed, including to monitor returned migrant workers who needed to be placed under surveillance for the coronavirus.
Myint Htwe said the health department will conduct surveillance and control the disease by putting workers returned from Thailand under quarantine with the help of the public.
The Standard Time Daily
Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and rice and edible oil associations, sell rice, oil and salt at affordable prices in Hlaing Tharyar Township
The Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry is cooperating with its brethren associations to sell basic foods at affordable prices to factory workers and people at the grassroots during the COVID-19 outbreak, the UMFCCI said.
The Myanmar Rice Federation, Myanmar Rice and Paddy Traders Association, Myanmar Edible Oil Dealers Association and Hlaing Tharyar Industrial Zone Management Committee worked with the UMFCCI to sell basic foods such as rice, edible oil and salt at Hlaing Tharyar yesterday.
“We will give priority to factory workers and grassroots people in Hlaing Tharyar, Shwepyithar and Shwe Lin Ban industrial zones,” said U Ye Min Aung, chair of MRF.
The intention is to prevent food shortages and overcharging of staples during the coronavirus threat, said Ye Min Aung.
The organisations plan to extend the sale of staples to other townships after negotiating with the relevant authorities and will try not to adversely affect local shops.
The Voice
Garment factory workers put under surveillance for coronavirus will receive 60 percent of their salary from the Social Security Board, says secretary of Confederation of Trade Unions in Myanmar
Garment factory workers placed under surveillance because they are suspected of having the coronavirus will receive 60 percent of their salary from the Social Security Board, said Ma Phyo Sandar Soe, secretary of the Confederation of Trade Unions in Myanmar.
The SSB discussed the entitlements of such workers at a tripartite meeting of government, employer and worker representatives at the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population in Nay Pyi Taw on March 25.
The Ministry of Health and Sports has advised that garment and other factories should not close, as public concern grows about the spread of the coronavirus.
The CTUM suggested that factories be sprayed with disinfectant and suspend operations until the end of April, but employers objected.
U Thet Hnin Aung, general secretary of the Myanmar Industries Craft and Service Trade Union Federation, said the government needed to monitor factory closures and worker lay offs and also help employers when factories are facing raw materials shortages, a lack of orders and difficulties paying employees.
In Yangon Region, 38 factories had closed by March 23 due to the impact of the COVID-19, leaving 20,000 workers jobless.
7Day News Daily
Villager in Mandalay Region’s Mahlaing Township who returned from China arrested after losing temper over health check and assaulting officials
A resident of Thetkalkyin village, Mahlaing Township, Mandalay Region, who returned from China, was angry about having his health checked and assaulted officials, said Police Lieutenant Aye Min, head of Hnaw Kan police station.
When the village medical officer and village administrator checked the man’s health on March 25 after learning that he had been in China, he was angry that others had told them where he had been and began shouting and swearing.
He later attacked staff at the village administration office with a knife, injuring a person.
Legal action has been launched against the man for using obscene language, voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon, assault to deter a public servant from discharging their duty, and criminal intimidation.
Daily Eleven
Four Chinese nationals detained with expired visas in Yangon’s Lanmadaw Township, and more than 200 Chinese passports seized
Four Chinese nationals with expired visas were detained and more than 200 Chinese passports seized from them in Yangon’s Lanmadaw Township on the night of March 25, said Yangon Region Hluttaw MP U Kyaw Tun (National League for Democracy, Lanmadaw-2).
“They were found at an apartment in 10th Street. The Immigration Department is investigating why they were in possession of more than 200 Chinese passports,” Kyaw Tun Said.
The landlord failed to report their presence to the ward administration office, he said.
Meanwhile, 88 Chinese nationals detained at two houses in Yangon’s Thingangyun Township on March 21 will be deported and the landlords and companies that failed to report their presence in Myanmar would face legal action, said an official from the Ministry of Immigration and Human Resources in Yangon Region.
The front page headlines:
The Mirror (state)
- 15th regular session of second Pyidaungsu Hluttaw concluded successfully
- Second amendment of the constitution is enacted
- Import and export licences will be issued online from April 1, says Ministry of Commerce
Myawady Daily (military)
- Message of greetings from Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Armed Forces Day on 27 March 2020
7Day News Daily (private)
- Myanmar requests help from the WHO to manage the migrant workers returning home en masse
- British ambassador tells all British citizens to leave Myanmar
- Thousands of Myanmar workers in Yangon protest at two garment factories amid concern over being laid off [because of effect of COVID-19]
- 38 people who had close contact with the COVID-19 patient from Tedim being kept in home quarantine
- Six international airlines still flying to seven destinations from Yangon International airport
- A villager in Mandalay Region’s Mahlaing Township who returned from China was angry about having his health checked and assaulted officials
- More than 10,000 people, including more than 1,000 doctors, have registered as volunteers to help fight COVID-19, says secretary of Myanmar Medical Association
Daily Eleven (private)
- Myanmar has five confirmed COVID-19 patients, the two new cases are returnees from the United States and Singapore
- More than 2,000 workers from a garment factory in East Dagon industrial zone protest after learning they will be laid off at the end of March
- Four Chinese nationals found with expired visas in Lanmadaw Township, Yangon, and more than 200 Chinese passports seized
- A villager of Mandalay’s Mahlaing Township, who is a returnee from China, assaulted a village official because he was angry about having his health checked
- A man who returned from Cambodia to his home in Myaungmya, Ayeyarwady Region, is being kept under surveillance for coronavirus
- Ayeyarwady Region government orders temporary closure of hotels and guest houses at beach resorts until end of April
The Standard Time Daily (private)
- Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and rice and edible oil associations sell rice, oil and salt at affordable prices in Hlaing Tharyar Township
- Protesting workers at garment factory in East Dagon industrial zone reach agreement with management not to proceed with layoffs
- Karen National Union demands that government and Tatmadaw declare nationwide ceasefire during effort to prevent spread of COVID-19
The Voice (private)
- General Administration Department in Sagaing Region issues regional order warning returnees that they will face legal action if they fail to self isolate at home
- More than 2,000 garment factory workers from Ywar Thar Gyi industrial zone in East Dagon Township protest after being told they will be laid off
- More than 300 health staff living in hostels in Mandalay are facing difficulties because hostel owners want them to leave [because of fear of coronavirus]
- Karen National Union demands government and Tatmadaw declare nationwide ceasefire during prevention campaign against COVID-19
- Three AA members shot dead by Tatmadaw in Minbya Township
- Myanmar Knitting factory in Ayeyarwady Region’s Pathein Township lays off nearly 2,900 workers because of lack of orders
- Myanmar signs agreement with factory in Bago industrial zone to buy 100,000 sets of personal protective equipment [Chinese workers from the factory who returned from their home after Chinese New Year holiday were kept under surveillance in early February]
- 11 highway bus lines to continue operating during Thingyan festival
- Garment factory workers put under surveillance for coronavirus will receive 60 percent of their salary from the Social Security Board, says secretary of Confederation of Trade Unions in Myanmar
Here at the media monitor we try to pick stories that will give you an insight into coverage by Myanmar-language newspapers.
We hope it will give you a deeper understanding of local outlets - what their interests are, what type of stories they cover, and how they report.
Disclaimer
Each item is a translation of a story that may contain inaccuracies. Each translation has been edited for clarity and brevity, but where necessary has retained original language. Our own explanations of headlines and stories are shown in parenthesis.
Credits
Translation: Thiri Min Htun
Editing: Geoffrey Goddard
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