619 dropped from Myanmar's blacklist
YANGON - A total of 619 names have been removed from the 4,000 on the government’s blacklist, said a minister.
Thein Swe, minister for labour, immigration and population, said 248 out of 443 nationals were removed from the blacklist along with 371 of the 3,938 foreigners.
The ministry said it would cooperate with other ministries to further reduce the blacklist.
Suspected foreign militants listed by overseas security agencies would not be removed from the blacklist as many had committed cross-border crimes or dealt drugs, he added.
Thein Swe said blacklisted foreign business owners and those married to Myanmar nationals would be reconsidered.
The minister said: “Maung Maung One [a US citizen and former 88 Generation student group member who was active in the pro-democracy protests of 1988] had been banned from entry as he was still on the original blacklist. When the officials came to scrutinise the list, he was removed but he had already flown back to the US. He can enter freely now. It was just a misunderstanding within the administration.”
