CAT plans undersea cable to Dawei
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Thai-owned CAT Telecom is seeking approval to install an underwater fiber-optic cable between Dawei Deep Sea Port and southern Thailand, it said.
The cable will be about 800 kilometres long and will cost about Bt1.2 billion, said Surapon Sanguansilp, the company’s executive vice president.
EU visitors push for press freedom
A delegation from the European Parliament’s subcommittee on Human Rights visited Myanmar late last week to observe the country’s reform process and human rights situation.
The delegation of Barbara Lochbihler and Elisabeth Jeggle from Germany, Nicole Kiil-Nielsn from France and Inese Vaideres from Latvia met with government officials, MPs and representatives of political parties, civil society and the UN. They also met with opposition leader Aung San Su Kyi.
Lochbihler said “the EU warmly welcomed Myanmar’s political reform process and supported their strenuous efforts to respect and abide by human rights. Besides, we urged Myanmar’s government officials not to make a U-turn and the government needs to reform the state Constitution and obey it.”
She also called on the Union Assembly to enact a media law that guaranteed press freedom.
Eleven Media
Interactive book on Myanmar
The Straits Times has launched an interactive book, “Myanmar Sunrise”, on the extraordinary story of the world’s newest democracy experiment and the region’s last big economic frontier.
A collection of features and analyses on politics, economy, business and travel, it offers a window on today’s Myanmar.
‘Myanmar Sunrise’ is available from the Apple App Store for US$9.99 (Bt290).
The Straits Times
Ministry clarifies mosques question
Myanmar’s department of religious affairs has reiterated its claim that it lacks authority to allow mosques to be built in the country, but stressed that mosques and buildings of worship for other religions have been built here without official permission for a long time.
The clarification was made in response to questions from Eleven Media about statements made earlier this month by Yangon Region’s chief minister that the religious affairs department had not given permission for mosques and religious schools to open in Myanmar.
The statements follow rioting last month in which mosques were destroyed in arson attacks and scores of people were killed or injured.
On April 2 an official told press that the religious department had not given permission for mosques to be built in the country.
In response to questions from Eleven Media about this statement, Yangon Region religious affairs director Aung Kyi said that the statement was intended to clarify that the department’s role was not to give or deny permission.
“There was not enough time in the press conference to explain this completely,” Aung Kyi said.
Eleven Media
