Myanmar Trims "Blacklist" that Blocked Dissidents, Journalists

Government says 2,000 names will be removed, but thousands remain on the list.

Myanmar's government said it is removing more than 2,000 names from an infamous blacklist that has blocked dissidents and some journalists from entering the country, but many well-known dissidents insist they are still blocked from visiting the country.

The move—which was announced in a three-paragraph article on the last page of Tuesday's New Light of Myanmar, a government mouthpiece—is in line with Naypyitaw's desire to lure more exiles home to bring more foreign-trained expertise back to the country after decades of military rule. It also came a day after Naypyitaw announced a shake-up of the government's cabinet, boosting the authority of leaders believed to endorse more reform.