Civil Liberties

Myanmar Trims "Blacklist" that Blocked Dissidents, Journalists

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

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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.