“Burma Media Watch: Ups and downs in 2006”

2006 BMA Conference Paper

Burma did earn a good reputation for press freedom after it gained independence from Britain between 1948 and 1962. The 1950s were the golden period for press freedom in Burma. As the country was freed from the yoke of British colonialism, there were around three dozens newspapers, including English and Chinese dailies. Every newspaper had its own network of reporters to gather news from across the country. Foreign news came in directly from respective news agencies, wire services and media companies. The news media was free to publish any thing that they believed fit and fair and worthy of circulation to the public. At that time media were no need to undergo a censorship board.

But it was really a short period that came to an end when the military seized power in March 1962. In the wake of the military coup, the junta nationalized all media outlets and introduced harsh publishing legislation. It also established a Press Scrutiny Board (PSB), which has been imposing the strictest censorship codes on all forms of publications including calendars, advertisements and obituaries.

The military dictators' major instrument of censorship is the Printers and Publishers Registration Law of 1962, which was promulgated shortly after the military coup by Gen. Ne Win. Then Burma becomes one of the world's most repressive countries for media. Actually, Freedoms of Expression, and the press have been practically non-existent in Burma since then. All forms of printed matter are under the Press Scrutiny and Registration Division (PSRD). The PSRD took over the censorship duties from the MIS-run Press Scrutiny Board since October 2004.

Let's look into the year 2006. It began with an unpleasant note for the media in Burma. Major Wunna, whose pen-name is "Mar Jay", was dismissed from his job. His senior position in the Air Force did not afford to protect him since the Junta displeased with his satirical articles in Yangon Times weekly. Mar Jay contributes satirical writings to make fun of the relocation of the capital to Pyinmana and the National Convention, which has been dubbed as a sham exercise by both the international community and the oppositions. The sack order was delivered at his residence after his two articles appeared in the weekly.

Another abuse of press freedom took place in March, 2006. Two senior journalists U Thar Cho(52) and Ko Moe Htun(42) were sentenced to three year jail term later. Their sentences were imposed by a court in Yamaethin, which found them guilty of violating article 32 (A) of the Television and Video Act. The court made the judgment on 21 June 2006, reportedly without hearing any witnesses. According to their lawyer, U Khin Maung Zaw, the Television and Video Act don’t forbid taking pictures in authorized areas.

Also in March, two student Aung Than & Zeya Aung, and two civilians Maung Maung Oo & Sein Hlaing were arrested near the Thai-Burmese border town of Myawaddy. They were all charged with publishing an unlawful book of poems. Under the Emergency Provisions Act and the Printers and Publishers Registration Law of 1962, Aung Than and Zeya Aung were sentenced to 19 years in prison for writing the poems; Maung Maung Oo and Sein Hlaing were sentenced to 14 years and 7 years in prison respectively.

Then, the ban on Zargana came. A well-known comedian and movie director Ko Thura, 46, better known as Zargana was banned from all of his professional activities - performing, directing and acting in videos/movies and writing articles – due to participating in a BBC Burmese Service cultural radio program aired in April.

The regime also does not allow public access to the Internet; in particular the military monitors all incoming and outgoing e-mails. Web mails are blocked by the military's secret police and people have no chance for advance Information Technology and update news.

Possessing or using a modem or fax machine without government permission is unlawful in Burma. The Computer Science Development Law which promulgated on 20th September, 1996 says '' Whoever sets up a computer network or connects a link inside the computer network, without the prior sanction of the Ministry of Communications, Posts and Telegraphs shall, on conviction be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend from a minimum of 7 years to a maximum of 15 years and may also be liable to a fine.'' While denying 'free media' to the people and the opposition, the Generals have been using the media to disgrace the democratic opposition and to propagate their xenophobic ideas.

Right at the moment, all news media in Burma is strictly censored and tightly controlled by the military junta—all daily newspapers, radio and television stations are in government hands. Most media businesses and publication companies are owned by generals and their cronies. Whatever few privately-owned journals and magazines are there, they are strictly under the censor's scanner. No printed matter can be seen in the book stalls without 'permission'. Photos, cassette tapes, movies and video footage also need the censor's stamp before delivering the people.

Burma Media Association (BMA) says that at least 18 media persons are in detention by the end of October 2006. All of them are held under life-threatening conditions and some of them are suffering from serious physical and mental illness having remained behind bars for over a decade. Take example the case of U Win Tin, a former editor-in-chief of Hanthawaddy Newspaper and Secretary of National League for Democracy. He has been languishing in the notorious Insein Prison, where over 130 political dissidents died in recent years. He has not seen the world outside for the past 17 years. Now, it seems his 77th birth day on coming March 12 has to observe in the hellish cell.

Anyhow, let's try to find out something that may become beneficial to Media in Burma. In 2001, the number of the journals was not more than a dozen. But, in this 2006, there are over 150 journals apart from scores of magazines. One can find more than 20 fresh journals a day in the market. In addition, quality control of the journals becomes more improve than ever. According to a source, 36% of the audience love to read the journals. The consequence is that the journal industries turn out to be competitive and demand more and more new journalists. And the journalism trainings are allowed to fill the gap. Another reason is the junta's policy change to counter the influence of foreign media.

Then, the military backed-USDA (Union Solidarity and Development Association) is sponsoring lessons in basic journalism. In last October, 53 USDA members from various regions are attending the ten-week course. Besides journalism training, they will be taught national and international developments, the New Light of Myanmar said. And there are also series of workshops and training for Burmese journalists in foreign countries. Whoever sponsored the journalism training is not so important. When these trainees worked in their respective field, the practical experience would show the way they should act.

However, these new-born journalists may change their minds in accordance with the changing world towards freedom and democracy. In a democracy, the people have the rights to choose their government. In making intelligent choices, people need to know what members of the government are doing. They must be able to get news that is not interfered with or controlled by the government. Newspapers and other news organizations must be able to report freely and fearlessly. That's why journalism has become the fourth pillar of a democracy after the legislature, the executive and the judiciary.

Free Press and Democracy compliment each other. People become participants in the democratic process of their country only when they can depend on the integrity, profundity and conscientiousness of the media.

In Burma, the entire media network is in the clutch of military-dictatorship. Both censorship and self-censorship are commonplace in Burma and these have severely restricted political rights and civil liberties. People are witnessing a gloomy epoch where generals and their cronies have started owning media and making it a profitable business. The more control they have on media and Internet, the higher the danger for the society. The junta is abusing the media as its tool to control and influence people's thinking.