The Junta denounces
all Burmese media in exile and declared all those who work with them as
'traitors of the State'. These groups aim to promote Justice, Freedom and
Democracy in Burma and also seek to inform the wider international community
about the situation inside the Burmese territory. Many people have left the state for
near countries such as Thailand, India and Bangladesh in search of a better
life and job, the social and political activists escaped to Thailand and formed
the exile media groups, reporting the news updates in Burma with the aid of courageous
reporters and other media associates who risk their lives every day to get the
crucial and essential news feeds out of the country.
Working as journalist inside the state is a
risky job, the Burmese writers try to publish the truth about the situation in Burma,
but all the articles must be approved by the censorship board, (called ‘Press
Scrutiny and Registration Division (PSRB) of the Ministry of Information since 2005’) in an approval process that can
last over six months. Often, these stories are automatically deleted because
they contain words that appeal to the human dignity like “'refugees' or
'starvation” which attract international attention and could possibly
compromise the military regime.
The journalists sometimes are required to find
an alternative job as a cover up to protect their services and loyalty to the
media and to also ensure their survival, while at the same time find a way
(sometimes illegal) to report the news to their friends in the exiled media,
like through a mobile phone, which has revealed to be the hardest medium to
control by the Junta.
In
Burma only a few hundred elites are granted full access to the Internet, and
e-mail communication is strictly monitored by the government. The sites
accessed must first pass through the censorship board and the Junta control and
monitor every internet user who may be suspected of delivering news to the
media in exile. Computer courses are costly and many people cannot afford it.
Internet censorship is mostly confined to
websites related to pro-democracy groups and those on pornography. Some internet cafes started to
monitor their visitors since 2010 and owners are also required to report their
shop’s activity monthly to the Junta.
In September 2011, several banned websites including “YouTube”, “Democratic Voice of Burma” and “Voice of America” have been
unblocked.
The Junta cracks down on both Burmese and non-Burmese
media. For the non-Burmese, the Junta accuses them of supporting the ethnic rebels
or political armed group, while for the Burmese media, it accuses them of
supporting the National League for Democracy, the group of Aung San Suu Kyi.
The Junta would rather prefer the people directing their interest, focus and
passion on non political and social affairs like Sports, instead of the real matters of state such as the cyclone Nargis or
the political activity of NLD.
All TV stations are under the control and
censorship of the regime, and thus make it difficult to differentiate between
facts and fiction, truth and fabrication. The regime via the Press Scrutiny
Board can suspend licenses of publications if it does not approve of the
materials.
The foreign radio programs produced by the
Voice of America, radio Free Asia and DVB (democratic voice of Burma) are very
popular in the area, but are considered illegal by the Junta.
I suggest you to watch the film BURMA VJ, which talks about the situation in Burma from the Saffron Revolution to nowadays:
What has changed in Burma after the new Constitution in 2010 and after the release from jail of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2012?
Democracy in Burma still is not consolidated; many political prisoners remain in jail, without a true trial and the Junta continues violating fundamental human rights.
http://www.aljazeera.com//news/asia/2012/07/20127964743497995.html
The situation is difficult, but since July 2012 it seems to be better; publications go to press without prior approval from the Press Scrutiny and censorship, some websites are now accessible and a new media law, that will abolish censorship is being draft.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-18814045
What do you think about the situation in Burma, a country so far away from Europe?
What could the international community do to help people, journalists and political activists which risk their life for share their opinions and the truth?
Share your opinions!
Micol
We don't know very much about the situation in Burma. I guess this is the major effect of the heavy censorship that rules in this country. In the past decades the circumstances were actually serious. I can say that it was worse than nowadays. There are still some difficulties, even if something is changing in a positive way.
RispondiEliminaAccording to Hanna Hindstrom, a journalist that writes for "OneWorld.net", censorship remains ingrained in Burma's juridical system and the military retains overall control of the media. Broadcasting regulations remain particularly tight and, for example, the government established jail terms for people who send unauthorized information over the internet.
In August 2012 things have changed a little. The Press Scrutiny and Registration Department, also called PSRD, decided that reporters would no longer have to submit their work to state censors before publication. After 50 years of tight control over all the aspects of the media, Burma government decided that " any publication inside the country will not have to get prior permission before it is published".
Despite this great democratic success, journalists in Burma are cautiously optimistic. They now that the end of pre-publication censorship, doesn't mean the complete end of censorship. There are still laws under which reporters can be punished for writing material which angers or offends the government or the military hierarchy.
In conclusion, i think that freedom of speech in Burma is something that gradually will be obtained. It has to be a democratic and autonomous achievement. In my opinion, the international community can only help while observing the situation and spreading news in order to maintain the interest on these issues. Even if in Burma there is a severe regulation, I think that internet can't be bound, so it will be the best weapon for Burmese democracy.
Burma freedom of speech is going through lots of changes. Political election in 2011 that allowed 1991 Nobel Peace Prize Aung San Suu Kyi, chairpresident of the National League for Democracy, to seat in the Parliament sure is challenging. This year Burmese authorities announced that the Press Scrutiny and Registration Division is going to be eliminate, so that freedom of the media will be assured. Obviously is only a little step, but according to the Press Freedom Index 2011/2012 (http://en.rsf.org/spip.php?page=classement&id_rubrique=1043) Burma is moving to lift censorship. It seems silly, but freedom of speech, of expression, so freedom of the media, is one of the foundations of a country that is capable to grow, to be a safe place for its citizens, to deal with the challenges of our time.
RispondiEliminaThis freedom can be considered a double-bladed weapon, because if it not well used can be offensive or harmful to a specific group of people or a person. But censoring it is only a way to dehumanization people, I mean, what really we have more than animals? Someone may say our feelings, but I agree with the ones that put thoughts on the top. Speculative thinking, be able to intellectualize. This is what we should have ensured. Unbalanced people too can think, they have their own way, but it still remains a congenital human faculty. For a country limiting the opportunity of its own people to express their thoughts is a kind of regression to ancient despotism uses. Let people express their potential, suggests, criticisms, complaints, creativity, opinions is the linchpin of a healthy democratic country. Burma practice to suppress adverse opinions or different political views, it have only worsened the feeling of constriction. It occurred more than forty years, but, at the very end the uneasiness came out of the dark. I’ve already wrote about the fact that Suu Kyi election is only a little step, but I hope that Burma government (and the ones of other countries that also need more freedom) will participate to the thought that only through this fundamental freedom the country will lead to a betterment, to a real growth. Not only economic aspects can make a country suitable for a person to live in, there is the self-satisfaction of the individual to feel free in its country. Beautiful items can make somebody really happy for—let’s say one or two minute, fulfilment of the inner side is way more powerful and freedom of expression is one aspect of this fulfilment. Burma is like a little infant that is going to growth, we will see if the path will be the one of the democracy or if there will be a devolution to the past censored times in which Burma seems like the Oceania super-state totalitarianism of George Orwell “Nineteen Eighty Four” political fantasy book.
By Rosana Laura
EliminaBurma showed signs of change in 2012, but the government still failed to seriously address the dire human rights situation in the country.
RispondiEliminaThe Burmese military continues to be responsible for abuses against civilians in conflict areas, including forced labor, extrajudicial killings, sexual violence, the use of “human shields,” and indiscriminate attacks on civilians.
Freedoms of expression, association, and assembly remain severely curtailed. Although some media restrictions were relaxed, including increased access to the internet and broader scope for journalists to cover formerly prohibited subjects, official censorship constrains reporting on many important national issues.
http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/10/26/burma-new-violence-arakan-state
http://3freedoms.amnesty.org/campaign/help/
Sara Berton
Good short video on Burma crisis:
RispondiEliminahttp://vimeo.com/1023900