MEDIA
Geneva/Guwahati: Expressing serious concerns over the latest crisis faced by the people of Myanmar (formerly Burma) due to the Covid-19 pandemic under a military regime in NayPieTaw, the Switzerland based global media rights body ‘Press Emblem Campaign’ demands all political prisoners including the journalists to be released without any prerequisite.
It may be mentioned that military rulers of the south-Asian nation have so far killed at least 945 people, arrested over 7,026, detained (or sentenced) nearly 5,474 and displaced more than 230,000 ethnic minorities since the coup on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the democratically elected Aung San Suu Kyi’s government.
“The Burmese junta has arrested no less than 98 journalists where 43 scribes are still behind the bars. Moreover, the military authority has crushed the free press compelling a number of media houses to lock their offices and even forced many journalists to go on hiding to avoid the harassment (if not arrest) on a daily basis,” said Blaise Lempen, general secretary of PEC (https://pressemblem.ch/).
Recently a group of Nobel peace laureates came out with the statement to call for the release of Myanmar’s leading women rights defender Thin Thin Aung, who cofounded the Mizzima Newsgroup based in Yangon. Ms. Aung is among hundreds who are facing imprisonment over materials (unpleasant to junta) published and broadcast by media outlets.
“Mizzima is outlawed and our offices are repeatedly raided. We are now operating from hideouts,” said Soe Myint, chief editor of Mizzima group. While speaking to PEC’s India representative Nava Thakuria, he added that, despite all threats and troubles, multiple media outlets of Mizzima continue to operate with the primary aim of opposing the military coup and helping to restore multi-party democracy in Myanmar.
Meanwhile, exile activists argued that military chief, Min Aung Hlaing, is trying to legitimize the Burmese junta, by asking the international community to offer humanitarian aid to Myanmar’s 60 million people. They pointed out that Myanmar is presently facing the pandemic with a lesser number of vaccinated citizens and with low-quality medical care across the country.
“The human rights and humanitarian disasters have now been compounded in Myanmar following the latest flood wave. The military junta has weaponized both the corona and the flood for its own political gain,” said Khin Ohmar, chairperson of Progressive Voice. While responding to PEC queries, he added that the junta is using relief efforts to the health disaster as a ploy to gain its much-needed legitimacy.
