New Delhi (Mizzima) – The Burmese exiled media is undergoing some funding cuts by international donors and governments, both in response to the worldwide financial crisis and policy changes among donor groups and governments. Mizzima reporter Tun Tun talks with Burma Media Association (BMA) chairman Maung Maung Myint on the implications, the change in policies and the affect on Burmese exiled media.
Q: How does BMA view the current cuts in funding and the policy changes that are underway?
A: The financial and funding cuts will affect most of our Burmese exiled media. In fact, it is only the free, exiled-based media that can disseminate impartial news to people both inside and outside Burma.
Now the junta is convening its Parliament shortly. Some of the donors believe these cosmetic changes offer opportunities and are ready to go inside Burma and give funding to organisations inside and to try to co-operate with the new government. There are many such donor governments and organisations. I must say they are wrong if they believe they can work with the new government and give funding to the organizations inside instead.
No matter what government appears in Burma, it will be controlled by the military under the current circumstances. And the military tightly controls the media. The governments, NGOs and INGOs that work in Burma can not know what the government is doing and how it governs without the free exiled media. The organisations that currently face financial difficulties are not only the small organizations but also the big media organisations such as the BBC and DVB. These financial difficulties affect them too. Its impact affects almost the entire media world that the Burmese people rely on for real news and information.
Q: If this trend continues, what will be the long term effects?
A: At the least, the exiled media will let some of their staff go and reduce their output of news and other information. Some of them will stop the publication of their print media and or reduce their publication of other printed matter.
But the Burmese exiled media has struggled for a long time. It has grown from nothing to what it is today. The people who work on these publications will not give up even through the donors stop or shift their funds. All will keep working, keep the movement going. This is how I see them.
Q: Is the current funding cut largely a change in policies among donors? What is the change?
A: It’s a variety of views and factors. Some believe that the atmosphere inside Burma is changing and that there are new opportunities inside the country and more work should be done there.
We shouldn’t be too upset and disappointed because many foreign governments such as the US administration still believe there is no genuine progress yet in Burma, and they must continue to provide financial assistance, while some other countries, including some Asean countries, are currently advocating a reverse in their policy towards the Burmese government and offer financial assistance to them in various ways.
Generally speaking in my overall view, the international governments and other organizations have not had yet made drastic policy changes towards Burma. But the current economic crisis in the US and in Europe adversely affects their people and that affects their overseas financial assistance. This is the main reason, I think.
Q: Do you think there will be more such cuts in the future? How do you see this problem?
A: We cannot say exactly what will be the next step after the current round of cuts. If it becomes clear that the cuts have adversely set back conditions in Burma, we may regain our previous funding levels. The other factor is the global economic crisis especially in Western countries. If the economy of these countries picks up again from the recession we are likely to get our funding back.
The next factor is the domestic political situation. If the military regime engages in dialogue and negotiations for national reconciliation with the NLD and ethnic parties as Western countries are demanding, the domestic Burmese media might be the priority for their funding. The exiled media could suffer in that situation.
So generally speaking, it depends on how the situation inside Burma plays out. That is probably what will effect the exiled media the most.
Source : http://mizzima.com/edop/interview/4821-the-future-of-the-exiled-media.html
Monday, January 31, 2011
NLD Website Launched
Burma’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi showed this weekend that—despite many years in detention—her resolve to keep apace with an ever-changing world is as dynamic as ever when she presided over the launch of her party, the National League for Democracy's (NLD's) first website.
“A good communication system is essential to our endeavor to set up a people's network for democracy that will span the whole world,” said Suu Kyi in a statement on the site's home page.
“I am very pleased indeed that there is now a web page that will make the policies and activities of the National League for Democracy known across the globe,” she added.
On Jan. 20, the Nobel Peace Prize winner finally received Internet access at her Inya Lake home from the Myanmar Post and Telecommunications Enterprise.
Speaking to The Irrawaddy on Monday, Moe Zaw Oo, the secretary of the exile National League for Democracy (Liberated Area) Foreign Affairs Committee, said the NLD can voice polices and information through its website.
“This website can be a place to make contact with the NLD,” he said.
However, the NLD in Rangoon denied that the website, http://www.nldburma.org was designed and created by party members in Burma.
“The website was created by NLD members abroad,” said Tin Oo, the NLD vice chairman. “It would have been very difficult to create it inside Burma. It is hard enough just to get a telephone line in this country.”
Some observers said the NLD is denying involvement in the website because of the Burmese military junta's infamous Electronics Act, which carries sentences of between seven and 15 years imprisonment.
The law, which forbids unauthorized use of electronic media, has been used against many pro-democracy dissidents in trials held at Insein Prison, resulting in lengthy prison sentences for critics of the ruling regime’s crackdown on monks in 2007 and its response to Cyclone Nargis in 2008.
In 2009, the state-run media in Burma issued warnings aimed toward members of the NLD, saying they could be charged with violating the Electronics Act for posting a party statement about Suu Kyi’s trial on the Internet.
The website also carried a “greeting” from Tin Oo. Like the message from Suu Kyi, he made no mention of the website being NLD-controlled, but congratulated the creators of the site.
“We welcome the opening of a web page dedicated to the promoting of the interest[s] of the NLD,” he said in a signed statement.
The NLD won a landslide victory in the 1990 general election. However, the results were never recognized by the junta. Instead, many leading members of the party were arrested and are now serving lengthy prison terms.
The NLD executive committee decided unanimously not to register the party for the Nov. 7 election. The decision not to register was prompted by the election laws, which members described as “unjust” and unlikely to result in a fair and inclusive election.
The laws excluded anyone serving a criminal sentence from participating in the election—a provision that bars NLD leader Suu Kyi and other political prisoners. In order to participate in the election, the NLD would have had to expel Suu Kyi from the party.
The NLD was dissolved by Burma’s Election Commission for not re-registering ahead of November's election. The party submitted an appeal against its dissolution but the High Court in Naypyidaw rejected it on Friday.
Source : http://www.irrawaddymedia.com/article.php?art_id=20641
Friday, January 28, 2011
DVB plans to cut radio programmes, expand TV
New Delhi (Mizzima) – The Norway-based Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), which suffered funding cut recently, says it will eliminate some morning radio programmes.
At the same time, as the sole exile TV broadcaster, DVB is making preparations to expand its TV programmes.
Mizzima reporter Tun Tun interviewed DVB Executive Director Aye Chan Naing on the funding cuts, trends in the exiled Burmese media, stopping the short wave radio programmes and the implications and changes in the policies of organizations that fund DVB and other exiled media.
Q: What is the percentage of the funding cuts and what is the amount?
A: It’s about 15 percent and the amount is approximate US$ 500,000.
Q: Because of the funding cuts what programmes in your regular operations will be affected?
A: We have to cut our airtime in radio programmes and some entertainment programmes. We have to reduce some of our office operations, too.
Q: What will be the impact of the reductions in your operations?
A: I think the main impact will be on our radio programmes. The impact will be severe in this area. But on the other hand, we will balance program cuts with overhead costs cut at our Oslo office to minimise the impact on our listeners and audiences in Burma.
For instance, if we can significantly reduce operational costs in the Oslo office, there will be no impact on our programmes.
Q: What is likely to be the impact on the audiences inside Burma due to some programme cuts?
A: I think there will be little impact on our audiences. In radio programmes, we will stop our broadcasting of the morning programme. There will be some impact on short wave radio programmes. But at the same time, we will expand our TV programmes. Currently, we telecast our programmes two to three times daily. We will now extend this airtime considerably, especially for news programmes.
We have airtime for round the clock TV telecasts, so we will expand TV programmes in many areas. The TV audiences inside Burma will be more informed about what is going on in Burma.
Q: What are the reasons for the funding cuts?
A: Actually, it’s not a funding cut. The donors, for their own reasons, may simply not make a contribution for some years. In the long term, we could face similar loss of funds by other existing donors. So we have to consider our long term plan in facing such a financial crisis.
This is not a budget cut to DVB because of unsatisfactory performance and operations. The lack of funding is due to their own problems and policies.
Q: The BBC Burmese Service had similar funding cuts. Some online exiled media had to stop their magazines and journals in the English language. Do you see any structural changes in the exiled media under the reduced funding situation?
A: I think there is one point that all of our exiled media should consider seriously. Our donors are not giving funds to us as media organisations. Their funding philosophy and objective of giving funds to us is concerned with politics. They are providing these funds to us because there is no media freedom in Burma and because of the unfavourable political landscape for a free press. If they change their political policy, certainly it will have an impact.
So there is a danger for us, challenges that are immense, because we must commit to our schedule and programmes in advance. We cannot stop our programmes. So we must have long term plans. If we cannot build sound and reliable funding, the danger will be very serious to us and to all exiled media, for Mizzima or the Irrawaddy or DVB. All of us.
One more thing. What is even worse is the lack of media freedom inside Burma. There are human rights violations inside Burma. The statements made on Friday by the delegates sent by SPDC (junta) to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) are blatant lies. Only the exiled media can expose such lies made in the international arena.
The domestic media cannot do so. So under this circumstance, the role of exiled media is very important for the people of Burma, foreign governments, NGOs and people in foreign countries. They need to know what is really going on in Burma by relying on the exiled media. If the exiled media cannot survive, it will be dangerous for everyone.
Q: Some observers are saying that the donors’ priority is to channel their funds into Burma?
A: Some of the rumours are true. Some are real. But I see also that some of our donors, from Europe and the US, already have operations inside Burma. At the same time, they have a commitment to continue their funding to the exiled organisations too.
But on the other hand, we should ask what are they thinking, why have they stopped funding some of us? We should consider the overall view because all of these donors have supported and funded the Burmese pro-democracy movement for 20 years. Now their ideology, their thoughts, and their tactics are changing.
So all of us need to consider why they have changed. In our view, the changes inside Burma are not real change, only cosmetic changes. They conducted a general election, we have a Constitution now and a new civilian government will emerge soon. If they [donors] really believe in all these cosmetic changes, it must be because of our failure to convince them these are just superficial changes.
Q: What will DVB do if you have more cuts?
A: We have started our own contingency plans. We must consider how we can continue our funding and generate income from our current operations. We have full faith on our existing donor organisations. They also believe and recognise our important role. So we don’t have to worry about our funding for the next four to six years because the role of the exiled media will be important as long as there is no change inside Burma and there is no media freedom in Burma.
We don’t have to worry about our funding for the next four to six years because the role of exile media will be important as long as there is no change inside Burma, and there is no media freedom in Burma.
If the SPDC really changes by giving media freedom and everybody can say whatever they wish; we don’t need to stay as an exile organization, we don’t need to work here anymore. We will re-enter our country. So I see all of these changes also to be dependent on the Burmese government.
If they still gag the media, if they ban media freedom and freedom of expression in Burma, our role will be important. So the democracy-loving governments and Western countries will continue their support to us and funding to us. I have no doubt of it. But we must prepare ourselves to cope with the changes. Some Western governments might have changed their tactics, but they are not naïve enough to believe all of what the SPDC is trying to tell them.
Another point I’d like to make about the policy changes being made by these Western governments. They can change their policy, but there are people, social communities and NGOs in their countries too. They listen to and care about what these communities are saying. They cannot alone change their policies.
Q: The people from Burma have concerns about DVB reducing its services. What would you like to say to them?
A: We are extremely sorry for cutting our airtime in radio programmes but on the other hand, we will try to maintain our present work standards. Another good point in the changes is the expansion of TV programmes by airing more programmes and more airtime in telecasting news in almost real time. Unfortunately, for listeners of our short wave radio programmes, which are accessible in all nooks and corners of the country, this programing will be cut. TV programmes do have a limitation. But we will try to telecast real time programmes daily, maybe for the first time in our country.
Source : http://mizzima.com/edop/interview/4817-dvb-plans-to-cut-radio-programmes-expand-tv.html
At the same time, as the sole exile TV broadcaster, DVB is making preparations to expand its TV programmes.
Mizzima reporter Tun Tun interviewed DVB Executive Director Aye Chan Naing on the funding cuts, trends in the exiled Burmese media, stopping the short wave radio programmes and the implications and changes in the policies of organizations that fund DVB and other exiled media.
Q: What is the percentage of the funding cuts and what is the amount?
A: It’s about 15 percent and the amount is approximate US$ 500,000.
Q: Because of the funding cuts what programmes in your regular operations will be affected?
A: We have to cut our airtime in radio programmes and some entertainment programmes. We have to reduce some of our office operations, too.
Q: What will be the impact of the reductions in your operations?
A: I think the main impact will be on our radio programmes. The impact will be severe in this area. But on the other hand, we will balance program cuts with overhead costs cut at our Oslo office to minimise the impact on our listeners and audiences in Burma.
For instance, if we can significantly reduce operational costs in the Oslo office, there will be no impact on our programmes.
Q: What is likely to be the impact on the audiences inside Burma due to some programme cuts?
A: I think there will be little impact on our audiences. In radio programmes, we will stop our broadcasting of the morning programme. There will be some impact on short wave radio programmes. But at the same time, we will expand our TV programmes. Currently, we telecast our programmes two to three times daily. We will now extend this airtime considerably, especially for news programmes.
We have airtime for round the clock TV telecasts, so we will expand TV programmes in many areas. The TV audiences inside Burma will be more informed about what is going on in Burma.
Q: What are the reasons for the funding cuts?
A: Actually, it’s not a funding cut. The donors, for their own reasons, may simply not make a contribution for some years. In the long term, we could face similar loss of funds by other existing donors. So we have to consider our long term plan in facing such a financial crisis.
This is not a budget cut to DVB because of unsatisfactory performance and operations. The lack of funding is due to their own problems and policies.
Q: The BBC Burmese Service had similar funding cuts. Some online exiled media had to stop their magazines and journals in the English language. Do you see any structural changes in the exiled media under the reduced funding situation?
A: I think there is one point that all of our exiled media should consider seriously. Our donors are not giving funds to us as media organisations. Their funding philosophy and objective of giving funds to us is concerned with politics. They are providing these funds to us because there is no media freedom in Burma and because of the unfavourable political landscape for a free press. If they change their political policy, certainly it will have an impact.
So there is a danger for us, challenges that are immense, because we must commit to our schedule and programmes in advance. We cannot stop our programmes. So we must have long term plans. If we cannot build sound and reliable funding, the danger will be very serious to us and to all exiled media, for Mizzima or the Irrawaddy or DVB. All of us.
One more thing. What is even worse is the lack of media freedom inside Burma. There are human rights violations inside Burma. The statements made on Friday by the delegates sent by SPDC (junta) to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) are blatant lies. Only the exiled media can expose such lies made in the international arena.
The domestic media cannot do so. So under this circumstance, the role of exiled media is very important for the people of Burma, foreign governments, NGOs and people in foreign countries. They need to know what is really going on in Burma by relying on the exiled media. If the exiled media cannot survive, it will be dangerous for everyone.
Q: Some observers are saying that the donors’ priority is to channel their funds into Burma?
A: Some of the rumours are true. Some are real. But I see also that some of our donors, from Europe and the US, already have operations inside Burma. At the same time, they have a commitment to continue their funding to the exiled organisations too.
But on the other hand, we should ask what are they thinking, why have they stopped funding some of us? We should consider the overall view because all of these donors have supported and funded the Burmese pro-democracy movement for 20 years. Now their ideology, their thoughts, and their tactics are changing.
So all of us need to consider why they have changed. In our view, the changes inside Burma are not real change, only cosmetic changes. They conducted a general election, we have a Constitution now and a new civilian government will emerge soon. If they [donors] really believe in all these cosmetic changes, it must be because of our failure to convince them these are just superficial changes.
Q: What will DVB do if you have more cuts?
A: We have started our own contingency plans. We must consider how we can continue our funding and generate income from our current operations. We have full faith on our existing donor organisations. They also believe and recognise our important role. So we don’t have to worry about our funding for the next four to six years because the role of the exiled media will be important as long as there is no change inside Burma and there is no media freedom in Burma.
We don’t have to worry about our funding for the next four to six years because the role of exile media will be important as long as there is no change inside Burma, and there is no media freedom in Burma.
If the SPDC really changes by giving media freedom and everybody can say whatever they wish; we don’t need to stay as an exile organization, we don’t need to work here anymore. We will re-enter our country. So I see all of these changes also to be dependent on the Burmese government.
If they still gag the media, if they ban media freedom and freedom of expression in Burma, our role will be important. So the democracy-loving governments and Western countries will continue their support to us and funding to us. I have no doubt of it. But we must prepare ourselves to cope with the changes. Some Western governments might have changed their tactics, but they are not naïve enough to believe all of what the SPDC is trying to tell them.
Another point I’d like to make about the policy changes being made by these Western governments. They can change their policy, but there are people, social communities and NGOs in their countries too. They listen to and care about what these communities are saying. They cannot alone change their policies.
Q: The people from Burma have concerns about DVB reducing its services. What would you like to say to them?
A: We are extremely sorry for cutting our airtime in radio programmes but on the other hand, we will try to maintain our present work standards. Another good point in the changes is the expansion of TV programmes by airing more programmes and more airtime in telecasting news in almost real time. Unfortunately, for listeners of our short wave radio programmes, which are accessible in all nooks and corners of the country, this programing will be cut. TV programmes do have a limitation. But we will try to telecast real time programmes daily, maybe for the first time in our country.
Source : http://mizzima.com/edop/interview/4817-dvb-plans-to-cut-radio-programmes-expand-tv.html
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Suu Kyi Readies for Cyberspace
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| (Photo: Getty Images) |
The 65-year-old democracy icon has never surfed the Internet before, but was connected with an Internet line on Thursday by state-owned Yatanarporn Teleport, said Nyan Win, a spokesman for her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD).
Nyan Win said that Suu Kyi first applied for an Internet service from a private company in Rangoon; but when that was unsuccessful, she applied to Yatanarporn Teleport at a cost of 1,020,000 kyat (US $1020).
Yarzar, an NLD youth leader, said he has expressed concerns to Suu Kyi about the complete lack of security on the Internet in Burma, but the latter said she did not care about it at all.
“I told her the Internet security should be a worry for her. But she said she would not do anything in secret and has nothing to hide from the government.” he said, adding that the Noble Peace Prize Laureate can skillfully operate a computer and can learn the Internet quickly.
“She knows that many Internet websites are banned in this country, but we will teach her how to bypass through proxy websites,” Yarzar said.
During detention, Suu Kyi expressed a desire to use social networking site Twitter to reach out to young people around the world. Since her release, she has even suggested to her political colleagues to communicate with each other by Internet.
But Suu Kyi's idea of becoming politically active via the Web in a country where electricity is so unreliable and infrastructure is so poor, has amused some of her political colleagues.
Siang Chin Thang, an ethnic Chin leader, recently said he was amused when Suu Kyi talked to him and other ethnic leaders just after her release about the possibility of holding discussions with them via the Internet.
“Let alone the use of video conference on the Internet, we don't even have the proper telephone lines,” he said. “Apart from that, the electricity goes on and off. We did not comment on her idea.”
Yarzar said he also doubts about the effectiveness of Internet for Suu Kyi's purposes of communicating with people inside Burma, but said that that it will be easier for her to connect with professionals and young people outside the country.
In the recent past, the Burmese regime has used the Electronics Act in jailing well-known dissidents, such as comedian Zarganar.
Asked if Suu Kyi would risk violating that law when using the Internet, Nyan Win, the party spokesman and her lawyer, said that she has “computer technology advisers.”
Since her release, Suu Kyi has avoided going out of Rangoon and has made no trips to other parts of the country to rally the support of the people—an apparent attempt to avoid confrontation with the regime.
These days, she spends most of her time meeting with her party members and foreign diplomats. She recently said that she no longer has time for her regular meditation sessions.
“She is so tired and worn-out these days. Her health is suffering,” said Nyan Win.
Source : http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=20583