Burma Review 2013, Aung Din (Final).pdf

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(Aung San Suu Kyi and Zaw Zaw at Children Hospital on January 11, 2013, Photo credit The Irrawaddy, http://www.irrawaddy.org/archives/23820) Media and the Peoples of Burma Since the Burmese government had eased media censorship and allowed all media to publish freely; media industry has been active and growing significantly, not only in print, but also in online publication. Many journals and magazines have used Face Book and Websites as additional outlet to reach to the public and online reporting are much more daring than print. Independent media organizations are formed and advising the Parliament regarding media law. Private newspapers will be allowed to publish beginning from April 2013. The peoples of Burma have also risen from the dark ages and tried to open the half-opened door fully. As the reform process in the country is a kind of top-down form and government offices and officials at districts and township levels are still operating with the old attitudes, confrontation between the peoples at grassroots level and local authorities have been growing. The peoples have been trying to regain many things they have lost for decades, their lands, their environment, their rights, freedom, justice and human dignity. Peaceful protests on the streets become their weapons, and media becomes their loud speakers and message carriers. Some media have been obvious in their stance against Chinese investment in Burma and Muslim populations in Rakhine State, known as the Rohingyas. Their reporting and news articles have fueled more public anger against the Chinese and Rohingya. Some media are owned by family members of former powerful generals and cronies. They unanimously call for the end of civil wars in Kachin State and nationwide. 14 | P a g e
Under the rapidly changing political landscape, the peoples of Burma are ready to challenge everything, from the government, the military, the Parliament, the Chinese investment, the cronies and land confiscation, to ineffective leaders and corrupt politicians. Media will cover everything they act and serve two roles, transmitter of their voices and instigator of their anger. Only the right political movement and effective political leaders will help them to be in the right direction. Burma in 2013 and Beyond Burma had changed a lot. From military dictatorship to the military-controlled pseudo-democracy, from the world’s most hated dictator to Nobel peace prize nominee, from political prisoners to civil society leaders, from an isolated country to a major destination of international leaders, foreign investment and political tourists, from the democracy icon to a controversial figure and cronies’ defender, from cronies to politicians and major donors, from exile activists to presidential advisors, from united ethnic party to divided ethnic parties, from propaganda machine to outspoken voice of the people, from opposition parties to the allies of the ruling party, from grassroots activists to elites, these changes will continue to expand in 2013. The internal fighting between Thein Sein and Shwe Mann will be heightened and Aung San Suu Kyi’s poor choice to ally with Shwe Mann will make this fight more brutal. Min Aung Hlaing will still continue fighting against KIO and prepare to exercise his constitutional authority to declare a “state of emergency” if he deems fit. The lives of refugees on Thai-Burma border and internally displaced persons in ethnic areas haven’t changed at all. They have no hope to return home safely, while no country will take them for third country resettlement. Natural disasters of flood in Irrawaddy Delta and earthquake in upper Burma, war in Kachin State and Shan State, and communal violence in Rakhine State in 2012 added hundreds of thousands more internally displaced persons. There are still more than two hundred political prisoners and thousands of prisoners arrested and imprisoned without due process related to KIO and violence in Rakhine State. Burmese military has continued its human rights violations in ethnic minority areas, but there is no opposition party in the Parliament which will ask the military to stop these abuses. There is no pressure from the United Nations and international community in calling for justice and an end of crimes against humanity. All eyes are on the sight of Burma in 2014 as the Chairman of ASEAN and in 2015 when the general election will be held. Aung Din January 17, 2013 aungdin88@gmail.com (301) 602 0077 [Aung Din was a student leader during the 1988 popular democracy uprising in Burma and served as Vice Chairman II of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU), the largest national student organization in Burma and outlawed by the military regime. Aung Din spent over four years in prison as a prisoner of conscience in 1989-1993, was released from prison in 1993, left the country in 1995and lives in exile since then. He served as Director of Policy and Strategy at Free Burma Coalition (FBC) in 2001-2003 and Co-Founder and Executive Director of Washington, DC-based U.S. Campaign for Burma (USCB) in 2003-2012. He is now living in Maryland, United States and writing opinion pieces and articles regarding situation in his home country, Burma, also known as Myanmar.] 15 | P a g e
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Burma Review 2013, Aung Din (Final).pdf

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