capital Taunggyi (Photo Koko Zaw Facebook)
“While building peace, it’s also important for the ethnic media groups and other media to report true and fair information. I am glad and welcome this ethnic media conference is held in Shan State,” said Minister Sao Aung Myat.
The conference was organized by Burma News International, an ethnic media network that IMNA is part of.
“Media distribution in ethnic areas and border areas was very weak. But now newspapers and journals in ethnic languages are allowed to be published in the ethnic areas. Later the government will provide more opportunities [for the media],” U Pike Htwe said.
As of last month, the country has 9 journals in ethnic languages, 18 daily newspapers and 389 weekly journals, U Pike Htwe said. He also said they have recently submitted a broadcasting bill to Parliament and hopes that “NGO or private community radio, FM and TV stations may be permitted”.
About 200 people from both Burma and international countries attended the first day of the conference on March 4 running until the 6th. On the first day, forty media organizations and twenty community based organizations were counted.
Other state level politicians were also in attendance. U Aung Naing Oo, from the Myanmar Peace Center and U Khun Myint Htun from the UNFC joined the conference.
Next year’s location will be determined on the last day of the conference.
