The 5-day training, beginning on December 19th, supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), has been organized by Burma News International (BNI), and is being held at the Frame Hotel in Rangoon.
“In the history of Burma’s newspaper, it’s beautiful. We had full free press in the era of Mindon Min, but, in this democratic period, why can we not have free press?,” said U Khin Maung Lay.
The media is vitally important to Burma’s democratic transition, after it has been banned and censored for several decades. The country may only become more developed by accomplishing democracy through the dissemination of true news and information. If the country wants to become developed, the public should receive factual information regarding developments and projects taking place throughout the country.
“The development of ethnic media like this is a supporting sector to this [democratic] transition. We believe that journalists are the only ones who can provide the public with factual and true information and knowledge to guide them on the way,” said U Khin Maung Lay.
Attendees of the editorial training include BNI board of directors, namely Nan Paw Gay, Nai Kasauh Mon, and Ko Khin Mya Kyaw, and several BNI staff members, as well as Ko Myint Kyaw of the Myanmar Journalist Network (MJN), Daw May Thingyan Hein of the Myintmakha, and Min Chan Hteik of the Myanmar Journalism Institute (MJI).
Sixteen trainees from domestic-based media groups and exiled media groups are also attending the training, including Kachin, Karen, Karenni, Chin, Mon, Arakan, and Shan news agencies.
The objectives of the training are to enable ethnic media groups to become a part of the main stream media, to build networks among ethnic media groups, and to produce qualified journalists from ethnic media groups, along with the main stream media.
Ms. Raheela K. Chaudhry of UNESCO Myanmar said that at present, ethnic media makes up only ten percent of the country’s national media. Ms. Raheela K. Chaudhry stated that Burma can only move forward towards development if there is peace in the country, noting that media is an important sector in achieving peace.
Although the U Thein Sein government has granted licenses to private groups for newspaper and journal publications, the government has yet to grant licenses for air radio and TV channels.
Despite the current administration’s announced commitment to grant free press in Burma, journalists continue to be arrested and killed since the Administration has taken office.
During a Human Rights Watch (HRW) visit to Nay Pyi taw, HRW’s executive director Kenneth Roth requested President Thein Sein’s government to accept the media’s criticism, and refrain from punishing journalists under the so-called media criminal articles of the law.
