Journalists are determined to keep fighting for media freedom despite the growing restrictions placed on their industry.
HIdIng from Myanmar’s police, journalist aung Marm oo (pic) refuses to conceal his anger with the civilian government led by nobel Laureate aung san suu
Kyi as his country prepares for an election later this year.
“democracy is already dead,” the 37-year-old editor-in-chief of development Media group (dMg) said from a location he asked to keep secret.
“They block media, restrict media agencies, ban news, punish journalists. Media is the lifeblood of democracy in the country. Without media, how can democracy survive?”
When suu Kyi was released from house arrest by a military junta in 2010, aung Marm oo was a student activist living in exile. Her release helped persuade him to return home and enter journalism.
suu Kyi’s government has stressed the importance of media freedom for building democracy. Before she came to power, suu Kyi spoke of the need to protect reporters.
But her administration has brought charges against 31 journalists ranging from unlawful association to terrorism to criminal defamation since she came to power, according to local rights group athan.
In recent months the civilian-led information ministry has blocked dozens of news websites, including dMg, accusing them of distributing “fake news” and “fearmongering”.
Many are reporting on regions inside Myanmar, including Rakhine and shan states which are beset by insurgencies. aung Marm oo is wanted on “unlawful association” charges after interviewing militants in his native Rakhine.
If caught, he faces a maximum three-year prison sentence.
Four independent journalists who survived years working under the constraints imposed by the junta said they had hoped that pen names, safe houses and smuggled footage would no longer be needed to report, but for some they have once again become the safest way to operate.
To keep their reports flowing, dMg reporters upload stories directly to Facebook and rely on a network of citizen journalists to smuggle photos out of conflict zones, according to aung Marm oo.
“There is a conflict ... happening in front of our eyes. But we cannot really report on it,” Monywa aung shin, a senior national League for democracy member and editor of the ruling party’s journal, said.