Burmese citizen-reporters create direct link to international media

Photographs, video clips and firsthand news reports about the recent protest demonstrations against the Burmese government’s fuel prices increases appeared in some international media on the same day.

Such instantaneous images and information is a sign of a shift in the ability of the reclusive regime to control reports of events within the country.

Thanks to the availability of new communication technologies among citizen-reporters and even demonstrators themselves, the repressive acts of the military regime—which the outside world knew little of in the past—are now able to be reported by the world media almost as they happen.

Compared to the communication standards of the neighboring countries, however, the draconian control of all communication channels in Burma, including mobile phone, e-mail and Internet Web-sites, is still one of the worst in the world.

But, in spite of such controls and the watchdogs of the regime’s extensive intelligence network, citizen-reporters and demonstrators were able to report the latest human rights violations committed by the regime and their organized thugs.

The Irrawaddy team recognizes the fact that it is mainly because of these citizen-reporters’ increasing awareness and their ability to use the international and exiled Burmese media that the country’s plight was publicized so widely during the past week.

What’s perhaps even more important is that these citizen-journalists are becoming more brave, recognizing that they are performing an important task. They dare to report the regime’s injustice, oppression and violations of international humanitarian law and basic human rights.

The Irrawaddy, as members of the exiled Burmese media community, regards their emerging role as indispensable in the long struggle for democratization in Burma.

International media such as BBC World Services and The New York Times are now able to broadcast and publish rare photographs and video clips of the oppression by the military regime, even in remote cities.

For instance, it was impossible for a prominent leader, such as Htay Kywe, to send a political message to the world community in the late 1990s. But now he is able to communicate with the foreign media while in hiding.

During the recent demonstrations, foreign journalists and local reporters were under strict limitations imposed by the regime. But the story went out.

The world knows about the protests in Rangoon and other cities throughout the country: the photographs, the video clips and the news reports appeared in the international media thanks to the will, the commitment and the courage of individual Burmese citizens who understand that truthful accounts of events in their country are powerful weapons that can weaken the repressive regime.