Journalists covering demos complain of harassment

Reporters and photographers covering the protest demonstrations in Rangoon complained on Friday that they were being harassed by the authorities and pro-regime elements.

A correspondent of the international news agency Reuters told The Irrawaddy he was pushed by unknown men, who tried to take his camera. “They said we can’t take photos,” he said.

The Bangkok-based media advocacy group Southeast Asian Press Alliance expressed its concern on Friday about the harassment of journalists. SEAPA Executive Director Roby Alampay said: “We are very concerned about situation recently in Rangoon. We heard that some editors were interrogated by the police.

“We are concerned about freedom of assembly and the freedom of the press. It is a very terrible situation in Burma.”

Alampay called on the international community to closely monitor the situation.

Rangoon sources said many reporters from leading journals and periodicals had been told by their editors not to cover the demonstrations. “Editors told them that if anything happens to them they will not accept responsibility,” one editor told The Irrawaddy.

Media sources said that only a few correspondents from major news agencies such as AP, AFP and Reuters were covering the demonstrations, while local reporters were apparently staying away.