Date: Friday, 19 November 2021
Time: 14.00– 15.30 AM (GMT+7), 13.30 – 15.00 PM (GMT+6.30)
Register here: bit.ly/MyanmarDiscussion
Live via: Zoom
Nine months have passed since the military seized control of Myanmar’s from the elected government in early February in Myanmar and declared themselves “the caretaker government” with Min Aung Hlaing as a prime minister to rule the country under the extended state of emergency, supposedly until elections are held in 2023.
The developments that happened in the past decade, since 2011, created high expectations inside and outside the country and led optimistic observers to assume that the country was on the verge of making a genuine democratic transition. This ‘democratic transition’ however failed to materialise, particularly for the ethnic minorities and the Rohingya who faced grave human rights violations including genocide. In February 2021, the military junta attempted a coup that further shattered expectations for reforms in the country and revealed to the rest of the country the immense capacity for violence of the junta.
On 7 September 2021, after months of the military’s refusal to hand power back to the democratically elected government, the National Unity Government (NUG) declared an all-out struggle by announcing a “defensive war”, in an attempt to salvage whatever space there is for free expression.
Independent press freedom has been destroyed and Section 505 (a) has become the junta’s key weapon against freedom of expression. Section 505 (a) of the penal code was amended after the coup, with much broader language, and criminalizes comments that “cause fear”, spread “false news” or “agitate directly or indirectly a criminal offence against a Government employee”, bringing the maximum sentence up to three years, and introducing fines.
The military has taken repressive actions against local and foreign media, with numerous local and international journalists targeted for doing their jobs and forcing many into hiding or exile. Reporting ASEAN reported that the military had arrested 102 journalists since they took the power and 48 are still detained since February. While 11 media houses have been charged under Section 505 (a) of Myanmar’s penal code, had their licenses revoked, or both. As of July 30, 5 journalists were convicted of Section 505 (a).
As a result, the threat to journalists in Burma remains very real, and practising journalism in the country takes bravery. Several foreign reporters have also been detained or forced out of the country. Pro-democracy groups and journalists living in exile played a crucial role in continuing to report what is happening in the country, at great risk to themselves – journalistic work that has allowed the international community to understand the crisis in Myanmar and has further highlighted the role of journalism in fighting for democracy.
The Tatmadaw’s extreme actions to create a political landscape that is hostile to free media and free speech merits a more unified and synergistic response between pro-democracy actors both within and outside Myanmar. Through this collaborative engagement hosted by FORUM-ASIA and ADN, we hope to catalyze a discussion on finding ways to enable support for independent journalists and media amid this dangerous situation. This includes crafting effective international advocacy, gathering support for threatened journalists, connecting them with other pro-democracy actors and agencies, and other actions that defend the remaining space for free speech and independent media. As an outcome, we hope that international actors will be informed of open passageways through which these support systems can be provided and the various initiatives and recommendations they can do to support the remaining space for free speech in Myanmar.
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This is a Special Session of Asia Democracy Assembly scheduled on November 23-24, 2021 organised by ADN and FORUM-ASIA
This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.
