Thursday, 18 February 2021, 5:11 pm
The Myanmar military junta has arbitrarily detained
journalists, threatened others into hiding, and dictated
proposed legislation that would severely curb media
freedoms, Fortify Rights said today. The junta arbitrarily
arrested or detained at least nine journalists since a
February 1
coup d’état.
“In
times of crisis like these, media freedom is especially
necessary,” said Ismail Wolff, Regional Director of
Fortify Rights. “
The junta evidently feels threatened
by the truth. Its repressive measures targeting a free and
independent media cannot stand.”
“We were kept in a
prison transport vehicle . . . We were detained at 8:45 p.m.
and let go the next day at around 10:30 a.m.,” one of the
Has Myanmar’s Military Overstepped Its Constitutional Role by Undermining the Integrity of the Election?
By The Irrawaddy 30 January 2021
Ye Ni: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy! Myanmar’s military (or Tatmadaw) has alleged fraud in the November election, and the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has filed a complaint with the Supreme Court of the Union about the election results. Meanwhile, the incoming Parliament will be in session soon. We will be discussing what could happen if Tatmadaw and the USDP boycott the Parliament. U Sai Ye Kyaw Swar Myint, executive director of People’s Alliance for Credible Elections (PACE), and legal advisor U Tin Than Oo join me for the discussion. I’m The Irrawaddy Burmese editor Ye Ni.
Will Glimmers of Good News Continue as Myanmar Moves Into a New Year?
By The Irrawaddy 9 January 2021
Ye Ni: Happy New Year! Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy! This is the first dateline of 2021. The year 2020 was a hard year due to COVID-19, but since the Nov. 8 election and through New Year’s Day, we have heard good news. Executive director U Aung Myo Min of Equality Myanmar and writer Daw Mon Mon Myat join me this week. I’m The Irrawaddy Burmese editor Ye Ni.
The year 2020 was a hard year and we had to give up some of our individual freedom and rights willingly. We started to hear good news toward the end of 2020 as various vaccines emerged. So, there are hopes that there will be more good news in 2021. The fighting in Rakhine State ceased in November. It is good news that fighting ceased in a region which has continuously seen human rights violations. On International Human Rights Day, Dec. 10, President U Win Myint released a statement in which he pledged that the govern
How Are Myanmar Migrants in Thailand Faring in the Face of COVID-19?
By The Irrawaddy 2 January 2021
Ye Ni: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy! Anti-Myanmar hate speech has flared among Thai citizens after thousands of Myanmar migrant workers were involved in the recent COVID-19 outbreak in Thailand.
We’ll discuss what Thailand’s Health Ministry is doing to fight hate speech and provide equal treatment to COVID-19 patients regardless of their race and nationality. U Aung Kyaw, co-founder of the Bangkok-based Migrant Workers Rights Network, joins me to discuss this. I’m The Irrawaddy Burmese editor Ye Ni.
COVID-19 has spread in Thailand, though the country had been able to effectively control the virus previously. The outbreak occurred at Samut Sakhon near Bangkok. As thousands of Myanmar migrant workers have become infected in the outbreak, they are being blamed for spreading COVID-19. The worst thing is even Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has blamed Myanmar migrant
Dateline
By The Irrawaddy 12 December 2020
Ye Ni: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy! Yangon University has turned 100 years old. Dec. 9 the 10th Waning Day of Tazaungmone on Myanmar’s lunar calendar also marks the centenary of National Day.
We’ll discuss what student unions are planning for the centenary of Yangon University and National Day, which played an important role in Myanmar’s history, and what they will be doing to re-establish the Rangoon [Yangon] University Students Union [RUSU] building, which was dynamited in 1962.
Yangon University Student Union [YUSU] chairman Ko Nyi Nyi Zaw and U Ko Ko Gyi, one of the student leaders of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABSFU) in 1988 and now the chairman of the People’s Party, join me for the discussion. I’m The Irrawaddy Burmese editor Ye Ni.