Tag Archive | Burma
Burma: Censorship Abolished In ‘Months’
The head of Burma’s censorship board says a law has been drafted and is awaiting approval. Burma’s censorship chief insisted Wednesday that the country’s censorship board will be abolished in “a matter of months,” despite recent reports of a rollback on press freedoms in the lead-up to elections. Tint Swe, director of the Press Scrutiny [...]
Political Censorship: Britain to Maintain Sanctions Until Burma Frees Political Prisoners
British Foreign Secretary William Hague, on a visit to Burma, says European Union economic sanctions will not change until authorities release all political prisoners. The top British diplomat made the comments after holding separate meetings with democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma’s military-backed leaders. Hague held talks Friday morning with Burma’s opposition and [...]
Burma Celebrates Independence Amid Criticism
Burma is marking the 64th anniversary of its independence from Britain Wednesday, amid criticism that the government’s recent clemency program is not doing enough for political prisoners. President Thein Sein, in a statement commemorating independence day, praised the military’s role in bringing about the recent democratic reforms. He said Burma is “marching towards a democratic [...]
Censorship Easing In Burma
By Tyler Chapman In a reporter’s notebook, Tyler Chapman writes that journalists are pleased, but they know that restrictions can be reimposed at any time. The editor of True News, one of Rangoon’s weekly newspapers, decided recently to test the limits and patience of the government censorship apparatus. Thaung Htike has a long record of [...]
Skepticism Meets Burma’s Prisoner-Release Plan
Burma has announced it will release thousands of prisoners as part of a general amnesty amid indications that political prisoners could be among those set free. A leading rights group has dismissed the news, though, as a ploy that shows no real change in policy. Burma’s state TV announced Tuesday that authorities would release more [...]
Burma Censorship Chief Calls for Press Freedom
The chief of Burma’s state censorship body has called for press freedom in the repressive nation, even suggesting his own department should be shut down. Tint Swe, director of the Press Scrutiny and Registration Department, told Radio Free Asia Friday that censorship should be abolished as part of the reforms by the new army-dominated civilian [...]
Rights Groups Say Burma Army Using Prison Labor on Front Lines
Rights groups say they have new details about how Burma’s military forces prisoners to work as laborers and human shields on the front lines of its battles against ethnic militias. Human Rights Watch and the Karen Human Rights Group say Burma’s military is forcing hundreds of convicts to work as porters, mine sweepers and human [...]
Burma Orders Aung San Suu Kyi’s Party to Halt Political Activity
The Burmese political organization led by Aung San Suu Kyi says it has been ordered to halt all political activities. A spokesman for the National League for Democracy told says the group is considering its response to the order, which came in a letter from the government. The NLD was forced to dissolve as a [...]
Burma Expels Hollywood Actress Michelle Yeoh Before Suu Kyi Film Release
Officials in Burma said Tuesday that actress Michelle Yeoh was deported when she tried to visit the country last week. Yeoh, who won international fame as a Chinese spy in the 1997 James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, plays Aung San Suu Kyi in a film about the Burmese democracy activist scheduled for release later [...]
Burma Eases Strict Censorship
Burma media reacted with caution on Saturday after the country announced a slight easing of repressive censorship rules for some publications, but kept its tight grip on news titles. Sports journals, entertainment magazines, fairytales and the winning lottery numbers will not need to have prior approval from the information ministry before they are printed, publishers [...]
US Senator Urges Burma to Free Political Prisoners
U.S. Senator John McCain, ending a three-day visit to Burma, called on the government to free its more than 2,000 political prisoners and quickly implement democratic reforms. McCain told a news conference Friday that it was clear from his meetings with top officials that Burma wants closer relations with the United States. However, he said [...]
Reporters In Burma Call For Easing Of Censorship
About Press Freedom Day media workers in Burma have called on the new government led by former General Thein Sein to ease censorship laws imposed by the previous military junta [SPDC]. Reporters called the new government to abolish the Printers and Publishers Act 1962 registration, and other censorship regulations established by the SPDC. Ko Ko, [...]
