October 16-22, 2014

Weekly Media Monitoring report for Burma

Posted on October 22, 2014

Compiled by Leila Bamba

Burma jails journalists for “causing public alarm”
President Thein Sein calls on GA to “stop submitting Human Rights reports on Myanmar”
Myanmar confirms that 2015 elections will not be delayed

World News Report, October 16th 2014 – “Burma jails journalists for “causing public alarm”

A Burmese court has sentence a media owner, publisher and three journalists to two years in prison.
“The July 7 article in the privately run Bi Mon Te journal reported about an activist group that claimed opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and ethnic political leaders had formed an interim government.”
The cout found two editors, one reporter and the journal’s publisher and owner guilty of violating Article 505 (B) of criminal law, which prohibits publishing statements that could cause public alarm.
The journal has since been suspended and the five who were charged have been indicted.
This arrest has raised more concerns about pres freedoms in Myanmar as it is not clear when articles that the state does not like will be labeled as “causing public alarm” to warrant arrest.

*No state owned news on this story.

Eleven, October 20th 2014 – “Stop submitting human rights reports on Myanmar to UN General Assembly, Thein Sein tells EU”

President Thein Sein has urged the European Union to stop submitting annual reports on the human rights situation in Myanmar to the United Nations General Assembly.
President Thein Sein was speaking at the 10th Asia-Europe Meeting held at MiCo Conference Centre in Milan, Italy, on October 17th.
In his speech, President Thein Sein said that: “The government is emphasizing two factors – peace and stability, and the development of the state in an effort to carry out reforms. The government is working with all concerned organizations for national reconciliation. Now, we can manage to cease fire with almost all ethnic armed organizations. A nationwide ceasefire and enduring peace are very near. We will continue trying to hold political dialogue after signing the nationwide ceasefire deal,
President Thein also said that Myanmar has been carrying reforms and measures to protect human rights but that the international community has failed to recognize these changes.

*No state owned news on this story.

Asian Correspondent, October 21st 2014 – “Myanmar confirms 2015 elections will not be delayed”

There have been several rumors saying that the elections coming up in 2015 will be delayed.
Tin Aye, chairman of the Myanmar Union Election Commission has made the announcement that elections will not be delayed and will be held as planned in late October or early November of 2015
The 2010 election was widely seen as rigged in favor of the military-backed government’s party. There has been widespread speculation that the 2015 election would be delayed because the current leaders were uncertain of victory and needed more time to prepare

*No state owned news on this story.