Networked Communicators in Burma Fight for Democracy

Soe Myint, Mizzima News

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

November 4-7, 2007

Please note that photos have been removed from this presentation to make it small enough to upload to the internet

Status of Freedom of Expression in Burma

• Junta restricts all forms of information gathering and dissemination

• Publishing any unauthorized materials is a crime• Newspapers, magazines, radio and television are under tight

control of Junta

• Foreign journalists rarely get visas into country

• Internet is severely restricted and censored - yahoo, hotmail, you tube along with many independent news and political sites banned

• Less than 1% of population can use internet access, and most of them use in few - monitored - internet cafes in Rangoon and Mandalay

Networked CommunicatorsEmerging Independent Media in Burma

• Citizen journalists, bloggers, stringers

• Activists providing information and news

• Burma-focused news organizations based on bordering countries

• Overseas Burmese Radio Stations and Satellite Televisions

Means of Independent Communications

• Blogs• Websites• C-Box Forums• Mobile Phones• Satellite Phones• Proxy Servers• Secure Tunnels

• Using Encryption, Steganography

• Digital Cameras, Video Cameras

• CDs, Memory Sticks• Posters, Pamphlets,

Publications, Painting• Loop Holes in the

System (satellite dishes)

• People to People

Mizzima News’ Experiences• From Humble Beginnings in 1999,

Mizzima is a window into news and events in Burma

• Work between offices in and outside Burma

- Offices in India and Thailand- Units in Burma• Websites, (www.mizzima.com

)Blogs, Publications, On-line Pod- casting,

• Establishing Units in Burma and Strengthening information flows and access between inside and outside Burma

• Provide news and images to Burmese and non-Burmese (including Overseas Burmese radio stations and satellite televisions)

Mizzima’s Role in Recent Protests • The difference between 1998 uprising and 2007

uprising - media and technology• Civilian journalists and Mizzima stringers sending

out information and images of protests and crack down to outside Burma, using technology and small equipments

• Internet a major medium• Reaching out to international media, by providing

images and video footage including CNN, AFP, AP, Reuters and media agencies

Junta Crack-Down on Information Flows and Access

• Imposes curfew and bans public gatherings

• Soldiers killed scores of peoples, including a Japanese photo journalist, Kenji Nagai

• Then, Internet speed slowed down to prevent images going out • Cut off phone lines of journalists, politicians and activists• Blocks popular Burmese blogs • Whoever with cameras and phones were searched and seized• Finally, total internet shut-down

Shaping the Protests?

• Media play a role to shape the movement as a connecting point

• Media focused on Rangoon, not other parts of country

• Junta focused Rangoon for crack-down

Challenges• Exploring other means and ways other than

Junta-controlled internet and telecommunication

• Possible worst scenario of the show-down between Junta and Activists/Monks

• Safety of the communicators and stringers in Burma

• Need for financial, technical and material support for them