We have known that the Special Branch under the Ministry of Home Affairs opened a lawsuit against U Aung Marm Oo also known as Aung Min Oo, Chief Editor and Executive Director of the Development Media Group (DMG), under section 17/2 of the Unlawful Association Act at No. (1) Sittwe Police Station on May 1. It has been four months now since the lawsuit was issued. Yet appropriate authorities have not sent an official letter to his family and the DMG about the detailed reasons as to why he has been prosecuted.
Then, some reporters and family members of U Aung Marm Oo were summoned to the police station and questioned. Members of the SB and local police have been looking for the chief editor. We found that it is not in accord with the standing laws. So, we strongly denounce the groundless allegations against a chief of a media agency (without opening a lawsuit under media law) because it impedes our media agency’s freedom of expression and also abuses the rights of media freedom. Also, we request respective authorities to issue details and reasons about the lawsuit.
Since the formation of DMG on 9 January 2012, the DMG has been covering news in Arakan State in accord with Media Laws and Journalism ethics. The DMG sees that opening a lawsuit against the media, which is covering news in accord with proper media ethics, deviates from the resolution of the “Four-Pillar Workshop” held in Nay Pyi Taw on April 30.
Furthermore, we would like to suggest that it is correct to take legal action under the journalism ethics guidelines for a case that warrants action, and it needs to carry out a preliminary review through the Myanmar Press Council (MPC), which is officially recognized by the government, to know each and every situation before conducting negotiations between both sides till reaching a solution for a case that can be settled through a mutual understanding, even if our news agency did something worthy to open a case.
We sent a request letter to the MPC to intervene to its full capacity till reaching a solution by analyzing the situation of the lawsuit against the chief editor and other members of the DMG. The request was issued on 8 May, but nothing has happened so far.
The Development News Journal is published bi-monthly from our DMG offices and has been granted a publishing license for five years from 4 December in 2014 to 3 December in 2019. The Ministry of Information granted the license to publish the journal two times a month. It is published under the publishing number 00125. The DMG has handed in the license and officially applied to register the whole media agency, to change the publisher’s name (from U Khaing Min Tun to U Oo Ba Khin (aka) Aung Marm Oo) and to re-register the journal under the name of the new publisher U Oo Ba Khin since 11 March in 2019.
We have learned that the Patent Rights and Registration Branch, the Department of Information and Public Relations under the Ministry of Information, issues publishing licenses and media outlet licenses within three weeks or 21 days if an applicant submits all required documents. It has been over 170 days or nearly six months that we submitted all required documents, but we have not been granted the media outlet license and publishing license for the new publisher’s name so far. We found that this is counterproductive to the department’s procedures.
Regarding this issue, we requested Dr Pe Myint, Union Minister for Information, to help us be granted a media outlet license and publishing license. We sent a letter to him regarding this matter dated 28 May in 2019. However, nothing has happened so far.
Such a delay for issuing licenses for the media outlet and news journal publishing could lead to the loss people’s opportunities to receive and know news and other information, and to distribute information and news, it is also a breach of freedom of expression and media freedom.
In addition, the Myanmar government shut down Internet services provided by MPT, Mytel, Telenor and Ooredoo in Mrauk-U, Kyauktaw, Minbya, Ponnagyun, Rathedaung, Buthidaung, Maungdaw and Myebon Townships in Arakan State and Paletwa Township in Chin State, where armed conflicts are intensifying between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army. The Internet shutdown went into effect on 21 June in the affected areas. It impedes people’s rights to receive and know information, thwarts the process of collecting funds for IDPs and operating the region’s economic and administrative mechanism and delays receiving information and providing relief aid for flood victims.
The impediment to freedom of media and imposing a news blackout by blocking Internet access in Arakan State amounts to an infraction of human rights against local residents during the armed confrontations between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army. The conflicts in northern Arakan State have been intensifying and escalating while international communities and organizations have been openly criticizing the blatant human rights violations in Arakan State. It is an infringement on the rights of the media to access and distribute information and the people’s rights to receive information. That’s why we seriously condemn these acts committed by the government.
Thus, we’d like to request the government to stop impeding fundamental rights of freedom of expression, for media to receive and disseminate information, imposing news blackouts and taking actions against journalists. If the government has any real sincerity about working for bringing stability, peace and development to all of the country it should immediately cease all actions that are contrary to a sustainable and harmonious peace process.
We would also like to convey to our readers that we will resume publication of our Development News Journal, which was temporarily suspended since July under the given situation, in October because we are happy to fulfill the people’s rights to receive information and to provide information in timely fashion in line with the media ethics.
Contact –
1. Aung Marm Oo ([email protected])
Editor-in-Chief and Executive Director
2. Eka Rite (09 451 827 252)
Editor- in-Charge
Development Media Group (DMG)
