Boosting ethnic voices in media is a necessary element of national reconciliation and will contribute to de-escalating conflicts, said participants in a panel discussion about the role of media in peace-building.
The conference, held jointly by the UN cultural agency (UNESCO) and Burma News International (BNI), which Mon News Agency is a member of, took place in Yangon on August 29.
U Thiha Saw, secretary of the Myanmar Press Council, said that around 50 ethnic media organizations have joined the diversifying news landscape over the past two years. He added that conflicts across the country will be better addressed as more official and professional ethnic media outlets develop.
Nan Paw Gay, chief editor of KIC News, another BNI member, noted that many political, cultural and institutional barriers continue to hamper a vibrant news environment.
“There have been some changes, and improvements in transparency [compared to] under the previous administration,” she said. “But there are still many challenges. We can’t say the media industry has been completely developed. As everyone knows, there are still restrictions, lawsuits and arrests made against the media. Sources are also arrested.”
She added that the existing media law does not go far enough in protecting journalists, and cited a low awareness about the provisions of the law. She urged the press council to travel widely throughout the states and regions in order to discuss the legal framework with journalists so they are aware of the regulations.
U Zin Linn, BNI’s editorial consultant, also called for the government to help boost ethnic media development.
“We will get more information due to better inclusion of ethnic voices in the peace process and national reconciliation process. It will be easier to find the solution [to conflicts]. By looking at this connection, we want to earnestly request those who are supporting media development, including the Ministry of Information and the UNESCO, to make broader connections and to uplift the role of ethnic media,” he said. “Ethnic voices are crucial in today’s [negotiations for] peace and national reconciliation.”
The conference was attended by the Ministry of Information’s deputy director-general Daw Thida Tin, who gave one of the welcoming addresses. Members of the press council, UNESCO, European Union, Yangon Region MPs, members of the Institute for Peace and Social Justice and of the press also took part.
