Day Four (5 March 2014)

Not a walk in the park

Today the exile media that have returned to work on the home front report their challenges they have been facing.
The panelists include:

• Nang Phaw Gay – Karen Information Center (KIC)
• Toe Zaw Latt – Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB)
• Theingi Tun – Mizzima News
• Than Lwin Tun – Voice of America (VOA)

According to them, there are also benefits hitherto denied to them, since the peace process began with the invitation for peace talks by the President on 18 August 2011, such as:

• Freedom to collect first-hand information
• Access to more detailed information
• Better and more detailed reports for one’s audience
• Printing and distribution of print publications inside the country
• Training of new journalists inside

At the same time, difficulties have been voiced:

• State officials still reluctant to offer information
• Distributors still afraid to sell papers published by returnee media
• Reporters still face personal security concerns
• Divided workforce between border and home offices
• Divided funs between border and home offices
• Less number of readers of ethnic language inside than on the border
• Still unable to do TV and radio broadcasts inside

For bigger media agencies like DVB and Mizzima, there are of course more problems:

• Necessity for more self reliance when it comes to fund raising
• Distrust by the government
• The need to train give more background information for new journalists
• Conflicts continuing in the country: state us society, state us ethnic resistance and communal
• Hostiles

“As a result, the same people who used to be staunch supporters of our program are turning against us, although we haven’t changed our basic media policies,” said U Than Lwin Tun.

The 2015 elections, the panelists believe, will decide the trend the country is going to take.

The conference also discussed women’s role and community radio programs.

I spend the evening visiting my relatives, who have long since my departure in 1969 move to new homes in Taunggyi.

“Are you not ready to return home yet?” one of them asks.

“I’m getting ready,” replies I. “I’m only waiting for the right time and place. And we are all working on it.”