Networked Communicators in Burma Fight for Democracy

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Networked Communicators in Burma Fight for
Democracy
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• Soe Myint, Mizzima News
• Yogyakarta, Indonesia
• November 4-7, 2007

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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

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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

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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

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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)

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Mizzimas 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

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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

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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

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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