Burma Media Watch 2002: October

Burma Media Watch 2002: October - December

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16.12.2002: Irrawaddy - No Press Freedoms Yet
13.12.2002: Canadian Journalists for Free Expression Media Release
13.12.2002: BMA - Burma Media Awareness Events in Canada
03.12.2002: RSF/BMA - Detained journalist Win Tin again transferred to Rangoon general hospital
25.11.2002: AFP - Press freedom deteriorates worldwide in 2002: newspaper association
21.11.2002: Irrawaddy - Student Activist Sentenced, 115 Prisoners to be Released
18.11..2002: DVB - Release U Win Tin says Ludhu Daw Ama and Poet Saya Kyi Aung
15.11.2002: Irrawaddy - Protesters Stop by Burmese Embassy
13.11.2002: RSF - Lighting operation reminds world that 110 journalists are in prison
07.11.2002: Irrawaddy - The Worst of the Worst: Press Freedoms in Burma
29.10.2002: RSF/BMA - Regime bans two magazines
10.10.2002: RSF/BMA - Opponents of the regime held for possession of banned newspapers
10.10.2002: AP - Myanmar government releases prisoners _ but criticized over new
10.10.2002: AFP - Reporters Without Borders calls on Myanmar to release prisoners
04.10.2002: AFP - Myanmar democracy activist Suu Kyi wins UNESCO prize

16.12.2002: Irrawaddy - No Press Freedoms Yet

By Htet Aung Kyaw

Burma's draconian censorship laws will remain soundly in place until substantial political change occurs, according to a well-known Burmese literary critic. Burmese poet and author Maung Swam Yi, while on a rare trip outside Burma, spoke about press freedoms and censorship laws during a conference in The Netherlands on modern literatures of Asian and African nations who formerly came under colonial rule.

Maung Swam Yi said, outside of the government backed weekly The Myanmar Times, there has been no change inside Burma despite the alleged reconciliation talks that have taken place on and off for the last two years between the military regime and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. He said Burmese now rely almost solely on foreign radio broadcasts for their news.

Concerning censorship laws, Maung Swam Yi told the Oslo-based Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) while in Europe that: "There is nothing changing. You must go three times a month to the PSB (press scrutiny board) office: once for proof censoring, second for printing and the third for delivering. If you are absent or delayed, your magazine will definitely be banned for months, years or for life."

He said he personally came under heavy censorship while writing his latest book. The PSB prohibited him from writing the names of different famous poets, writers and journalists due to their opposition tiesincluding poets Kyi Aung, Ko Lay-Ava Gyonyi, Bamaw Nyo Ngwe, Min Thu Won, imprisoned journalist U Win Tin and exiled poet Tin Moe.

The PSB even went so far as to censor the name of U Aung Khin, a famous painter in Mandalay, because his name shares the same spelling with Dr Aung Khin, who works for the opposition run DVB as well as the BBC. "It's very funny," says Maung Swam Yi, who does not know Dr Aung Khin.

The major player in the country's state-controlled media is not the PSB, but the country's military intelligence (MI), which is run by Sec-1 Gen Khin Nyunt and advises the PSB on what is permissible and what is deemed subversive.

Since February of this year the PSB has been told to censor all references to Thailand, whether they are advertisements or articles. "Now they ordered us to print anti-Thai articles, which are written by MI-backed Dr Ma Tin Win," says Maung Swam Yi.

Dr Ma Tin Win's writings have become synonymous with the government line, and as a result of her anti-Thai rhetoric, Thai authorities have banned her from coming to the Kingdom. The Burmese regime, however, awarded her the National Literature Prize this year, which is given by the Ministry of Information.

Writers like Dr Ma Tin Win, along with The Myanmar Times, which is owned by Australian editor Ross Dunkley, are the regime's latest propaganda tools, says Maung Swam Yi. "This journal is for foreign investment. They have the chance to print big news such as the secret talks [between the junta and opposition] and even interviews with Gen Khin Nyunt."

Despite the same press freedoms not being granted to the Burmese run journals and magazines, Maung Swam Yi says as a whole the public is not overly interested in The Myanmar Times. "There are two points: one, it's very expensive at 500-kyat per copy while our journal is 50-kyat. Secondly, all of The Myanmar Time's big news has already been broadcasted from foreign-based radio."

He says the major gap between Burmese media and the rest of the world is the lack of information technology found inside Burma. "When the seminar finished, every body exchanged business cards except me. I have no card with Internet, e-mail, fax or phone numbers."

"It's impossible," says Maung Swam Yi. "Before I came here, I tried to send a copy of my thesis to the seminar via the government's e-mail service. But the officials ordered me to first show permission from the PSB before it could be e-mailed."

Htet Aung Kyaw is a correspondent for the Democratic Voice of Burma.

Free Expression in Burma Today and Tomorrow

Human Rights Event

17 December 2002

Presented by Canadian Journalists for Free Expression

In cooperation with the Burma Media Association (Canada)

Win Khet, exiled Burmese Editor and Central Committee member of the National League for Democracy

Tin Maung Than, exiled Burmese Editor and radio journalist

Brian John, Myanmar Coordinator for Amnesty International Canada (English-speaking Branch)

Speakers will be followed by a question and answer period, and tea and coffee will be served.

Where: Massey College Upper Library, University of Toronto, 4 Devonshire Place

When: 5-7pm on Tuesday, 17 December 2002

Contact: CJFE at tel: 416 515 9622 x 224, or email: cjfe@cjfe.org for more info.

Two prominent Burmese journalists in exile are arriving in Canada on Dec 14, 2002, in effort of drawing attention on media condition in Burma. They will present in three media awareness events hosted by Burmese Students' Democratic Organization (BSDO) on Dec. 14, Canadian Friends of Burma (CFOB) and Burmese community in Ottawa on Dec. 15, and Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) on Dec 17.

The visiting journalists, U Win Khet and Dr. Tin Maung Than, will also meet with Mr. David Kilgour, the Canadian Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific), and attend to a reception of Canadian philosopher and novelist John Ralston Saul, the spouse of Canadian Governor General Adrienne Clarkson. They will also have a separate briefing with Canadian Foreign Affairs Department Officials.

Burma Media Association (Canada), with the support of aforementioned organizations, has initiated this speaking tour and events in Canada. Further, it could lead to arrange meetings with Canadian government officials in order to highlight lack of free media and basic human rights in Burma. The following listed events are to take place in Canada:

Burmese National Day and Literature Day

Presented by Burmese Students' Democratic Organization (BSDO)

Where: Cecil Community Center

When: Dec. 14 at 2-7 p.m.

Burma Media Awareness Event

Presented by Burmese Community in Ottawa and Canadian Friends of Burma

Where: Ottawa Museum

When: Dec. 15 at 5-7 p.m.

Meeting with the Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific)

Where: Lester B. Pearson Building, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

When: Dec. 16 at 11-12 a.m.

Briefing with Foreign Affair Department officials

Where: Lester B. Pearson Building, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

When: Dec. 16 at 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Reception of His Excellency John Ralston Saul

Where: Rideau Hall (the residence of Governor General)

When: Dec. 16 at 3-5 p.m.

Free Expression in Burma Today and Tomorrow

Presented by Canadian Journalists for Free Expression

Where: Massey College Upper Library, 4 Devonshire Place, University of Toronto

When: Dec. 17 at 5-7pm

(Mr. Brian John, Director of Amnesty International -Canada, will also offer a presentation in the event, along with exiled Burmese journalists.)

The bio-data of the two journalists is provided below:

Win Khet (age.66): editor and Chief Editor of the 'Pan' (Art) Magazine, the 'Hlapa' (Beauty), and the 'Shudaunt' (Viewpoint) Journal, and the 'Oway' (voice of Peacock) Journal. He served two terms, 1963-67 and 1971-72 in jail for his political view and freedom of expression in the reign of late General Ne Win. He took part in 1988 pro-democracy movement in 1988 as the Joint Secretary of Writers and Artists Union and became prominence in the National League for Democracy (NLD) as a central committee member. He is the only central Committee member of NLD abroad. He escaped from Burma in 1989 to Thai-Burma border and helped form the exiled Burmese government (NCGUB) and NLD (liberated area). He served as the chairman of NLD (LA), and the chairman of Board of Directors of Democratic Voice of Burma Radio in Oslo, Norway. While he was in New York on the purpose of lobbying at U.N for a resolution about Burma in 1994, he was exiled by Thai government and barred to come back to Thailand. He lives in Australia and now an honorary member of Burma Media Association and the secretary of its branch in Australia.

Dr. Tin Maung Than (age.48): trained as medical doctor with his MBBS, further extended the learning scope to the business management with his MA, but he is acclaimed in social and literature areas. He is the banned magazine editor and publisher of " Thint Ba-Wa (Your Life)"; he also served as editor in "Aung Myin Yay (Triumph)" magazine and was named the best journalist in Burma in 1990. He wrote many books about socio-political aspects of Burma, and vividly pointed the fact that how severe and ingrained of the censorship practices in Burma. He published six books including fiction and non-fiction in Burmese, including translations of English works. He was forced to flee to the Thai-Burma border in 2000 shortly after being accused of distributing the transcripts of a speech of ousted deputy economic planning minister Brig-Gen Zaw Tun, who criticized his own military government for economic mismanagement and false statement of economic data. He is now editorial Consultant of Oslo-based Democratic Voice of Burma and Washington D.C based Radio Free Asia.

Burma Media Association (Canada)

Reporters Without Borders (Reporters Sans Frontières) and the Burma Media Association (of Burmese journalists in exile) today voiced their concern about the health of detained journalist and pro-democracy activist Win Tin, who was transferred to Rangoon general hospital on 23 November.

³Following the recent release of around 100 political prisoners, the Burmese military government should pursue this policy by freeing ailing political prisoners as a priority,² Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Robert Ménard and Burma Media Association chairman U Thaung said in a letter to the interior minister, Col. Tin Hlaing. Win Tin, who is 72 and has been imprisoned for the past 13 years, should be an immediate beneficiary of such a policy, the letter said.

Win Tin was taken to the district hospital near Insein prison, on the outskirts of Rangoon, on 22 November for tests in connection with a heart ailment. Because of his electrocardiogram result and the existence of a localised infection, a doctor requested his transfer to Rangoon general hospital the next day.

Since then, he has been kept in one of the rooms for political prisoners in the hospital¹s ground floor where Htwe Myint and Doctor Than Nyein, members of Aung San Suu Kyi¹s National League for Democracy are also being treated. Reporters Without Borders and the Burma Media Association have been told that he is being held in a room of about 15 square metres, where he is examined by a doctor every day and receives medicine appropriate for his condition.

Conditions at Insein prison have taken a heavy toll on Win Tin¹s health, and he has had to be hospitalised several times. While in prison, he has had two heart attacks, high blood pressure, diabetes and spondylitis (an inflammation of the vertebrae). He has also undergone an operation for a hernia.

MOSCOW, Nov 25 (AFP) - Press freedom around the world has deteriorated over the past year, with an alarming number of journalists killed or in prison, a top newspaper association said Monday.

Highlighting that 41 journalists have lost their lives so far this year and 119 were in jail for exercising a right that is part of the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) criticized the situation of media rights in Africa and large parts of Asia.

China, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Nepal and Zimbabwe were singled out for criticism.

Meeting in Moscow, WAN's annual report also singled out Russia -- where four journalists have died so far this year.

Even the United States was mentioned, where some media came in for criticism for overly patriotic coverage following the September 11 attacks and the US-led war against terrorism.

Colombia remained the most dangerous country for media professionals, with 10 dead through November 1, while Mexico and the Philippines took third and fourth place after Russia, it said.

Independent media and inquisitive journalists were particularly under threat in several African nations, the report stated.

"Eritrea and Zimbabwe have launched a real war against journalists and independent media, resorting to daily arrests, prosecution, harassment, and censorship," it said.

Press freedom was especialy onerous in sub-Saharan African countries, the WAN said, such as in Togo, Rwanda and Ivory Coast, where the civil war had worsened working conditions.

But Ghana and Benin had improved press freedoms in 2002.

"These depressing statistics should not, however, hide certain positive breakthroughs, like in Benin and Ghana, probably the two countries on the African continent, together with South Africa, with the highest level of press freedom," it said.

Nepal, where authorities have waged a harsh crackdown on a Maoist insurgency, took the current top spot worldwide with 24 jailed journalists.

There was "still no press freedom" in China, the report said.

Myanmar, Vietnam and Bangladesh remained either dangerous or repressive places to work in media.

The Paris-based WAN, which represents the newspaper industry worldwide, defends and promotes press freedom worldwide. Seventy-one national newspaper associations belong to the group, as well as 13 news agencies and nine regional and worldwide press groups.

By Naw Seng

November 21, 2002Despite announcing to the world that it would release 115 prisoners, the Burmese junta today sentenced a student activist to seven years in prison.

Khin Maung Win, a law student who was arrested in August, was sentenced to seven years imprisonment in a Rangoon court.

He was arrested on Aug 18 for distributing anti-regime pamphlets, along with Thet Naung Soe, who staged a solo protest in front of Rangoon City Hall. Both men were charged under sections 5(d) and 5(j) of the 1950 Emergency Provisions Act. On Nov 5, Thet Naung Soe, also a law student, was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment.

But yesterday in Rangoon, junta officials announced in a statement that it would release 115 prisoners today. It is still uncertain whether all of the prisoners are political dissidents.

A statement from the junta said: "Because of steady progress in national reconciliation, we continue to release more individuals who will cause no harm to the community nor threaten the existing peace, stability and unity of the nation."

Initial reports indicate that members of the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) were also released. U Lwin, secretary of NLD said he was told half of the prisoners to be released were NLD members, but was waiting to confirm a correct figure tomorrow.

The NLD secretary also said that the party asked UN special envoy to Burma, Razali Ismail to submit a list of political prisoners to junta leaders during his last visit. Razali asked junta leaders to release more than 200 political prisoners, including prominent dissidents U Win Tin and Min Ko Naing.

If all those freed today were political prisoners, it would be the biggest single release of pro-democracy activists since reconciliation talks began in 2000.

Last Friday, U Maung Ko, a political prisoner died inside Tharawaddy Prison, after suffering a heart attack.

There have been constant demands from international communities for the release of the Burmese journalist U Win Tin who was arrested and imprisoned in 1989 by the military junta of Burma. At the same time, journalists and literary circles inside the country are also requesting his immediate release. Ludhu Daw Ama, a national literary figure and the poet U Kyi Aung express their opinions as followed:

Ludhu Daw Ama : U Win Tin is a journalist of intelligence and good breed with a deep sense of honour. There is nothing we need to say about his characters. He is also a teetotaller. He is impartial, unbiased and he does thing righteously as a journalist. As a result, he is loved by many and respected by more. He joined the NLD not as a politician but because lack of people with his talent. He is a journalist at heart. He has been in prison more than 13 years and must be feeling very miserable. To imprison someone who is in his sixties for more than ten years must be the same as torturing him to death. I really pity him. He is still not free yet.

Poet U Kyi Aung : When I published a collection of my poems, 'From Duttawaddi to Irrawaddy' I approached him to help me out and he did so willingly. U Tin Win is Burma's best journalist and a very knowledgeable media expert. He is able to understand and see the affairs of the world with a well-balanced view. He didn't use his knowledge and talents for his personal gains nor for the rulers' but for the good of the people. Speaking as a human being, U Win Tin never uses a single 'pya' for himself but does everything for the good of his countrymen.

Many people have said many things about U Win Tin and these are quite sufficient to describe his virtues. What many people don't know is, even though he is not a poet, U Win Tin is able to love and appreciate poetry like a poet. He is also a great art critic. He introduced world arts to Burmese audience in his quest for beauty. We are very fortunate to have produced a brilliant journalist like U Win Tin. Either from the perspective of a journalist or as a human being, he is a great human being.

I am waiting for the day of his release. As a Buddhist, I have been praying every evening for his health. Similarly, I have been praying for his health so that we could see him in good form when he is released and publish his new books. May he regain his pen freedom. We all pray - may his body and soul be healthy and wealthy.

Source: Democratic Voice of Burma, Oslo, in Burmese 1430 gmt 18 Nov 02

By Naw Seng

November 15, 2002 - A group of French and foreign journalists demonstrated in front of the Burmese Embassy in Paris earlier this week, drawing attention to the country's list of imprisoned writers as well as its zero tolerance attitude towards press freedoms.

The event was organized by the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and included demonstrations in front of four other Paris Embassies. China, Kazakhstan, Cuba and Russia were also targeted by the group for their draconian censorship laws and imprisonment of journalists.

While in front of the Burmese Embassy, protesters taped signs on the Embassy gate reading: "When you enter here, you enter a country where news is censored." A small sign with the words "Prison de Win Tin" was also pasted on the Embassy placard, in reference to Burmese writer U Win Tin, who has been jailed in Burma for more than 13 years.

RSF also held its annual "Sponsorship Day" yesterday, which encourages individuals from around the world to actively publicize the plight of a particular imprisoned writer.

The group estimates that 110 journalists are behind barsincluding 24 in Nepal, 16 in Burma, 11 in China and 10 in Iran. RSF just compiled its first press freedom index, citing North Korea, China and Burma as the worst violators of press freedoms and Finland, Iceland Norway and The Netherlands as the most tolerant.

A moving convoy of French and foreign journalists demonstrated in front of five Paris embassies yesterday to demand the release of colleagues imprisoned in those countries. The lightning operation was staged on the eve of today¹s tribute by Reporters Without Borders to the 110 journalists in jail around the world for simply doing their job and to those who continue to do it despite major obstacles.

The Reporters Without Borders staff members, renamed the streets after the imprisoned journalists and daubed on the embassy gates the words: ³When you enter here, you enter a country where news is censored.²

They went first to the Burmese embassy, where they demanded news of journalists, especially U Win Tin, detained under the military regime. Next target was the embassy of Kazakhstan, where they called for the release of Sergei Duvanov, an opposition journalist, before going to the Chinese embassy to appeal for Gao Qinrong and 41 other journalists and cyber-dissidents to be freed.

At the Cuban embassy, the convoy symbolically renamed the embassy ³the prison of (jailed dissident journalist) Bernardo Arévalo Padrón² on the eve of the 15-16 November 12th Ibero-American Summit. Arévalo Padrón is serving a six-year sentence for accusing Cuban President Fidel Castro of breaking promises he made at the 1996 Ibero-American Summit to respect human rights.

At the Russian embassy, they demanded the release of journalist Grigory Pasko, who is in prison for reporting that the Russian military dumped liquid radioactive waste in the Sea of Japan.

The entire operation aimed to point out that press freedom is an important matter for citizens everywhere.

Details of the situation in the five targeted countries can be found on the Reporters Without Borders website, www.rsf.org, where petitions can be signed calling for the release of the journalists.

Don¹t wait to be deprived of news to stand up and fight for it!

By Htet Aung Kyaw

November 07, 2002 - While governments debate issues of taxation and free speech concerning the Internet, and parents tackle the thorny topic of just what web sites are suitable for their children, Burma's military government has a 15 year prison sentence awaiting those found accessing the world wide web without proper permission.

The ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) did open up the country's first "Intranet" cafe earlier this year, where a selected number of entertainment and non-political sites are available. But they remain a long way away from allowing the Burmese populace to use something that most of the world takes for granted.

Thirty journalists, who recently gathered in Cardiff, Walesfrom countries such as Sierra Leone, Cuba and Burmaexpressed their dismay, along with Burmese journalists inside and outside the country, at the continued heavy-handed censorship in Burma.

A radio journalist from war torn Sierra Leone appeared almost shocked to hear about the Burmese situation. "I don't understand why your country has no public Internet," said Seneh Thoronka. "Our people are poor but our media is rich." He added that although his country is continuing to bounce back from a dirty civil war, they have free access to the Internet as well as seven independent newspapers and eight independent FM radio stations.

"Even in my country, you can read every [web] page if you have enough money," said broadcast journalist Arnoldo Diaz from Cuba.

Journalists in Southeast Asia say that even in a region where authoritarian rule is the prevailing style of government, the lack of access to media outlets in Burma is unparalleled. Abdul Raxak, a senior correspondent from Malaysia's New Strait Times, said: "Most neighbors have free media. Even in my country the Internet is absolutely free''.

Malaysia, which continues to be controlled by Mahathir Mohammed, does not have a reputation for being a bastion for press freedoms, but even there, where other media outlets come under semi-government controls, the Internet is widely available.

One respected online newspaper is Malaysiakini, however, Mahathir has yet to issue press cards to online journalists.

A journalist from the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), who visits Rangoon regularly, says Burma's Intranet is only another propaganda tool. "It's just for counter attacks to western media," said the BBC journalist, who requested anonymity.

"You can check The Myanmar Times, the New Light of Myanmar and the government web page. I think it's meaningless."

However, another BBC journalist, formerly a senior staffer at the New Light of Myanmar, disagrees. "You can criticize government officials but not to our colleagues."

He added that Burma has plenty of well-trained journalists who have never been given the opportunity to use their skills, due to the government's strict controls. "They have no chance to write their own views, only what the MI (military intelligence) orders them to."

The Burmese government controls the country's only two television stations as well as one short wave and one FM radio station. The government also owns two daily newspapers. Private journalists run a multitude of weekly and monthly journals, however, all these must first pass through the country's infamous Press Scrutiny Board (PSB). The government controlled media usually only show leaders of the military regime and their speeches, while private journals are left to run women's photos and astrological predictions.

The former New Light of Myanmar journalist said, "I think TV Myanmar and Radio are the only media in the world that just read hours of papers without having attractions or reports from correspondents." He says he blames the government for not trying "to learn what the audience wants to know" and for not being in touch with other international media styles.

The only outlet Burmese residents have to news that is not controlled by the junta comes from four short wave radio programs that broadcast daily in Burmeseincluding the London-based BBC (Burmese Service), the Washington DC-based Radio Free Asia (RFA) and Voice of America (VOA) as well as the Oslo-based Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB). The programs are beamed into Burma from relay towers based in third countries.

"I spend five hours a day listening to the transmissions. Because it's not only a window to see outside but also to see inside the country," said a veteran Rangoon journalist.

However, some have paid a hefty price for tuning into these illegal broadcasts. Daw San San, an elected Member of Parliament from the opposition National League for Democracy, was sentenced to seven years in prison in 1998 for giving an interview to the BBC. And U Than Chaung, a farmer from northern Burma, was sentenced to two years in prison for listening to a VOA broadcast in 1999.

While Mr Leo Nichols, the former de facto consular for Norway and other Scandinavian countries as well as the godfather of Aung San Suu Kyi, died in detention under mysterious conditions after he was sentenced in 1996 to three years in prison for using a fax machine without permission.

Even now, amidst calls for national reconciliation in Burma, the regime continues to arrest and detain individuals for possessing illegal literature. Two men were arrested in September for reading the New Era Journal, which is published in Bangkok by Burmese dissidents. They remain in custody, awaiting sentencing.

According to the Paris-based Reporter Sans Frontiers, at least 16-journalists are being detained in Burma. "Burma is one of the countries of the world where the government has used a very large spectrum of mechanisms and policies to oppress journalists and suppress freedom of expression," says Vincent Brossel, director of the Asia-Pacific Desk at RSF.

"As we usually say 'there is no freedom without press freedom'. But in the case of Burma, we might say 'there will be no press freedom without democracy," adds Mr Brossel.

Htet Aung Kyaw is a correspondent for the Oslo, Norway-based Democratic Voice of Burma.

Reporters Without Borders and the exiled Burma Media Association (BMA) today condemned the government¹s month-long closure of two magazines, one for quoting an officially banned writer and the other for running an advert for a company in neighbouring Thailand, with whose government Burma is in dispute.

The two organisations said the move, announced on 10 October by the government¹s Literary Scrutiny Board, was new proof that the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) had no intention of easing its pressure on the country¹s privately-owned media. They called on interior minister Lt. Gen. Tin Hlaing to cancel the ban at once and to end all preliminary censorship.

The radio station Democratic Voice of Burma said the magazine Han Thit (New Style) was banned for quoting in its October issue a poem by Maung Chaw Nwe, who died in September, mentioning another writer, Ko Lay, whose works have been outlawed in Burma since he took part in a meeting of the opposition National League for Democracy in 1997. The media is forbidden to mention Ko Lay's name.

The other publication, Beauty Magazine, was banned for printing an advert for a Thai company. At the end of May, Reporters Without Borders and the BMA criticised the SPDC¹s decision to ban all advertisements to do with Thailand in the privately-owned media. Editors were required to sign a letter promising not to run them.

The ban stemmed from a diplomatic and military crisis between the two countries that led to closing of their common borders at Mae Sai, Mae Sot and Ranong. Since they were reopened on 15 October after five months, relations have begun returning to normal. But the ban on advertising continues, financially threatening the privately-owned media, which get most of their advertising revenue from Thai firms.

Reporters Without Borders and the Burma Media Association have condemned the arrests of dozens of dissidents for their involvement in distributing newspapers that have been banned by the junta. Some of them have been held in undisclosed locations for more than ten days.

"Although 18 political prisoners were released in September, this new crackdown is evidence of the military regime¹s hostility towards the pluralism of information. It is intolerable that dozens of Burmese people should be imprisoned simply for having read or distributed a newspaper," state Robert Ménard, Secretary-General of Reporters Without Borders, and U Thaung, President of the Burma Media Association, in a joint letter addressed to Burma¹s Home Affairs Minister, Colonel Tin Hlaing.

The two organisations call for the release of all those imprisoned for possession of opposition publications. "The ending of censorship and of restrictions on opposition publications would be an unprecedented gesture of openness in Burma," emphasise Mr Ménard and Mr U Thaung.

Reporters Without Borders and the Burma Media Association have also asked the Home Affairs Minister to do all he can to persuade the government to allow the National League for Democracy (NLD) to launch a newspaper. The military junta has never responded to the request made in May 2002 by Aung San Suu Kyi, General Secretary of the NLD, for a licence to publish.

On 25 September 2002, about thirty activists, mostly former political prisoners, were arrested and interrogated by intelligence services for possessing opposition publications, notably the newspaper Khit Pyaing (New Era, published in Thailand). According to Irrawaddy magazine (based in Thailand) this is an intimidation strategy by the military intelligence service (MIS) aimed at preventing opponents from gaining access to banned publications. To date, more than a dozen people are still being held in undisclosed locations.

According to Reporters Without Borders and the Burma Media Association, almost forty people have been arrested over the last two years for having distributed or read an opposition newspaper printed in Thailand. Some of them have been tortured or given heavy prison sentences for this offence alone.

In July 2002, Aung Thein and Kyaw Naing Oo, two members of the youth section of the National League for Democracy (NLD), were arrested and sentenced to three years in prison for possessing copies of Khit Pyaing. They were apparently badly beaten up when they were arrested.

On 12 February 2002, Ko Tin Saw, alias Tharkhan, was arrested at Bayintnaung market in Kawthaung (in the east of the country) on his way back from Ranong (Thailand). In possession of a mobile phone and the February issue of Khit Pyaing, he was accused of sending information to radio stations abroad. The same day, Ko Tin Saw was taken to the intelligence service¹s n°3 Base in Kawthaung, where he was tortured under interrogation.

In 1999 and 2000, seven members of the underground network that distributed the banned journal Mojo, a publication linked to the NLD, were arrested. The seven are Mg Hla Soe, Ko Win Naing, Mg Kyaw Wae Soe, Joseph, Tint Wae, Ko Myo and Ma Htay Htay. Most of them have been sentenced to seven years in prison for distributing this monthly opposition publication, printed in Thailand, which has now ceased to appear. Three thousand copies used to be sent to Burma on a regular basis.

BANGKOK, Thailand _ Myanmar's military government has arrested dozens of dissidents for distributing banned newspapers, a press freedom group said Thursday.

The allegation came as the government announced the release of 31 other political prisoners.

Late last month, intelligence officers arrested about 30 political activists for possessing opposition publications, said the Paris-based group Reporters Without Borders, better known by its French acronym RSF.

Nearly 40 people have been arrested over the past two years in Myanmar, also known as Burma, for distributing or reading opposition newspapers _ mostly printed in neighboring Thailand _ RSF said in a statement issued with the Burma Media Association, an exiled Myanmar opposition group based in Washington, D.C.

Some of those arrested have been tortured or given heavy prison sentences, the statement claimed.

In a joint letter to Myanmar Home Affairs Minister Col. Tin Hlaing, the two groups demanded the immediate release of all those imprisoned ``simply for having read or distributed a newspaper.''

Meanwhile, the government said it freed 31 political prisoners, including seven members of the opposition National League for Democracy party, on Thursday.

It was one of the largest groups of dissidents freed in a single day since such releases began after the ruling junta and the opposition started reconciliation talks two years ago.

The junta is believed to hold up to 1,500 political prisoners, including several hundred members of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, which won a 1990 general election but was not allowed to take power. More than 300 of Suu Kyi's party's members have been freed since the talks began.

BANGKOK - Press rights watchdog Reporters Without Borders and the Burma Media Association (BMA) Thursday called on Myanmar's junta to release dozens of dissidents imprisoned recently for possessing banned newspapers.

"This new crackdown is evidence of the military regime¹s hostility towards the pluralism of information," said Robert Menard, secretary-general of Reporters Without Borders (Reporters Sans Frontieres - RSF).

"It is intolerable that dozens of Burmese people should be imprisoned simply for having read or distributed a newspaper," he wrote in a letter to Myanmar's Home Minister Colonel Tin Hlaing signed jointly by BMA president U Thaung.

RSF said some 30 activists, mostly former political prisoners, were arrested and interrogated by intelligence services last month for possessing opposition publications including a Thai-based newspaper Khit Pyaing.

More than a dozen people are still being held in undisclosed locations, it added.

The two groups also asked Tin Hlaing to persuade the junta to allow the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) to launch a newspaper.

NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi reportedly requested a licence to publish a newspaper after her release in May from 19 months under house arrest.

The US State Department earlier this month sharply criticised the arrests of the 30 opposition activists, describing them as a "significant step backwards" for hopes that the junta is easing its iron grip on political activity.

"We continue to urge the regime to release all those detained for the peaceful expression of their political views," an official said.

Exiled opposition groups have claimed the arrests expose the junta's pledge to permit people to freely indulge in political activities as a sham.

Aung San Suu Kyi has said her party's top priority is to secure the release of all the political prisoners in the country's jails.

The Nobel peace laureate suggested in August that a mass release would be a precondition to her beginning a fully fledged political dialogue with the Yangon junta.

The two sides have been engaged in a dialogue aimed at national reconciliation since October 2000. Hundreds of political prisoners have been freed since the dialogue began, but between 1,300 and 1,500 are believed to be still incarcerated.

According to RSF and the BMA, almost 40 people have been arrested over the last two years for having distributed or read an opposition newspaper printed in Thailand.

PARIS - Democracy campaigner leader Aung San Suu Kyi Friday won an international prize awarded by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in recognition of her 12-year-long campaign for democracy and human rights in Myanmar.

Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, received the 100,000-dollar (102,000-euro) UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence, awarded every two years.

UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura announced the prize, and Nasser el-Ansary, head of the Institute of the Arab World in Paris and the jury president, said in a statement that Suu Kyi was "an international symbol of peaceful resistance to oppression."

The jury also gave five honorable mentions, including a posthumous one to United States journalist Daniel Pearl, killed in Pakistan earlier this year while reporting on radical Islamic networks.

UNESCO said the prize had been created thanks to the generosity of the Indian writer and former UNESCO Goodwill ambassador Madanjeet Singh.

The last winner, in 2000, was Chenouda III, head of Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church, who has worked to promote interfaith dialogue.

Meanwhile on Friday Aung San Suu Kyi herself urged supporters to mount a constant struggle for security and freedom in the military-run southeast Asian country of Myanmar, formerly Burma.

She told a crowd of about 1,000 in Thin-gan-kyun township 10 kilometres (six miles) east of the Myanmar capital Yangon that under the current regime the nation's development was being hindered.

It was the latest in a series of political trips she has been allowed to make since the military government released her from 19 months under house arrest in May.

Myanmar has been branded a pariah nation by the international community and punished with heavy economic sanctions because of its refusal to consider political reforms.