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Since its ongoing controversy with the International Labor Organization, Rangoon has ordered the deletion of all UN and international NGO names in the obits. "For instance, U Thant, former UN Secretary General, will just be plain U Thant," said an Information Ministry official who requested anonymity.

The military leadership has also lately found the words "chit-hla-zwa-thaw" (beloved) so offensive it has ordered its removal from all obituaries. "Which means when you die, they won't say you were so-and-so's beloved husband, but just her husband," he explained.

``As the price of newsprint and other printing materials has risen worldwide, the cost of production of each newspaper has increased,'' said a notice published in the New Light of Myanmar.

The Myanma News and Periodicals Enterprise has been selling two Myanmar-language newspapers and one English-language newspaper _ at a loss _ for 10 kyats (less than 1 US cent) per copy ``with the objective of enriching the public with news and information,'' it said.

Starting in October, the newspapers will be sold for 50 kyats (about 4.5 US cents) each.

One U.S. dollar is worth approximately 6 kyats at the official exchange rate, but the black market rate is around 1,100 kyats to the dollar. The lowest paid Myanmar government workers earn about US$10 per month at the black market rate.

Myanmar has three state-owned newspapers _ the New Light of Myanmar, Myanma Ahlin and Kyemon, or The Mirror.

The English-language New Light of Myanmar has a circulation of about 25,000 and the two Myanmar-language papers have circulation figures of about 200,000 each, according to the paper's own calculation.

Myanmar has a population of more than 54 million people.

Although the official price had been 10 kyats, newsstand prices often ranged between 30 to 50 kyats. It was unclear how the new prices would affect newsstand rates.

``I have been subscribing to all three newspapers every month. I will (now) buy only one copy a month because contents are the same in all papers,'' said Win Myint, a lawyer.

Reporters Without Borders today condemned the censorship imposed by Maj. Tint Swe of the information ministry’s Press Scrutiny and Registration Division (PSRD) on 16 August on the bilingual weekly, the Myanmar Times, preventing its Burmese-language edition from carrying an article about the new laws governing media licenses.

"The press is still as gagged as ever, although it was supposed to have more independence under the new laws promulgated by the information ministry on 1 August," the press freedom organization said.

"How on earth can the Burmese authorities claim to be promoting the autonomy of the news media when simply writing an article about the new laws results in censorship?"

The offending article was allowed to appear in the weekly’s English-language edition, which is mainly read abroad. Published in Burmese and English, the Myanmar Times is the only bilingual weekly permitted in Burma.

Despite the increased independence which the media were supposed to enjoy under the junta’s new measures, Maj. Tint Swe said any negative comments about China, India or the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) would be banned. Criticism of Burmese government projects would be tolerated as long as it was “constructive,” he said, adding that the government would be more lenient towards the press if it supported its policies.

To obtain permission to publish, a newspaper’s executives must henceforth notify the authorities of the identity, past history and political views of all members of its staff. The authorities can also order a newspaper to publish any article they care to provide, and the newspaper cannot refuse.

The banned article, scheduled for the paper's 18 August edition, dealt with the new publishing license regulations issued by the ministry on 1 August.

Under new publishing rules, the PSRD can block the transfer of a publishing license from one publisher to another. The new rules also tighten control over authorised publications' editorial teams.

The new regulations, however, were only published in "Myanmar Times", which runs bilingual news and commentary in English and Burmese languages every week.

"Apparently the military junta does not want Burmese readers to know about its new restrictive policy. It doesn't care about the English version, which tends to be read mostly by expatriates in Burma," said the sources.

Ironically, the publishing rules are part of new press censorship regulations that PSRD director Maj. Tint Swe says offers concessions to the media in return for a more proactive approach to supporting the junta. Maj. Tint Swe earlier told the "Myanmar Times" that new censorship policies put in force in July will allow for a more flexible environment for media reporting. He had said that negative reports and commentary about China, India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will still be banned, but suggested that critical reports on Burmese government projects may be tolerated as long as criticisms are deemed "constructive."

He added that media coverage of natural disasters and poverty, previously banned, will also be allowed so long as the reports do not affect national interest.

Recent developments in Burma suggest, however, that nothing has changed in the junta's censorship regime. Worse, some members of the Burmese media community suggest that the situation continues to deteriorate.

On 5 August, "Irrawaddy Magazine", an independent Burmese news publication operating in exile in Thailand, quoted journalists inside Rangoon as saying that the overall the situation was deteriorating, despite official assurances of "more flexible censorship policies."

In July, none of the Burmese media reported on Burma's decision to forgo its rotating chairmanship of Asean in 2006 in response to pressure from the international community.

The Burmese Ministry of Information’s Press Scrutiny and Registration Division (PSRD) on 16 August blocked the Myanmar Times from publishing a Burmese translation of an article on new publishing license regulations in the country, according to well-informed sources in Rangoon.

The banned article, scheduled for the Myanmar Times’ 18 August edition was about the new publishing license regulation, issued by the ministry on 1 August.

Under new publishing rules, the PSRD can block the transfer of a publishing license from one publisher to another. The new rules also tighten control over authorized publications’ editorial teams.

The new regulations, however, were only published in “Myanmar Times”, which runs bilingual news and commentary in English and Burmese languages every week.

“Apparently the military junta does not want Burmese readers to know about its new restrictive policy. It doesn’t care about the English version which tends to be read mostly by expatriates in Burma,” said the sources.

Ironically, the publishing rules are part of new press censorship regulations that PSRD director Maj. Tint Swe says offers concessions to the media in return for a more proactive approach to supporting the junta. Maj. Tint Swe earlier told the Myanmar Times that new censorship policies put in force in July will allow for a more flexible environment for media reporting. He had said that negative reports an commentary about China, India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will still be banned, but suggested that critical reports on Burmese government projects may be tolerated as long as criticisms are deemed “constructive”.

He added that media coverage of natural disasters and poverty, previously banned, will also be allowed so long as the reports do not affect national interest.

Recent developments in Burma however suggest that nothing has changed in the junta’s censorship regime. Worse, some members of the Burmese media community suggest that things are still getting worse.

On 5 August, “Irrawaddy Magazine”, an independent Burmese news publication operating in exile in Thailand, quoted journalists inside Rangoon as saying that the overall the situation was deteriorating, despite official assurances of “more flexible censorship policies”.

In July, none of the Burmese media reported on Burma’s decision to forgo its rotating chairmanship of Asean in 2006 in response to pressure from the international community.

Reporters Without Borders has appealed to the UN special envoy for Burma, former Indonesian foreign minister Ali Alatas, to intervene on behalf of imprisoned journalist Win Tin during a three-day visit to Burma beginning today in which he is to meet Gen. Soe Win, the prime minister.

Dear Mr. Alatas,

Reporters Without Borders would like to draw your attention to the case of U Win Tin, a Burmese journalist and adviser to the National League for Democracy (NLD), who has been imprisoned since July 1989. In particular, we request that you press for his release during your official visit to Burma and your meeting with the prime minister, Gen. Soe Win.

Now aged 75, U Win Tin has been imprisoned for 16 years for peacefully opposing the government. He has been deprived of his basic rights, including the right to a fair trial and the right to acceptable prison conditions. His detention highlights the way Burma’s judicial system has been co-opted to put a stop to peaceful free expression.

Imprisoned above all because of his involvement with the NLD, U Win Tin received additional jail terms for trying to alert the United Nations about human rights violations in Burmese prisons. The authorities also accused him of writing articles and poems for circulation within the prison, where the possession of pen and paper is banned. His already poor health has been aggravated by ill-treatment, including torture, lack of medical care, detention in a cell without bedding (one normally used for army dogs) and deprivation of food and water for long periods.

Many of Burma’s 1,350 political prisoners are prisoners of conscience who have been jailed for their peaceful use of the right to free expression. Many are old or ill, or have been given such long sentences that they have no hope of being released before reaching the age of 70 or 80. The authorities continue to arrest and hold political activists in secret, denying them access to lawyers and due process, and to harass former political prisoners and activists.

We appeal to your to use your influence with the Burmese government to get Win Tin released. We think this is a timely moment for you to intercede because, since the start of August, Win Tin has qualified under Burmese law for release for good conduct. As a former journalist yourself, you will undoubtedly be receptive to our request.

We are confident you will give us positive response.

Respectfully,