The worldwide media watchdog -- the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)-- is outraged at the continued detention of six Burmese journalists.

BY ACE ALEGRE
Contributed to Bulatlat
Vol. VII, No. 38, October 29-Nov. 3, 2007

BAGUIO CITY (246 kms. north of Manila) – The worldwide media watchdog -- the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)-- is outraged at the continued detention of six Burmese journalists.

Also especially concerned for the safety of a photographer who has been missing since early October this year, IFJ Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park expressed alarm over journalists targeted in the latest crackdown on anti-government protests in Burma.

Despite the UN General Assembly’s condemnation of Burma’s military rulers, Park fears more attacks on press freedom in the country.

Earlier, the Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontières (Reporters Without Borders- RSF) tagged junta-ruled Burma along with six other Asian countries as among those in the bottom 20 in its Press Freedom Index released last week. The seven Asian countries at the bottom 20 including Burma are Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Laos, Vietnam, China and North Korea.

Journalists in Burma continue to work “under the yoke of harsh censorship from which nothing escapes, not even small ads,” said RSF Asia Pacific desk chief Vincent Brossels last week at the release of the Press Freedom Index, which is already on its 6th year.

RSF said five journalists were detained before the protests:  Monywa Aung-Shin, of Shar-maw-khung newspaper; freelance photographer and reporter Thaung Sein; Dhamah-Yate newspaper’s Ko Moe Htun; journalist Ne Min; and Win Tin, of Hanthawathi newspaper.

Park is renewing the IFJ’s call for Burma ’s government to stop its attacks on the media and to release all detained media personnel including protesters immediately and unconditionally.

According to the IFJ, Burmese photographer Win Saing is still detained since the monk-led demonstrations grew in intensity while photographer Ko Thu Ya Soe, 30, who worked for the EPA news agency, has been missing since early October.  He was last seen taking photos near the Sule pagoda in Rangoon, said Park.

A reporter for the Weekly Eleven Journal, Win Ko Ko Latt, Park added, who has been detained since September 27 and Nay Linn Aung, a reporter for 7-Days Journal, arrested on August 28 were both released recently.

Park added that Burma’s junta has reportedly allowed United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burma Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, to visit the protests-laden country to monitor human rights issues.

Burma’s Foreign Minister, Nyan Win, has reportedly told the UN that Professor Pinheiro may visit before mid-November.

The IFJ, representing over 600,000 journalists in 114 countries around the world, welcomes Burma ’s reversal of its earlier decision not to allow Professor Pinheiro to visit the country. Ace Alegre/contributed to Bulatlat