Amid armed conflict in Myanmar, the Independent Press Council Myanmar (IPCM) issued a statement on Jan. 19 calling for journalists working in conflict affected communities to be guaranteed safe access to information and effective protection.
“The junta does not allow press freedom at all. It often pressures media agencies to write only content that favors it. In resistance-controlled areas, press freedom has also not yet reached the level people expect,” Toe Zaw Latt, the IPCM secretary and spokesperson told the Karen Information Center (KIC).
:There are still problems in some places, and these issues still need to be resolved through continued dialogue. Press freedom is not only important for us as journalists. It is also important for people to know the truth about what is happening in conflict areas,” he added.
The junta in Myanmar that seized power during the 2021 military coup, which overturned the results of the 2020 elections, is now holding a three-phased election that will end on Jan. 25. But journalists inside Myanmar are unable to report on it and must operate without any press freedom.
For this reason, IPCM will need to continue its efforts to ensure and fight for the protection of journalists and media workers. Anti-coup resistance leaders who control territory inside Myanmar should cooperate with IPCM on this issue, according to Toe Zaw Latt.
Following its second general assembly Jan. 17-18, IPCM agreed to issue five demands.
These include safety and protection for all journalists inside Myanmar, upholding the freedom to report independently; ensuring the unconditional and immediate release of 27 media workers currently held in prison, as well as immediately ceasing the targeted arrest, torture, and imprisonment of journalists.
IPCM has also called on the international community and organizations around the world to support the continued survival and long-term sustainability of Myanmar’s independent media.
“Press freedom is the fourth pillar of society. It ensures that the public has access to information they have a right to know. Working in the midst of armed conflict means that danger is often unavoidable. However, upholding mutual respect and paying close attention to security is a shared responsibility,” Padoh Saw Taw Nee, the Karen National Union (KNU) spokesperson, said in response to the ICPM statement.
“As long as mutual respect exists and if we continue our work with commitment and determination, we believe that independent journalism and independent media will survive and endure in the long term,” he added.
During the assembly, IPCM members reported on its activities over the last two-years since it was established in 2023. It reaffirmed its organizational structure, discussed issues related to ethnic languages and media, and deliberated on policies to prevent and address various forms of sexual harassment in the media.
Discussions were also held on the future role of independent media beyond 2025, including topics such as ‘freedom of expression in a future Myanmar, journalists’ safety, and the prospects for the survival and long-term sustainability of independent media.’
IPCM members attending the meeting elected 14 individuals by secret ballot to serve on the its Executive Committee, including nine representatives from media organizations, three freelance journalists, and two media experts.
The IPCM statement said that more than 100 participants, including members, partner media agencies, and representatives from relevant organizations attended the two-day assembly.
IPCM was officially established on Dec. 22, 2023, with the aim of promoting media freedom in Myanmar, ensuring journalists’ safety and protection, and enabling formal cooperation among regional and international press councils. It currently has 41 member media organizations and 18 freelance members.
BNI
