Military at Peace Conference Not Engaging with Media

U Min Htet, deputy section head of the BBC Burmese Service, told KIC News that it was easy to get the views of the other organisations attending the Union Peace Conference, but that military delegates were reluctant to speak to the media at the conference, held from 31 August to 3 September in Naypyidaw,.

He said: “The military is an important group. We made various attempts to find out their views but we could not get them. This made it very difficult for us. If they could fix this there would be more transparency and freedom. Opinions about the military might improve if they could share their views.”

Ko Wai Moe, a reporter from U.S.-based the New York Times said: “It’s difficult to ask their opinions concerning the military. Freedom of press is the foundation of democracy. Both the organisers and the (military) officials still seem to lack knowledge about this.”

“There are limitations to getting their views’,” he added.

Veteran journalist U Soe Than Linn called on the military to give media representatives information relating to the conference. He also said that there was a need for detailed responses at the Union Peace Conference press conferences.

Nai Hong Sar, the vice-chairman of the New Mon State Party (NMSP) said: “The military must follows orders from above. They don’t have many democratic rights. They can’t speak freely. If their superiors don’t give them the right to speak, they can’t say anything. If you ask the spokesperson he might answer you.”

Media representatives are also upset that they were not allowed to hear State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s thank you speech given on the last day of the conference.

Over 200 media representatives from local and foreign media covered the event according to the Myanmar Press Council.

The joint chairs on the last day of the conference were: army representative Lieutenant-General Yar Pyae representing the army; government representative Dr Tin Myo Win; parliament representative Daw Shila Nan Taung; ethnic armed organisation representative U Khun Myint Tun and political parties representative U Myint Soe.

Ten organisations, including the Burmese military, presented papers to the conference expressing their views.

According to the Conference Preparatory Joint Committee, the second meeting of the Union Peace Conference is due to be held in six months time.

Translated by Thida Linn
Edited in English by Mark inkey for BNI