Civil society groups in Myanmar have accused the government for using COVID-19 as a pretext to restrict the media and freedom of expression. They said the government is “taking advantage” of the pandemic to “censor legitimate information and curtail freedom of expression.”
Last week, a total of 264 associations, including media networks, women’s groups and disability advocates, issued a joint statement condemning the government's forced blocking of 221 websites and refusing to lift an internet blackout in restive areas of Rakhine and Chin states.
The local rights activists held a news conference on Friday (April 3) to defend freedom of the media. “During this time of the COVID-19 outbreak, the flow of information, the flow of news is crucial,” said Phandeeyar digital rights senior manager Daw Wai Phyo Myint.
Daw Yin Yadanar Thein of Free Expression Myanmar said the blocking of websites has a “chilling impact” on press freedom. “The government is sending out a message that if they want, they can block whichever website they want, whenever,” she said, adding that this would lead to increased self-censorship.
Norway’s Telenor said the Ministry of Transport and Communications initially issued a directive to the four telecoms operators in Myanmar to block 207 specified websites by invoking Article 77 of the Telecommunications Law. On March 23 a further directive was issued to block 14 more websites which the ministry accused of disseminating misinformation.
Article 77 of the law allows the ministry to impose restrictions or bans in an “emergency situation” out of public interest. The government did not clarify what emergency it is invoking.
Telenor initially refused to block all the websites but later complied. There has been no public statement on the issue by the government or the other three operators - state-owned MPT, Qatar’s Ooredoo and military-run Mytel.
Foreign organisations have also criticised the move. Matthew Bugher, Asia representative for Article 19, said the blocking of ethnic news websites was drastic and unjustified. He called it “full-blown censorship of the kind not seen in Myanmar since Aung San Suu Kyi’s government took office.”
“Myanmar should immediately lift its order to block news websites for allegedly publishing ‘fake news.’ Such orders will only stifle independent and critical reporting within the country,” said Shawn Crispin of the Committee to Protect Journalists. He added that censorship and harassment of the media "was supposed to stop during Myanmar’s transition from military to elected rule.”
But government officials deny the accusations. Although the officials have not published a full list of the 221 websites they ordered blocked, they said it includes those promoting pornography, child abuse and fake news about the pandemic.
Under the clampdown on media reporting on the conflict in Rakhine State, three editors were also been charged and detained this week for interviewing a spokesperson for the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group which was declared a “terrorist organisation” on March 23.
The three accused are U Nay Myo Lin, editor-in-chief of the Mandalay-based Voice of Myanmar; U Khaing Myat Kyaw, editor-in-chief of Sittwe-based Nairnjara, and U Hlaing Thit Zin Wai, editor of Yangon Khit Thit Media. They could face life imprisonment under sections 50(a) and 52(a) of the Anti-Terrorism Law.
“Counter-terrorism laws should never be used against journalists for their reporting. Under these circumstances the future for press freedom in Myanmar is bleak,” commented Linda Lakhdhir, legal adviser at Human Rights Watch.
“The Myanmar government is preventing residents of Chin and Rakhine states from being informed on how to take precautionary measures, follow best practices, and prevent the spread of the disease,” said Matthew Smith, head of Fortify Rights.
In fact, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi personally joined social media this month, using Facebook for the first time since her civilian government came to office in 2016. “Under the current circumstances, it [her Facebook account] was created in order to communicate with people faster and more efficiently in relation to COVID-19 challenges,” she explained in a televised broadcast.
Daw Wai Phyo Myint of Phandeeyar attributed the unusually high number of local organisations endorsing the statement to the widespread concern over the way the government has enforced the clampdown.
The backlash could put the state counsellor’s National League for Democracy party at odds with civil society advocates across the country, many of whom supported the ruling party in the historic 2015 polls. The next parliamentary elections are expected to take place this November.
