Journalists welcome formation of Independent Press Council Myanmar

By Admin 23 Dec 2023

DMG Newsroom
23 December 2023, Sittwe

Journalists have welcomed the establishment of the Independent Press Council Myanmar (IPCM), which is made up of representatives from media agencies at home and abroad.

The IPCM was formed in response to declining press freedom in Myanmar and to enhance security and protections for journalists.

A journalist based in Myanmar said: “The junta’s Myanmar Press Council has never represented journalists. It has never intervened when journalists were killed or arrested. We welcome the IPCM. We want it to lead journalists and protect press freedom.”

Seventy-seven journalists including representatives from 38 independent Myanmar media outlets attended the second conference to form an independent press council, from December 20-22 in Thailand. The IPCM was established during last week’s meetings and 10 members of the council including chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary, joint secretary and treasurer were democratically elected.

IPCM Secretary U Toe Zaw Latt said: “There is no press freedom in Myanmar. We will work to ensure the unconditional release of detained journalists. We will cooperate with international bodies for the security and protection of journalists.”

In its nascent days, the council has discussed matters related to promotion of press freedom, security and protection for journalists, adopting a journalistic code of ethics and fostering connections with regional and international media agencies.

The regime has imposed a crackdown on independent media in Myanmar since the 2021 coup.

A female reporter based in Arakan State said: “We are reporting the truth from the ground. The military council is not happy that we are exposing its human rights violations.”

The regime arrested two reporters from Dawei Watch, a local media outlet based in Tanintharyi Region, on December 11. It also arrested a reporter and another staff member for Arakan State-based DMG on October 29.

The regime has arrested 156 journalists since the coup, killing four of them, according to Free Expression Myanmar.