Tuesday, 18 January 2011 20:37 Phanida
Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – Resident correspondents of foreign news organizations plan to apply for permission to cover the proceedings of the Burmese Parliament, which will convene on January 31.
A member of the Foreign Correspondents Club Myanmar asked Information Minister Kyaw San on Monday at the inauguration of a library in Thaketa Township if foreign reporters would be allowed to cover Parliament news or not.
The minister replied that domestic (resident) foreign correspondents would be invited to cover Parliament news.
There are at least 25 resident correspondents of foreign news organisations in Burma.
‘Foreign correspondents also want to visit Burma to cover the news, but they need a visa to enter Burma. Official invitations and visas are usually issued for big events only. Many want to come to cover the news of the first session of the Hluttaws (houses of Parliament)’, said Khin Maung Win, a correspondent for The Associated Press (AP).
When the National Convention was convened from 1997 to 2003 to draft the Constitution, reporters were allowed to cover the news and issued a specific dress code.
According to the dress code, male reporters were required to wear traditional Burmese longyi (a sarong). For women, the dress code was a traditional overcoat and blouse with long sleeves and a scarf. Foreigners were required to wear a shirt, necktie, coat and trousers.
‘We are preparing to comply with a dress code, or we could be denied entry to the Parliament’, Khin Maung Win said.
The correspondent for the Asahi Shimbun newspaper in Japan, Dr. Zaw Than, said his publication is making preparations to cover Parliament.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Subscribe to email feed
