Mizzima awarded global JTI certificate for reliable news on Myanmar

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Mizzima Mizzima, one of Myanmar ’s most prominent news outlets and a press freedom advocate, obtained the Journalism Trust Initiative ( JTI ) certification from global audit firm Bureau Veritas , JTI says in a press statement 5 January.  Operating in clandestine mode within Myanmar and supported by an exiled team, Mizzima strives to fulfil its role as reliable source of news and information for the Myanmar public. “Your Journalism Trust Initiative certification affirms what audiences already know: that principled, transparent journalism matters. Congratulations on this achievement and on your continued contribution to informing citizens about Myanmar,” says Benjamin Sabbah , director of Journalism Trust Initiative “Myanmar’s ongoing conflict has created an intensely contested media landscape, where mis- and disinformation are increasingly deployed to reinforce state propaganda and the prevailing “official” narrative. Although Mizzima is already regarded as one of the most trusted ...
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Burma’s leaders must cope with protests nonviolently: Asean chief

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Friday, 25 May 2012 11:22 Mizzima News

The demonstrations and protests going on in Burma are normal for a democracy, and Burma’s leaders must learn to deal with them in a non-confrontational manner, the head of Asean said on Thursday.

Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) said it was critical for the authorities not to use force and violence to suppress the peaceful expression of citizens’ opinions.

Asean chief Surin Pitsuwan Photo: Asean

Peaceful demonstrations over the lack of electricity have taken place in Rangoon, Mandalay and several other towns in Burma this week. After tolerating the protests for days, police broke up a crowd in the town of Pyi and several members of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition party were detained for questioning and released in Mandalay on Thursday.

“If a country or society aspires to be open to democracy, it has to be prepared to deal with popular participation, pressure, demand, conflicts, tension, in some cases violence,” Surin was quoted as sahying by Reuters news group. “But a country or a government will need to deal with it.”

Burma’s military, which ruled for nearly 50 years following a 1962 coup, ruthlessly crushed public demonstrations in the past. The current demonstrations are seen as a real test of the government’s commitment to democratic reforms. Violent repression could cause a backlash from democratic counties that are reengaging with the current government and suspending or lifting economic sanctions.

Surin said Asean was ready to help Burma cope with pressures in case of shortages of necessities such as water, food, or transportation, drawing on many members’ experiences.

Supplying electricity to the 60-million population is just one of the challenges facing one of the poorest members of the 10-nation Asean bloc. It’s estimated that one in four of Burma’s citizens have access to electricity. Protest organizers have questioned Burma’s policy of selling electricity to China when its own citizens must often exist with only six hours of electricity a day and regular rolling blackouts.

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