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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Former military leaders absent from voting records as Myanmar junta’s first phase election concludes

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Photo: (left to right) Former UN Special Envoy to Myanmar Ibrahim Gambari, retired Senior General U Than Shwe, retired Vice Senior General U Maung Aye, retired General Thura U Shwe Mann, and retired General and former President U Thein Sein, meeting in Nay Pyi Taw in October 2007.

Mizzima

The publicized voting records of the military junta’s first-phase election are notably missing the photos of six former top military leaders, including Senior General Than Shwe.

Investigation reveals that while current military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and other junta officials were prominently featured casting their ballots on 28 December, records for retired Senior General Than Shwe, retired Vice Senior General Maung Aye, and former President Thein Sein have failed to appear. It was discovered that several of these retired generals, including Than Shwe and Maung Aye, cast advance votes at their residences on 27 December rather than attending public polling stations in Naypyidaw’s Pobbathiri Township.

U Toe Zaw Latt, Secretary of the Independent Press Council of Myanmar (IPCM), said, “Senior and junior military officials alike always attend Armed Forces Day ceremonies, So, why hasn’t there been a focus or highlight on these figures? Is it a deliberate omission? There are certainly things to ponder behind the scenes. It’s possible they don’t recognize or approve of what Min Aung Hlaing is doing now. Especially since U Than Shwe is still alive and his son-in-law has been arrested and imprisoned. There are other factors to consider. Their disappearance suggests something is amiss, which certainly raises suspicions.”

Former President Thein Sein and former Vice President Thiha Thura U Tin Aung Myint Oo were not found on the Pobbathiri Township voter list, as they are reportedly registered in the Yangon Region, however, no evidence of their participation has emerged from any location.

This absence of public documentation marks a significant departure from the 2020 election, when voting records for nearly all these former leaders were widely shared. The current silence surrounding their participation comes despite recent high-profile international engagements, such as U Than Shwe meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister in August 2024 and Thein Sein holding private talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in June 2024.

The first phase of the election covered 102 townships and proceeded after the dissolution of over 40 political parties, including the 2020 landslide-winner National League for Democracy (NLD). While junta propaganda media highlighted the participation of active military leadership, the lack of visibility for the old guard coincides with a highly restrictive environment where many former officials have seen their influence diminished or their political vehicles dissolved.

The junta continues to push the election forward in phases despite widespread domestic rejection and the total exclusion of key opposition figures currently serving long prison terms.

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