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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Myanmar revolutionary forces enter Katha town following election day attacks as clashes intensify

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Mizzima

Revolutionary forces have moved into Katha town in Sagaing Region, following attacks initiated during the military junta’s election period. Clashes are still ongoing on 2 January, according to local sources.

The Revolutionary Joint Force launched attacks on Katha on 28 December during the elections and has reportedly gained access to parts of the town.

“A revolutionary force has entered the town. The reports of a Katha prison breakout are just rumours. Their presence in the town is real, and the situation is ongoing. Fighting continues today,” said a Katha People’s Defence Force (KPDF) soldier stationed in Katha.

While reports of a Katha prison breakout on 1 December circulated widely, they were false, and the prison remained secure as of 12 noon today, he said. 

Another KPDF soldier involved in the Katha fighting said he had not seen any prison breakout and that his unit had seized the Katha Town Entrance Junction Road and Katha Education College.

“I don’t have any information about the prison. In our area, we have captured the Katha Town Entrance Junction Road and Katha Education College,” he said.

Although Katha town hosts only the military base of Infantry Battalion 309, the Myanmar Army has stationed troops not only there but also at Police Stations No. 1 and No. 2, the prison, and several high-rise buildings.

The main clashes are currently concentrated in these areas, with the junta’s forces unable to deploy ground forces, giving the revolutionary army the upper hand.

“On the ground, the revolutionary forces have fully blocked the area. Any reinforcements can only arrive by air. Supplies can only be dropped by plane, while airstrikes are hitting freely. Only a few people remain trapped in the town,” said a KPDF soldier stationed in Katha.

Most residents of Katha fled the town after fighting erupted on 30 December, though some remain trapped there as of today.

Katha held an election on 28 December, prompting revolutionary forces to attack areas on the town’s outskirts. By 31 December, they had managed to enter parts of the town itself.

On election day, local media reported that only a small number of Katha residents managed to cast their votes amid the ongoing fighting.

Five days after the election, the results from Katha town have yet to be released. Efforts to reach U Aung Min Oo, secretary of the Katha town election commission, for information on the voter list were unsuccessful.

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