Irrawaddy
Burma/Myanmar
Like in the Philippines and Malaysia, Burma received its independence following World War II, having been a colony of Britain. Its early democracy foundered under the strains of ethnic separatism and ideological conflict and was overtaken in 1962 by a military dictatorship that endured for 50 years. Under General Ne Win and subsequent generals and juntas, Burma (renamed Myanmar) fell into deep poverty and isolation. The media was severely controlled by the military dictatorship; press freedom was nonexistent. A democracy movement launched in 1988 (led by Aung San Suu Kyi and student leaders) was brutally suppressed but led the way to the eventual overthrow of military rule and the reinstatement of civilian government in 2010; general elections in 2015 brought Aung San Suu Kyi's movement to power, although under an arrangement in which the military remains powerful. Irrawaddy began in 1993 as an off-shore news site dedicated to undermining the information monopoly of the dictatorship. It played a key role in informing the world and the Burmese people about events in Burma and the nature of the government. When democracy was restored, Irrawaddy established itself inside Burma/Myanmar and remains today an independent, critical voice as the country adjusts to its new freedoms amidst the lingering power of the army.
Here is Aung Zaw, founder of Irrawaddy.
Read Irrawaddy's Mission Statement: Mission Statement and History: Irrawaddy
Irrawaddy Editors and Reporters
SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Thinking of Aung Zaw, in what ways is his backstory and philosophy similar to those of the founders of Malaysiakini and the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism? What makes Irrawaddy different?
Having begun as an off-shore dissident news service, Irrawaddy now operates openly in post-dictatorship Myanmar. The news environment remains difficult, however. Here is founder Aung Zaw talking about the new state of affairs in 2014.
Among the urgent issues being covered by Irrawaddy today is the issue of press freedom itself.
Here are some recent articles that address this theme.
The Military's Offensive Against the Ethnic Media in Burma
ASSIGNMENT: The issue of press freedom resonates within the larger concern in Myanmar today about residual of the military and authoritarian rule. Peruse the Irrawaddy website and identify articles that address this theme. Summarize and compare two of them in a short 500-word essay.
