Myanmar's journalists breathe more freely but it's a long haul
The tide of change can be felt in Myanmar's media landscape. Although some independent journalists are skeptical, Parliament is currently reviewing a draft law that might abolish censorship altogether.
Ahr Mahn collapses into his leather armchair in the small conference room. The editor-in-chief of the weekly 7-Day News has just come back from the censors. Myanmar is going through a reform process and censorship has been relaxed, but not abolished.
He explains that a recent article he wrote was particularly displeasing to the censors. "They demanded I use a milder tone. I had mentioned the fact that many people were worried something might happen to Aung San Suu Kyi during her election campaign trips."
Hillary Clinton's trip to Myanmar aroused a lot of media interest
Generally, however, he says, it is no longer a problem to talk about Myanmar's iconic opposition leader. Barely a newspaper appears these days without her picture on the cover. The young editor explains that there has been a marked change since she met President Thein Sein. "Before it was strictly forbidden to show her on the cover and only sometimes was it allowed inside."
'The people believe us'
Mahn says that the newspaper's popularity has increased dramatically since last April. It now has a weekly circulation of 140,000. "The news suddenly became important and the people believe what we say."
Zeya Thu, deputy editor at The Voice, which has a weekly circulation of 85,000, says another reason is the fact that the news is more up-to-date. "The censorship process used to take at least a week," he says.
Nonetheless, there are still subjects which remain taboo. The peace talks between the government and ethnic minorities are delicate. There can be no talk of fighting. No statements made by ethnic groups, especially the Kachin, are allowed to be published.
But Zeya Thu says he no longer censors himself. "Before we couldn't write about anything - about political prisoners or human rights. Now we simply write what we want and then the censors can decide what to cut out."
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Myanmar's journalists breathe more freely but it's a long haul
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