A Chance to Fix in Time: Analysis of Freedom of Expression in Four Years Under the Current Government
Army (AA), an ethnic Rakhine armed organisation. Such ban on local news media
agencies during COVID-19 pandemic is both hindering right to access and impart the
information and violating freedom of expression.
Furthermore, Myanmar government started internet shutdown in nine townships Ponnagyun, Kyauktaw, Maungdaw, Butheedaung, Rathedaung, Mrauk-U, Minbya,
Myebon townships in Rakhine State and Paletwa township in Chin State - from June
21, 2019, with a justification that armed conflicts between the Tatmadaw and AA
continued. Internet access was temporarily restored in five townships among the
nine aforementioned townships on September 1 after two months until cut off again
in all townships in January 2020. Mobile internet service is truly essential for local
people who suffered from the civil war especially during the pandemic.
Government’s telecommunications shutdown during the emergency period is
violations of freedom of expression and right to access and impart information.
(b) Kayah State
Similarly, Kayah State also suffers massive violations of free speech. Some cases are
described as follows;
Myanmar’s Tatmadaw troops of Regional Operations Command raided an outpost of
the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), an ethnic Karenni armed
organisation, and reportedly burned three KNPP soldiers and one civilian. This
atrocity was followed by a protest at which 15 young Karenni activists strongly
condemned. The five young organisers of the protest were arrested and charged
under Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law. The Loikaw township court
ordered them to pay a fine of thirty thousand Kyat (30,000 MMK) or a sentence of
twenty days imprisonment and they opted for imprisonment.
New generation young Karenni activists led writing an open letter to Kayah State
Government on June 18, 2018 opposing the erection of General Aung San statute.
They marched in Loikaw township after notifying the officials on July 3, but they
received no reply from the State government. The protesters met the police force’s
brutal crackdown and 16 youths arrested and charged under Section 19 and 20 of
Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law at Loikaw township court. The
police force later added charges under Sections 505(b) and 505(c) of the Penal Code.
Three journalists who were covering the “harrow strike” or “ploughing protest” of
indigenous Karenni farmers against the Tatmadaw for confiscated lands in Loikaw
township on June 19, 2019 were charged under the Law Protecting the Privacy and
Security of Citizens. Peaceful assembly is prohibited in some parts of Kayah State’s
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Chapter (2): Freedom of Expression