Burma authorities must answer for attacks on journalists

london – 28.09.07: pro democracy protests
outside the burmese embassy on september 28, 2007 in london, england.
buddhist monks and supporters congregated to protest the military
dictatorship in burma, and show support of the current mass
demonstrations led by buddhist monks in burma. (photo by marc
vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) marc vallée, 2007

I have today written to the Embassy of Myanmar (Burma) in London to protest about the grave situation facing journalists.

The situation in Myanmar/Burma gets worse by the day for the media. As well as the murder of Photographer Kenji Nagai we have now had confirmed from the IFJ that Min Zaw, a reporter with the Tokyo Shimbun newspaper is detained and three working for local publications, Kyaw Zeya Tun from The Voice journal; Nay Lin Aung from the Seven Day News journal; and another unidentified journalist from the Weekly Eleven News journal, are missing.

The IFJ is also trying to follow up what's happening to foreign journalists after the army allegedly stormed several hotels where journalists were residing, where access to internet and international phone lines had remained open. Some privately-owned newspapers that refused to print government propaganda are also reported to have been closed down.