(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is an ARTICLE 19 and FORUM-ASIA press release: 16 July 2002 TRAVEL BANS ON JOURNALISTS VIOLATE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION FORUM-ASIA and ARTICLE 19 condemn the recent travel restrictions imposed by the Thai and Burmese governments preventing Burmese and Thai journalists, respectively, from entering the other country. It is not legitimate […]
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is an ARTICLE 19 and FORUM-ASIA press release:
16 July 2002
TRAVEL BANS ON JOURNALISTS VIOLATE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
FORUM-ASIA and ARTICLE 19 condemn the recent travel restrictions imposed by the Thai and Burmese governments preventing Burmese and Thai journalists, respectively, from entering the other country. It is not legitimate for governments to try to suppress critical reporting and we call on both governments to revoke immediately these travel bans.
On 28 June, the Foreign Minister of Thailand imposed a ban on 2 Burmese journalists, Ma Tin Win and Maung Maung, respectively columnist and editor of Burma’s New Light of Myanmar, an official newspaper alleged to have recently written scathing articles about Thailand. The Burmese State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) responded on 12 July by blacklisting 15 Thai journalists, alleging that they constantly write articles critical of the Burmese government which aim to damage bilateral relations, to promote disunity among ethnic groups and to belittle the SPDC’s policies.
These directives of the Thai and Burmese governments violate the right to freedom of expression and the right of the public to receive information on matters of public concern, which apply regardless of frontiers. These rights are universally recognized as fundamental to democracy and to the respect for other human rights. It is simply not legitimate for governments to try to suppress critical reporting, no matter how unfair they consider it to be. Rather, governments should respond by disseminating their own views and information to the public.
The bans are linked to the current intensified tension between Thailand and Burma since the clashes along the border on 20 May 2002. The SPDC accused the Thai military of assisting the ethnic Shan State Army, currently enjoying some success against the Burmese military, and responded by issuing a formal protest and closing all checkpoints along the Thai-Burma border. The SPDC also issued an order prohibiting the Burmese press from referring to Thailand or from publishing Thai advertisements. (1)
FORUM-ASIA (2) and ARTICLE 19 call on the Thai Foreign Minister and the SPDC to revoke these bans immediately. We also call on both governments to respect international standards regarding freedom of expression and freedom of information.
NOTES:
1. See the ARTICLE 19/FORUM-ASIA press release of 31 May 2002.
2. Contact Somchai Homlaor, Secretary General, FORUM-ASIA in Bangkok, tel: +66-2-2769846 or 2769847
