Mizzima Editorial
The global community marks 2024 World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, an opportunity for all press freedom stakeholders to reaffirm their commitment to freedom of expression including press freedom, right to access information and safety of journalists and media workers.
The commemoration has significant meaning in Myanmar as the country continues to experience various forms of media repression by the military junta as the civil war deepens over three years after the 2021 military coup. Independent media outlets have had their offices closed and trashed, and those still active have to work undercover in the country and in exile. A number of journalists have been jailed and tortured. Some have been killed.
Each year the World Press Freedom Day has a different theme. This year’s theme is “A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the face of the Environmental Crisis”.
In the UNESCO Concept Note for the day, they stress that sustainable development and the path to the 2030 Agenda are in jeopardy. The triple planetary crisis—climate change, biodiversity loss, and air pollution—along with their connections to public health issues, the need to strengthen democracy, to tackle “disinformation or misinformation” on digital platforms, among other issues have become major challenges for humanity.
This is where the work of journalists is crucially important, the Concept Note says, describing the challenges for the media in terms of the physical dangers posed in covering environmental issues, the problems of obtaining correct information, and pointing out that the Santiago Declaration stressed the importance of respecting media pluralism and cultural, linguistic, and gender diversity as fundamental factors of democratic societies and which should be reflected in all media.
Prior to the Myanmar junta coup in 2021, there was a small but noticeable uptick in local and international journalists and media organizations tackling environmental issues – notably stories on the energy sector, including hydro power and coal plants, urban and rural pollution, natural resource excavation, and sustainable practices, including the controversy over China-backed copper and rare earth mining. A few investigative pieces stood out for highlighting the environmental damage. At the same time, floods, droughts and heatwaves proved an obvious reminder to the media of issues that deserved attention.
Then 1 February 2021 struck, with the military removing the duly elected civilian government of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi – the move prompting a radical shift in priorities for the media, including running for their lives as they attempted to escape arrest.
Myanmar’s United Nations envoy Kyaw Moe Tun touched on this environmental theme, priorities and the dilemma recently in a United Nations General Debate of the 2024 ECOSOC Financing for
Development Forum on 25 April, where progress towards Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs and the 2030 Agenda were discussed.
In his speech, he stressed the importance of sustainable development goals on a global and national level, while the international community provides “an enabling environment and complementary support”.
But the obvious problem was hard to ignore.
“Unfortunately, in my country, Myanmar, the illegal military coup in February 2021 has dismantled our prospects of realizing the SDGs, even the future of our youth,” Kyaw Moe Tun said. “The people of Myanmar are experiencing various grave sufferings due to the military junta’s atrocities.”
The Myanmar envoy, who effectively represents Myanmar’s resistance movement at the United Nations, went on during this speech to outline the key challenges – challenges as we mark this day that directly affect the work of journalists and media people in covering the broad scope of subjects related to Myanmar.
“Myanmar is currently at the intersection of political, economic and developmental crises. Cooperation and effective assistance from the international community should be ‘conflict-sensitive’ and tailored to the aspiration of our people,” Kyaw Moe Tun said.
“It is crystal clear that ending the military dictatorship and building a federal democratic union is the only way forward to create a conducive environment to the successful implementation of … the 2030 Agenda, above all to the peace and stability in Myanmar,” Kyaw Moe Tun concluded.
As Myanmar’s UN Envoy suggests, Myanmar can indeed play its part in a sustainable future for the world, as can the independent media outlets whose personnel currently put their lives on the line to report. But at this point in time, the Myanmar crisis and civil war to a large extent drown out the calls for sustainability.
Until peace descends on Myanmar, the environment and sustainability are likely to play second fiddle to the media’s journalistic coverage of the Myanmar people’s desperate needs as they are hammered by the junta.
Successful implementation of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA) and its seven action areas remains key to achieving the SDGs. The 2024 Financing for Sustainable Development Report highlighted fiscal constraints, debt distress and acute financing needs of many developing countries. The 4th International Conference on FFD should, therefore, strengthen international cooperation on addressing financing gaps, accelerate urgent actions to implement the 2030 Agenda, and reform the international financial architecture.
Madam President,
As embodied by the AAAA, individual member states bear the primary responsibility of paving their own path towards realizing sustainable development while the international community provides an enabling environment and complementary support.
Unfortunately, in my country, Myanmar, the illegal military coup in February 2021 has dismantled our prospects of realizing the SDGs, even the future of our youth. The people of Myanmar are experiencing various grave sufferings due to the military junta’s atrocities. In this regard, I wish to highlight the following action areas of the AAAA in the country.
Domestic Public Resources: The deteriorating economic situation, inflation, rising food prices, worsening humanitarian situation and mass displacement have forced the population to focus more on survival over investment and growth. UNDP reported that almost half of the population was living below the national poverty line in 2023. The middle class is disappearing, indicating growing polarization in the society. Moreover, the crowding out of human capital investment threatens to undermine the future re-emergence of a middle class.
At the same time, the total breakdown of the rule of law and rampant corruption has exacerbated the illicit economy including online scam. UNODC reported that Myanmar became the world’s largest opium producer by the end of 2023. According to UNCTAD, up to $1,347 million in inward illicit financial flows have been generated from the potential exports of opiates.
Domestic and international private business and finance: The World Bank reported that financial sector reforms have also stagnated and are in danger of being reversed after the illegal military coup. Microfinance institutions were impacted by the subsequent domestic banking crisis, affecting 5 million customers including many MSMEs.
Besides, the recent unlawful forced conscription of the military junta have pushed many youth, including those are working in private sector, in hiding and fleeing the country.
In conclusion, Madam President, Myanmar is currently at the intersection of political, economic and developmental crises. Cooperation and effective assistance from the international community should be conflict-sensitive and tailored to the aspiration of our people. It is crystal clear that ending the military dictatorship and building a federal democratic union is the only way forward to create a conducive environment to the successful implementation of the AAAA and the 2030 Agenda, above all to the peace and stability in Myanmar.
I thank you.
