The recent story of a journalist in Rangoon who was beaten up in the street is typical of the dangers that are facing many reporters inside Burma, according to several journalists in the country.

Aung Khine Nyunt, a reporter at The Myanmar Nation who was taking photographs at Hledan Market in Rangoon's Kamaryut Township, was beaten up by two men, suspected of being members of the Union Solidarity and Development Association, on Sunday evening, said a witness.

The witness, who is also a journalist, told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday [24 October], "The two men beat up Aung Khine Nyunt. One grabbed him and held him while the other man punched him. He was then called to the police station and questioned for about three hours."

Similarly, in February, Moe Kyaw, a reporter for the weekly news journal The Voice, was beaten up by six men, including the owner of a timber retail shop in Rangoon's Kyeemyindine Township, while taking photos and covering a story about timber.

The reporter suffered severe head injuries; however local authorities took no action against the assailants, even after the reporter filed a complaint with police.

Meanwhile, at least eight journalists in Burma are currently being detained by the authorities, including three who were arrested during the recent demonstrations, according to Reporters Sans Frontieres and Burma Media Association.

Several journalists had their cameras forcibly taken from them by security forces during the Buddhist monk-led protests, and many of them were too afraid to cover the daily events due to threats from the authorities.

Only foreign journalists and Burmese journalists working for foreign news agencies dared to report the news, even though they were also harassed and physically assaulted, a foreign correspondent in Rangoon earlier told The Irrawaddy in an interview.

The most publicized victim has been Japanese video journalist Kenji Nagai, who was among at least 13 people killed when Burmese troops opened fire into crowds of peaceful protesters on 27 September.

"The troops even dared to kill a foreign journalist. So, we know just how well they will treat Burmese journalists," said an editor who requested not to be identified.

During the recent demonstrations, the editor said that Aung Hla Tun, a reporter for Reuters, was pushed by unknown assailants, as was an unidentified woman journalist. He said he also witnessed the authorities forcibly seizing the camera of Myat Thura, a reporter for the Kyodo news agency.

Myat Thura was also briefly detained in February, along with two other journalists, Sint Sint Aung of Nippon TV and May Thingyan Hein, a freelance journalist, while they covered a demonstration in the downtown area of Rangoon.

A veteran journalist in Rangoon said, "The arbitrary arrests and interrogations are an insult to all journalists. We should not just accept it by keeping quiet."

During the recent protests, the Burmese military government cut the phone lines of several journalists, pro-democracy activists and the headquarters of the National League for Democracy in Rangoon, as it tried to stem the flow of information from inside Burma. It also cut Internet access, restricting citizen journalists - the blog writers.

Source: Irrawaddy website, Chiang Mai, in English 24 Oct 07

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