Watchdog group slams TIME ban

Watchdog group slams TIME ban

By Thomas Kean   |   Monday, 01 July 2013

Reporters Without Borders has condemned the government's decision to ban the distribution of Time magazine over its July 1 "Face of Buddhist Terror" cover story, describing it as an "unacceptable step backwards".

Controversial monk U Wirathu attends a meeting of Buddhist monks in Yangon on June 27. Photo: AFP

The Central Supervisory Committee for Registration and Distribution of Printers and Publishers decided to recommend the government ban the magazine at a meeting at the Ministry of Information on June 25.

The committee said the magazine's coverage of Buddhist extremism in Myanmar could "jeopardise" efforts to build trust between Muslim and Buddhist communities and "may cause recurrence of unwanted conflicts at home".

Deputy Minister for Information U Ye Htut confirmed the ban the following day.

"The article entitled 'The Face of Buddhist Terror' in Time Magazine 1 July issue is prohibited from being produced, sold or and distributed in original copy or photocopy in order to prevent further racial and religious conflicts," he posted on his Facebook page.

Magazine distributor Innwa Books also confirmed it would not sell copies of the July 1 edition of the magazine.

Reporters Without Borders said it was "appalled" by the ban and called for it to be lifted "at once".

"We are … extremely disturbed by the government's subsequent decision to ban Time magazine's sale in any form. At a time when Burma's media law is still being drafted, it reflects an attitude that is completely contrary to the fundamental principles that should govern media law reform," the press freedom organisation said.

"It shows that there has been no change in the government's desire to control news and information and to assume the right to apply prior censorship whenever it deems this to be necessary. This is an unacceptable step backwards for media freedom in Burma. The authorities must rescind this decision and face the problems head-on."

It also criticised Innwa for going "far beyond its role as a distributor". Innwa Books "is violating media freedom and the Burmese public's right to information", the group said.

Meanwhile, Time magazine defended its cover story, with a spokesperson describing the article, by award-winning journalist Hannah Beech, as a "thoughtful, well-reported piece".

"Time's international cover story … shows the presence in Myanmar of an extremist movement that associates itself with Buddhism. Time is pleased by the debate and discussion this important piece has raised," the spokesperson said.

The article and in particular the cover of the magazine's July 1 edition, which depicts controversial monk U Wirathu with the words, "The Face of Buddhist Terror", has sparked outrage since it was released online last week.

However, very little of the debate has focused on the contents of the article. Rather, web users have expressed sadness and anger at the linking of a Myanmar monk with the word "terror".

More than 60,000 people "signed" a petition on Avaaz.org, a community petition website, within a day of its launch on June 23.

The petition called on Time to "please reevaluate about your magazine cover story title for July issue", describing the piece as "hate speech".

"I am not a supporter of U Wirathu … But the combination of these two words "Buddhist and Terror" are very sad feeling for every Buddhists. Our religious is more weaker year by year. Please don't do like that," it said.

Similarly, a Facebook page, "We Boycott Time magazine for their choice of Wirathu as 'Buddhist Terror'", had more than 24,700 likes, with organisers calling on Buddhists to boycott Warner Brothers' new Superman movie, Man of Steel. Both Warner Brothers and Time are owned by Time Warner Inc.

Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2013/07/02/watchdog-group-slams-time-ban/