Political parties criticized for failing to attend media bill meeting

Political parties criticized for failing to attend media bill meeting

Published on Sunday, 04 August 2013 16:56

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      Myanmar Press Council (Interim) hold a meeting on August 3 (Photo-Kyaw Zin Win/EMG)

 

Journalists have criticized political parties and organisations, including Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), National League for Democracy (NLD), and '88 Generation Peace and Open Society for their absence during the meeting on media bill.

Myanmar Press Council (Interim) had invited the political parties and organisations to yesterday's meeting held at the Yuzana Hotel in Yangon to seek advice on the press council's plan to submit the media bill to the Parliament through an MP and explain about the relationship between the press council and the Ministry of Information after the Ministry refused to submit the media bill to the Parliament.

Although 23 political parties and organisations have been invited to the meeting, only the representatives from the National Unity Party, the Democracy and Peace Party, the Democratic Party for a New Society and Lawyers' Network attended the meeting.

"Their absence at the discussion on an issue that concerns every public and the whole country can be regarded as turning a blind eye to public desire and public interest. Questions like this may come up. They need to answer them," said Kyaw Min Swe, secretary of the press council.

"As for us, it is questionable whether or not they are interested in the issue on freedom of press that the whole media industry is asking for on behalf of the public and the state because they didn't even replied that they cannot attend the meeting even though we have invited them respectfully," Kyaw Min Swe added.

The press council's vice-chairman Khin Maung Lay (Pho Thauk Kyar) also expressed his disappointment with the parties' lack of interest in the media bill issue.

"I don't know whether they have difficulties or not. Since the number of attendee is significantly small, I can say that they are not interested. The issue between the press council and the Ministry of Information will soon be discussed in the Upper House.

Another thing is that the media bill hasn't been submitted to the Parliament yet so I can't understand why they are not interested in such important issues," said Myint Kyaw, the press council's general secretary.

Ko Ko, member of the press council and vice-chairman of Myanmar Journalists Association, said the media bill has been drafted not for the journalists, but for the public right to information so the lack of cooperation from the political parties and organisations is questionable.

"Freedom of press is not only concerned with the journalists. Freedom of press is for the public. It is not true that the journalists are asking for what they want and working for only themselves. We are asking for freedom of press not because the journalists want them. We are working for the public right to freedom of information. If the journalists are not allowed to write, the public will not be able to get the information. If they are not going to cooperate on this, it is questionable whether they have a good-will for the public right to information," said Ko Ko.

At the meeting, representatives from the National Unity Party said they will submit the issue to the central board while the Democracy and Peace Party and the Democratic Party for a New Society discussed about what should be done.

The Lawyers' Network told the Press Council that they give their full support on the tasks carried out by the press council.

The press council has decided to submit the media bill to the Parliament through the New National Democracy Party, according to reports.

Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2013/08/04/political-parties-criticized-for-failing-to-attend-media-bill-meeting/