The military junta in Myanmar may have blocked the Internet in the Southeast Asian nation formerly known as Burma, but it has not been able to stop Mizzima News.

The 9-year-old site is operated from New Delhi, India, where its exiled Burmese editors reside. It relies on a small network of professional journalists – and a mass of citizen journalists who send information and photos via telephone, text messages, and, when possible, e-mail.

Starting during the September protests, when threats to foreign journalists began to escalate, Mizzima News reports and photographs have provided information picked up by Reuters, the Financial Times, BBC, Washington Post, AFP and The Wall Street Journal, among others.

Mizzima’s site is updated around the clock. It features videos, photos and audio reports. It is available in Burmese and English.

But it isn’t fancy, it doesn’t have glossy graphics and it isn’t going to win any awards for best navigation. Still, in the past weeks it has been visited by users from around the world who are looking for honest, quick eyewitness reports. Truly, it is exhibiting best practice when it comes to citizen journalism.

Soe Myint, the editor-in-chief there, spoke with the Hindustan Times for a 30 September story about his newsgathering organisation. He said there is no independent newsgathering operation operational within the boarders of Myanmar.

Another site with English-language news from Myanmar often linked to in the mainstream media is The Irwaddy, the work of a group of Burmese exiles living in Thailand. It has a sleeker layout than Mizzima (which means ‘middle path’) and boasts more magazine-style pieces.

Unfortunately, though, it was shut down from 27 September to 3 October – because of a virus, its publishers say. It is now again operational, but the blackout came at a most inopportune time.

While Internet problems have been a challenge, nothing has altogether silenced the citizen reports coming out of Burma. Phone calls and text messages are still getting through to Mizzima’s newsroom.

Nor has the junta been able to prevent satellites from capturing images of atrocities.

Of course, when it comes to the prominent players in long-term struggles for freedom and democracy, nothing is ever black and white. Reuters reports that Myint and a friend used fake bombs to hijack a Thai International Airways flight in 1990 in protest of the junta’s decision to reject the election of Aung San Suu Kyi.

He served a three-month jail term before being granted refugee status in India.

An Indian political magazine, Frontline, rehashes the case.

Clearly, Myint’s utilization of the power of the press has done more to bring Burma’s problems to the world stage than his past efforts.

In the same report, Reuters mentions that The United States gives funds to Mizzima via the National Endowment for Democracy. Indeed, a look at the Washington, DC-based non-profit reveals that it allocates hundreds of dollars to projects in Burma.

K. Clore

Published: October 5, 2007