Shan Herald Agency for News

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To Hopeland and Back (Part VIII) Posted: 08 Mar 2014 03:45 AM PST Day Four (5 March 2014) Not a walk in the park Today the exile media that have returned to work on the home front report their challenges they have been facing. The panelists include: Nang Phaw Gay – Karen Information Center (KIC) Toe Zaw Latt – Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) Theingi Tun – Mizzima News Than Lwin Tun – Voice of America (VOA) According to them, there are also benefits hitherto denied to them, since the peace process began with the invitation for peace talks by the President on 18 August 2011, such as: Freedom to collect first-hand information Access to more detailed information Better and more detailed reports for one's audience Printing and distribution of print publications inside the country Training of new journalists inside At the same time, difficulties have been voiced: State officials still reluctant to offer information Distributors still afraid to sell papers published by returnee media Reporters still face personal security concerns Divided workforce between border and home offices Divided funs between border and home offices Less number of readers of ethnic language inside than on the border Still unable to do TV and radio broadcasts inside For bigger media agencies like DVB and Mizzima, there are of course more problems: Necessity for more self reliance when it comes to fund raising Distrust by the government The need to train give more background information for new journalists Conflicts continuing in the country: state us society, state us ethnic resistance and communal Hostiles "As a result, the same people who used to be staunch supporters of our program are turning against us, although we haven't changed our basic media policies," said U Than Lwin Tun. The 2015 elections, the panelists believe, will decide the trend the country is going to take. The conference also discussed women's role and community radio programs. I spend the evening visiting my relatives, who have long since my departure in 1969 move to new homes in Taunggyi. "Are you not ready to return home yet?" one of them asks. "I'm getting ready," replies I. "I'm only waiting for the right time and place. And we are all working on it."

Burma Army forbids people to cross at Tar Hsarm Pu Posted: 08 Mar 2014 03:43 AM PST CHIANG MAI-March 7. Burma Army troops have partially withdrawn from Tar Hsarm Pu after seizing Shan State Army-North (SSA-N) outposts, but are forbidding villagers from using this strategic river crossing in central Shan State. The Burma Army troops had seized the outposts without fighting while leaders of the Shan State Progress Party, the political wing of SSA-N, were in Naypyitaw at the end of February. Despite the withdrawal from the SSA-N outposts at Tar Hsarm Pu, there remain two Burma Army camps, one in the east, 1 kilometer away, and one in the west 2 kilometers away from Tar Hsarm Pu, each comprised of 50 soldiers. After the partial withdrawal of the Burma Army, the SSA-N returned to its outposts. An SSPP officer said, "Since the Burma Army moved in around Tar Hsarm Pu, people have not been allowed to cross the river there. They have to travel on the road from Mong Jarng to Mong Su instead of Mong Jarng to Tar Hsarm Pu. It is very difficult for people to travel." Tar Hsarm Pu is a strategic crossing over the Pang River, where SSA-N collected tax from transport and mining. SSPP/SSA signed a ceasefire with Naypyitaw in January 2012. The SSPP/SSA has reportedly engaged in over 100 clashes with the Burma Army since the ceasefire.

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