Burma Update: Censoring Aung San Suu Kyi (Aung Thet Wine)

Aung Thet Wine writes for The Irrawaddy:

The state-controlled censorship board in Burma, the Press Scrutiny and Registration Division (PSRD), has ordered domestic media to carry limited news about Aung San Suu Kyi, according to sources.

Media groups inside Burma were keen on reporting the most interesting news concerning Suu Kyi's release from house arrest, her public speech on Sunday, but were largely unable to do so due to restrictions by the PSRD.

“We were unable to run a large photo of Suu Kyi and could only use the size that we were allowed to use. We were also not permitted to use her photo on the front page. We wanted to carry news about her release on the front page, but the PSRD didn't allow us to do so,” said a reporter in Rangoon.

He said in printing excerpts from Suu Kyi's first public speech in seven and a half years, the PSRD only allowed statements that it thought were positive and banned sentences such as, “People should be active in politics,” and “People have to stand up for their rights.”

“It would be politically beneficial to the general public if her full speech could be printed. People will know that they have to work in unison to reach their goal—democracy,” said an editor from a Rangoon-based private news journal.

The PSRD also reportedly did not allow the media to mention the fact that Suu Kyi said her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), would focus on political activities.

News journals were only able to report that Suu Kyi was released from house arrest and gave a public speech to her supporters.

At a press conference at NLD's headquarters on Sunday, when asked what she thought if the PSRD prevented domestic media from reporting about her, Suu Kyi said she would think nothing has changed even after the election.

Despite the regime's news restrictions on Suu Kyi, the sales of most of the news journals that carried her picture reportedly went up.

“True and Flower journals published on Sunday, and today's Weekly Eleven journal had very good sales because they carried Suu Kyi's photo and news. People asked for news about her before they bought it. Some bought journals because they said they wanted to keep them,” said a shop owner in Rangoon's Mayangone Township.

Burmese went to Internet websites, international televisions and exiled media to pick up more information on Suu Kyi, the daughter of Burma's independence hero, Gen Aung San. She was greeted by tens of thousands of supporters and well-wishers on Saturday, the day she was released, and on Sunday, when she gave a public speech.