Myanmar Times CEO Supports Regime’s “Road Map”

Wai Moe
The Irrawaddy News
www.irrawaddy.org
January 29, 2008

Burma’s English language weekly newspaper, The Myanmar Times, threw its support unequivocally behind the regime’s seven-point “road map” in a commentary in last week’s issue.

“I believe that its [the junta’s] seven-point road map to democracy is the best way forward, and I support that,” wrote the newspaper’s Australian editor in chief and CEO, Ross Dunkley.

Headed “Comprehensive Changes at The Myanmar Times,” Dunkley’s column commented on the newspaper’s recent brush with the regime over its report on the recent hike in satellite TV fees. The regime’s Press Scrutiny and Registration Division (PSRD) suspended the paper for one week because of the report.

“That’s not an experience I wanted and I am going to ensure it doesn’t happen again,” said Dunkley.

Although at least two names are missing from the usual list of editorial staff in the latest issue, Dunkley denied that anybody had been sacked because of the report.

“It is not true,” he said. “What is true is that for some time I have been contemplating a reshuffle of my editorial team. The PSRD’s prod merely moved me into action at a faster pace and I don’t view that with negativity.”

According to journalists in Rangoon, Dunkley was called to the office of the censorship board after the appearance of the offending report. On his return to the office of The Myanmar Times, a senior journalist, Win Kyaw Oo, was sacked.

An “editorial steering committee” of nine senior members of staff, including Dunkley, was subsequently formed “to act as an instrument to safeguard the company from conflict with the authorities.”

Larry Jagan, a Bangkok-based British journalist who writes on Burma, told The Irrawaddy that although The Myanmar Times pretended to be independent it was actually controlled by the regime. “Privately, Ross always said to me that he is businessman first and journalist second,” said Jagan.

Jagan questioned Dunkley’s support for the “road map,” saying: “The ‘road map’ is no longer credible. It is not an inclusive process.”

Sein Hla Oo, a veteran journalist in Rangoon, said he was not surprised to hear about Dunkley’s pro-regime stand because The Myanmar Times had always been well-connected to the ruling generals.

“It is semi-state-media,” he said. “Inside Burma, readers don’t care about this kind of writing by Ross Dunkley and others. People think this kind of writing is regime propaganda.”

A Burmese journalist with a news agency, speaking on condition of anonymity, agreed that The Myanmar Times is “semi-state media.” He said: “Journalists in Burma see Ross Dunkley as a businessman, not as journalist. Sometimes The Myanmar Times is like the regime’s mouthpiece.

“They [The Myanmar Times] didn’t admit that the authorities pressured them to fire staff members. But it is true. Sacking Win Kyaw Oo is a bad image for the newspaper. Ross Dunkley should defend his staff.”

When The Irrawaddy called The Myanmar Times for comment it was told that Dunkley was traveling and other editorial staff were busy or otherwise unavailable.

The Myanmar Times was founded in 2000 by Ross Dunkley and Sonny Swe, son of a high-ranking intelligence officer, Brig-Gen Thein Swe. Sonny Swe was arrested following the downfall of former Prime Minister Khin Nyunt in 2004 and sentenced to 14 years imprisonment for corruption.