Satellite dish shops raided and confiscated

Huai Pi

Mizzima, 09 June 2008, New Delhi – Shops selling satellite dish antennas are being raided and searched by local authorities in Rangoon. The shop owners are being made to sign a pledge not to sell satellite equipments to unlicensed customers. Satellite dish equipments were confiscated from some shops.

Local officials raided and searched Toshiba Kyaw Win's satellite dish shop located on Anawratha Street, Latha Township, Rangoon Division three days ago. They seized satellite dish equipments from the shop and the owner had to sign a pledge not to sell dishes to unlicensed customers.

"They are searching the shops now but our shop has stopped selling the dishes," owner of 'Soe San Electronic Centre' in Bahan Township said.

Meanwhile satellite dish dealers Ko Chit Win Kyaing from 'Grand Electronic' and another dealer from 'Green Leaf' were arrested recently without any reason being given, the sources close to satellite dish dealers told Mizzima.

The government raised the annual license fees for satellite dishes after the saffron revolution in September last year. The local residents speculated that the government's move of raising license fees was to curb information outflow on the brutal crackdown on protesters at that time. Similarly the government is trying to restrict sending and receiving photographs, video clips and other information. The idea is to impose a news blackout and stopping international news services from being viewed.

After the high license fees imposed, the sales of satellite dishes fell drastically. Many shops have stopped selling.

"We stopped satellite dish sales after license fees increased and the business became sluggish," the owner of 'Hla Han & Sons' satellite dish shop said.

International TV news services were popular among the people in Rangoon after the saffron revolution.

Former NLD party member felt that the current restriction on satellite dish sale had to do with restricting information outflow to the outside world regarding the true facts of Cyclone Nargis.

"The confiscation of satellite dishes is tantamount to a news blackout," he said.

According to official statistics, there are about 60,000 satellite dish licensees in Burma with a total population of 55 million.