Engnews January 2013

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RELEASE: Radio Free Asia Responds to Reporters Without Borders' Press Freedom Index

by Rohit Mahajan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 30, 2013 Contact: Rohit Mahajan 202 530 4976 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org Radio Free Asia President Responds to Reporters Without Borders' Press Freedom Index Findings show decline of free press in RFA countries, with fragile progress in Burma WASHINGTON - In response to the release of Reporters Without Borders' 2013 World Press Freedom Index <http://en.rsf.org/press-freedom-index-2013,1054.html> , Radio Free Asia's President Libby Liu said the survey's findings show little signs of improvement in Asia with the exception of Burma. "Once again, North Korea, China, Vietnam, and Laos are ranked among the world's worst offenders not only for censoring news but also severely punishing citizens and cyber dissidents for accessing and sending out information," Liu said. "It is also deeply worrying that the report describes the press freedoms situation being 'critical' in Cambodia, which is listed among the countries having lost the most ground. "From using its courts as a cynical means to jail journalists to threatening our reporters behind closed doors in an attempt to dictate how we cover sensitive issues, Cambodia is running away from transparency." "Only time will tell whether Burma's press freedom reforms will take root and form a lasting foundation for free speech. But we hope our presence in this new but fragile environment helps encourage and strengthen the country's emerging media trends," Liu added. The survey ranked North Korea second to last at 178th of 179 countries researched, with China at 174th, Vietnam at 172nd, and Laos at 168th. Burma jumped to 151st place from 169th in last year's index, with the release of imprisoned journalists, return of exile media organizations, and the beginnings of legislative reform to remove official censorship. Cambodia fell 26 places to 143rd (from 117th in 2012), with the report stating that "news organizations, in particular independent local and foreign radio stations" are being "subjected to a policy of censorship orchestrated by an increasingly ruthless information ministry," and that the country's decline in press freedoms "also involved deadly attacks and death threats aimed at journalists who exposed government corruption and illegal activities harmful to the environment." In October, Cambodian cabinet officials summoned reporters from Radio Free Asia and Voice of America to complain about coverage critical of the government and threatened legal action against both broadcasters. RFA described the meeting as a "blatant attempt to discourage objective reporting on the government." RFA provides accurate, fact-based news and information via short- and medium-wave radio, satellite transmissions and television, and online through the websites of its nine language services. These include RFA Mandarin, Cantonese, Tibetan, Uyghur, Burmese, Khmer (Cambodian), Vietnamese, Lao, and Korean. # # # Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA's broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to "seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. Rohit Mahajan Media Relations Manager Radio Free Asia Email: mahajanr(a)rfa.org Desk: (202) 530-4976 Cell: (202) 489-8021 www.rfa.org

11 years, 11 months

RFA BREAKING NEWS: Ex-Burmese Minister Put Under House Arrest

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Ex-Burmese Minister Put Under House Arrest JAN. 23, 2013—The Burmese authorities have placed the recently-resigned Minister of Posts and Telecommunications under house arrest over possible links to high-level corruption in a proposed nationwide telecommunications network, a government official said Wednesday. Former minister Thein Tun and more than 50 officials from his ministry are under investigations over the graft issue as the government invites companies to submit investment proposals for nationwide telecommunications services, including telephone and Internet connectivity, officials said. Thein Tun, whose resignation was announced by state media last week, "is under house arrest and is being investigated at his home" in the capital Naypyidaw, an official from the Ministry of Home Affairs told RFA's Burmese Service. A group led by Auditor-General Thein Htike is leading the probe team that includes officers from the Criminal Investigations Department and the Bureau of Special Investigation, officials said. Details on the corruption allegations were not immediately available but sources said that the officers under investigation include the general manager of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, Thein Oo; the ministry's managing director, Eitedila; and chief engineer of the ministry's mobile department, Htay Win. The probe also covers two Chinese telecom companies, Huawei and ZTE, which have a significant market share of the mobile phone market, and 11 other companies believed to be working with the ministry to expand access to mobile phones in Burma, where the lack of communications infrastructure is viewed as a major stumbling block to development. Burma, one of the world's poorest countries, is believed to have the lowest mobile phone penetration rate in Asia, with about 3 million people, or only 5 percent of the population, using mostly low-end handsets, reports say. Mobile SIM cards cost from around $250 while the Internet is mainly the preserve of the urban elite. Licenses A week ago, the government invited local and foreign companies to submit investment proposals for a nationwide telecommunications network and state media reported that two companies will be awarded telecommunications licenses after bids close later this month in the lucrative sector. The liberalization move is part of changes by reformist President Thein Sein, who came to power in March 2011 and introduced a series of political and economic reforms after almost five decades of repressive military rule. Thein Tun had joined Thein Sein’s original cabinet in April 2011. Thein Tun's resignation was believed to be due to his refusal to reduce the price of SIM cards for mobile phones to levels sought by the president, according to sources close to the ministry, the Irrawaddy online newspaper had reported last week. Thein Tun, who had overall responsibility for mobile licensing, reportedly disagreed with a plan to drastically cut the cost of buying a SIM card during a cabinet meeting, the newspaper said. The President’s Office had called for the price of a SIM card for GSM and CDMA 450 MHz handsets to be set at 50,000 kyat (around U.S. $55), but Thein Tun argued that the ministry would lose half of its investment if it sold the cards at that price. Thein Tun reportedly wanted to produce 4 million SIM cards—enough for roughly 10 percent of the country’s population—and sell them at 200,000 kyat ($U.S. 220) apiece. However, this price would put the cards beyond the reach of most Burmese consumers, the Irrawaddy only journal reported. The ministry, which has already produced 3 million SIM cards, has come under pressure from private companies to sell them at a cheaper price. Reported by RFA's Burmese Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/burma/phone-01232013152301.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org. To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

11 years, 11 months

RFA BREAKING NEWS: Tibetan Protester in New Burning

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Tibetan Protester in New Burning JAN. 18, 2013— A young Tibetan man set himself on fire and died outside a police station in China’s Sichuan province on Friday in a challenge to Beijing's rule in Tibetan areas, according to sources in the region. It was the second Tibetan self-immolation this year and the 97th since the wave of fiery protests began in February 2009 aimed at highlighting opposition to Chinese rule and seeking the return of Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. Tsering Phuntsok, 28, set himself ablaze at about 3:15 p.m. local time outside a Chinese police station in Marthang (in Chinese, Hongyuan) county in Sichuan’s Ngaba (Aba) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Tibetan sources said. “A Tibetan martyr self-immolated [today],” one source told RFA's Tibetan Service, saying, “All relevant groups have been requested to say prayers in solidarity.” Phuntsok, who came from Marthang county’s Drachen Township, Unit 2, is survived by his wife and two children, sources said. His father’s name is Kyokpo and his mother’s name is Yangtso. “Shortly after the self-immolation, monks from Amchok Tsennyi monastery gathered at the deceased’s house and said prayers,” another source said. The area is now under a heavy security clampdown, according to local sources. Appeal to end 'drastic actions' Chinese authorities have already clamped down on the Internet and other communications in the areas where self-immolations have occurred. Satellite equipment used by Tibetans to tune in to foreign radio and TV programs has also been seized. Tibet’s India-based exile government, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), confirmed Phuntsok’s protest and death in a statement Friday, adding that it “reiterates its appeal to Tibetans not to resort to drastic actions such as self-burnings.” Human rights in Tibetan areas governed by China have plunged to “a new low,” the Dharamsala, India-based Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy said this week. The exile group asked Chinese authorities to release Tibetan political prisoners and investigate the “real causes” behind self-immolation protests. In its report, the rights group documented a series of abuses against Tibetans, including arbitrary detentions and arrests, torture, and restrictions on Tibetan language and culture. Reported by Guru Choegi, Chakmo Tso, and Lumbum Tashi for RFA’s Tibetan service. Translated by Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/burning-01182013112106.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org. To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

11 years, 11 months

RFA BREAKING NEWS: Satellite Clampdown in Tibetan Area

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Satellite Clampdown in Tibetan Area JAN. 9, 2012—Chinese authorities in a Tibetan-populated prefecture have launched a crackdown on satellite equipment used by Tibetans to tune in to foreign radio and TV programs, according to residents and other sources Wednesday. The move is part of a government clampdown on communications to stifle information on self-immolations protesting Chinese rule. Hundreds of satellite dishes and receivers have been seized from homes in Malho (in Chinese, Huangnan) prefecture in Qinghai province and destroyed or burned as part of a "cleansing" operation launched on the orders of the ruling Chinese Communist Party following a surge in Tibetan self-immolation protests. The campaign was centered on Rebgong (in Chinese, Tongren) county where a record number of Tibetans burned themselves to demand an end to Chinese rule and call for the return of Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. Those found with the satellite equipment, which Tibetans have also used to listen to Radio Free Asia and Voice of America programs, are given stiff fines, residents said. Chinese authorities are giving rewards to those who can pinpoint homes using the equipment. "If the satellite equipment is not surrendered, each family is fined 5,000 yuan (U.S. $800). If anyone reports others holding back satellite and radio equipment to listen to foreign programs, they will be awarded 10,000 yuan,” a Tibetan in Rebgong told RFA's Tibetan Service. Stifling information One RFA listener, who sent photos of the burning of the satellite equipment, said, "It is very clear they are doing this to [block] RFA, VOA, and other foreign programs." RFA has reported extensively on the 95 Tibetan self-immolations that had occurred mostly last year and highlighted crackdowns by authorities on Tibetan monasteries. "Now we are blind [to developments in the region] and we are very sad,” the listener said, citing the clampdown on Internet and telephone communications by the authorities following the self-immolations. A six-member committee at the prefecture level comprising Party and Government officials has been set up to marshal operations to "seize and destroy all the illegal equipment in Malho prefecture.” Replacement dishes Another Tibetan resident said the authorities are encouraging Tibetans to buy smaller satellite dishes and new receivers to replace the usually large dishes that had been confiscated. Some suspect the new equipment, which can be used to receive only state controlled programs, are doubling up as surveillance devices. "The smaller dishes and modems provided for the local programs are suspected to be equipped with hidden cameras and recording devices,” the resident from Rebgong said. The latest order to seize and destroy satellite equipment used to receive foreign broadcasting programs stemmed from a speech by Qinghai's Communist Party Secretary Qang Wei at the end of November 2012, according to reports from Tibet. “The Party and the Government of Qinghai province should seize all the ground equipment used to receive satellite and radio program and clean them out in Malho," one report said, citing excerpts of his speech. "The cleansing efforts should be widely publicized in Malho prefecture. All those illegal equipments should be seized and replaced by those equipments that bring rich programs of the masses. The illegal and damaging, instigative programs from outside radio stations and TV should be stopped," Qang Wei said. He had also ordered families owning or selling the illegal equipment to be "thoroughly investigated," especially those who advocated independence for Tibet. Reported by RFA's Tibetan Service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/satellite-dishes-01092013180134.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org. To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

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Engnews January 2013