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Myanmar Activists Launch Radio Program to Promote Federalism

Tommy Walker

   BANGKOK - Faced with government efforts tocompletelycut
   internetaccess,someMyanmar pro-democracy activists are turning to radio
   toreach thepublic,otheractivists and the militarysincethe February 1
   coup that brought the junta to power.

   [1]Federal FM Radio went live April 1 at 90.2MHz.Its targeted
   broadcasting days are on Thursdays and Sundays.

   Theunlicensedradiostationaims toinform audiences about
   eventsthroughoutthe country while educating listeners about
   federalism-- that is,'¯having a nationaland state government,as
   opposedto authoritarian,military rule.'¯

   Afounding memberof the programwho asked not to be named for security
   reasonstold VOA the broadcast is a new way for people to listen to
   updated newswithinthe country, without military propaganda.'¯

   "When theinternet is cut off, the federal radio will be the means of
   communication and to communicate with each other," he said.

   The station will deliver information to pro-democracy leaders on the
   ground,and theleaderswill be able to use the station tospeak to the
   public, he added. It will be one of "the powerful weapons" against the
   military government, he said.

   "One is to educate, to inform about federalism, to major cities like
   Yangon," he said. The first listeners will be in Yangon with plans to
   expand to the entire nation.

   Local and international news will be initially broadcast in Burmese
   with plans to broadcast in other languages. Theorganizers say
   thebroadcast is a community, non-profit programmade up of volunteers.

   One report says thatthe station willalsobroadcast messages intended to
   persuade members of the militaryto defect.

   Accordingtoa state-run newspaper report,Myanmar's Military Council
   hasdeclareditwill "take action" against the program, claimingit'snot a
   licensed broadcasting organization. The junta has already stripped five
   independent media companies of their licenses.

   Organizersacknowledgethere are clear dangers involved.

   "We have a high risk forour producers and technicians and citizen
   journalists, so we try to work, like evasively," he said.

   The Committee RepresentingPyidaungsuHluttaw (CRPH),a board formed to
   represent the elected lawmakers of the ousted National League for
   Democracy (NLD) party,hasput forth aFederal Democracy Charter, an
   interim constitutionto replace the country's 2008 constitutionthat
   keeps the military as a dominant force in the government.

   While the move is widely seen as symbolic,thegoalmay be to woo the
   nation's armed ethnic militias to join forces with the pro-democracy
   movement.
   Veteran activist MoeThwayrecently told VOA that members of the public
   expect a nationwide civil war.

   The broadcasting of Federal FM Radio will beaform of objection to the
   coup,according to one announcer.

   "The ultimate goal is toward federal democratic union for our new
   Myanmar," the announcer said."ThisFederal FM radio is one of the
   strikes."

   Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, gained independence in 1948 from
   Britain, but most of its modern history has been governed under
   military rule.

   In 2015,theNational League for Democracy party,led by Aung San Suu
   Kyi,won the country's first open democratic election.

   But in last November's general elections, the military
   contestedtheresultsandmade unsubstantiated claims of widespread fraud.

   On February 1, the military, also known as Tatmadaw, removed the NLD
   government and detainedde facto leaderSuu Kyi and President WinMyint,
   who are now facing several charges.

   Since thecoup, widespread pro-democracy resistance has been met with
   bullets,armoredvehiclesand airstrikes.Martial law has also been imposed
   in several areas.

   Thousands of people have been detained andmore than550killed,according
   to theAssistance Association for Political Prisoners Burma (AAPPB),an
   independent non-profit organization formed by exiled political
   prisoners from Myanmar.

References

   1. https://www.facebook.com/federalfmradio/

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