How Myanmar Journalists Endure Dismantling by Trump and Min Aung Hlaing

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Mandaing, March 27, 2025

Daw Pyone*, nearly 60, has been a daily viewer of VOA broadcasts since the 2021 military coup in Myanmar. She particularly focuses on programs that analyze Myanmar affairs, editorial talk, and global news related to Myanmar.

On March 16, she noticed an announcement that VOA Burmese’s live broadcasts were temporarily suspended, meaning she could no longer watch their news programs.

“I can’t watch VOA anymore. It’s the wish of coup leader Min Aung Hlaing,” she said. VOA’s broadcasts were halted entirely as of March 16, and RFA Burmese announced on March 21 that it would begin suspending many of its programs.

Due to executive orders issued by U.S. President Donald Trump, organizations under the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), including VOA and RFA, as well as exiled Myanmar media that depend on financial support from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), experienced significant operational impacts.

“During the full-scale civil war in Myanmar, the crisis affecting these two radio news stations and other exiled media outlets poses a risk of diminishing the availability of accurate information for the people of Myanmar. This could potentially endanger both their social well-being and their lives,” said U Myint Kyaw, head of training at the Myanmar Journalism Institute (MJI).

Some veteran Myanmar journalists also predict that if U.S.-supported Myanmar media weaken, it may lead to increased influence from the junta and China, thereby jeopardizing democracy in Myanmar.

On March 21, six journalists at Voice of America filed a lawsuit against Kari Lake, special advisor to the USAGM and the Trump administration, claiming that their efforts to shut down the U.S.-funded network were unlawful and unconstitutional.

Trump’s Impact on Myanmar Journalists

The military led by Min Aung Hlaing has revoked licenses for eight Myanmar news outlets since the coup in 2021 and has continuously arrested journalists. According to the 2024 report by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), 44 Myanmar journalists are currently detained.

According to a statement from RSF, Myanmar ranks 171st out of 180 countries in terms of press freedom for 2024. After China, which ranks first in imprisoning journalists, Myanmar stands in second place.

Myanmar exiled media outlets that receive support from USAID report that their journalists have faced hardships, such as not being paid and struggling to sustain their livelihoods since Trump’s executive order to reduce foreign aid.

Journalist Cherry, 28, contributed stories about central Myanmar for an exiled Myanmar outlet after the 2021 military coup. After reporting for over two years from Myanmar, she fled to Thailand due to security concerns and has continued her journalistic work.

She primarily covers mass killings, conflicts between various resistance groups, and human rights violations. She has experienced instances where UN agencies contacted her for her reports, as well as moments when her news provided relief to citizens, she said.

“I frequently hear of the positive impacts of the news I reported. When people tell me about it, I feel that I must fulfill my responsibilities as a journalist. Being a journalist is extremely exhausting. Hearing such feedback gives me the motivation to continue,” she remarked.

Due to the suspension of USAID’s support since January 24, changes have occurred in her organization, and her previous enthusiasm has faced challenges.

“The major hardship after USAID stopped was managing to survive. I stopped getting paid,” she said. “I worry about not being able to send money back to my family.”

After her colleagues left their jobs, she also decided to leave.

Critical Need for News in Myanmar

Since the military coup in 2021, there has been a scarcity of Myanmar news outlets that can present the voices of key players in the conflict. Among these, VOA, RFA, and BBC stand out as prominent news outlets that can broadcast through various platforms, including radio.

In Rakhine State, since November 2023, when clashes erupted again between the AA and Myanmar’s military, local residents have lost connectivity due to phone line interruptions, internet outages, and electricity cuts. They rely mainly on radio news programs, as reported by journalist Thet Naing at VOA Burmese.

Thus, if both VOA and RFA’s radio programs remain suspended, it would severely affect the over three million Rakhine people, diminishing their access to information and exacerbating human rights violations that have escalated since before the 2021 coup, he warns.

Veteran journalist U Myint Kyaw notes that while BBC’s radio program broadcasts 15 minutes in the Myanmar language daily, there remains a need for more comprehensive information from different news agencies for Myanmar people who are experiencing conflict.

Currently, he believes that Myanmar’s media need to collaborate more on resource sharing among journalists and news outlets to enhance their reporting.

“In these circumstances, I encourage news outlets and journalists to prioritize choices that benefit their audiences over personal recognition or fame,” he suggests.

Journalist Cherry informed her sources about her resignation, but she is still connecting them with other journalists.

“I find myself so invested in reporting that I can’t imagine doing anything else, and I plan to continue my career,” she said. However, she still carries some worries.

“I wonder if I can work in the same energy as before. I’m concerned about whether I can produce fresh ideas.”

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*Nickname for safety