Burma has gone quiet since the so called orange revolution of last autumn.
The authorities have apparently found a way of stopping people watching broadcasts from originating outside the country.Simply by tripling the cost of satellite receivers.
According to Follow the media
Without warning, and no official announcement, satellite dish owners are now expected to pay about three times the average annual wage for a license to watch news, sports and soap operas from the outside.
The license fee hike, from 6,000 kyat (see note on currency conversion) to 1 million kyat, comes as the Burmese junta is announcing oil and gasoline rationing. An anonymous official at the Myanmar Post and Telecom, quoted by AP, suggested the government wants to discourage watching those foreign TV channels. If satellite dish owners miss the January 30th deadline for payment they will face a penalty. A new satellite dish license will cost 2 million kyat.
2 comments:
This sort of thing is going to be an ongoing problem. We can ignore it; and it may ultimately end up in some form of civil war. Or we can make personal friends with someone inside the country and do what we can to help keep their world awareness high.
I have found a good friend inside the country but am somewhat careful to avoid publishing information about him and his great work with orphans. We communicate by email and he feels that is still safe enough.
Gary,
I agree with your sentiments entirely.It is important that the problems in Burma are not forgotten.They too easily become yesterday's news.The internet is really the only way that we can keep in touch and it is up to bloggers and the like to keep up the awareness for the public
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