Third ethnic media conference held in Hakha
18 March 2015 — The third ethnic media conference kicks off at the Carson Hall in Hakha, Chin State today, with Union and State government officials in attendance.
Deputy Union Minister of Information Pike Htwe, Chief Minister of the Chin State government Hung Ngai and State ministers, and leaders of the Chin National Front gave opening speeches.
Pike Htwe said: “Media in our country face challenges but have made achievements to some extent. One of them is the fact that we can hold this conference in Hakha.”
He also highlighted the need to prevent media from being completely controlled by the government or owners, and to get new skills from international news agencies.
Both the Union minister and chief minister stressed the importance of media development in a democratic country as the fourth estate.
Meanwhile, CNF leader Dr. Sui Khar urged in his speech the Union and State governments to get involved more in supporting and promoting ethnic media as part of the peace-building process.
He also said that the peace-talk agreements included the establishment of a community radio broadcast program in Chin dialects.
However, the governments have not taken the initiative in implementing the agreement provisions in an attempt to improve the media in Chin State.
The Hakha event attracts participants from news organizations from both the country and abroad, political parties, civil society groups and journalists as well as well-known Burmese writers.
Organized by the Burma News International, the three-day conference is to focus on how to sustain ethnic media in the country.
Speaking about the aim of the conference, BNI Board of Director Nan Paw Gay said the importance of making the voices of the public in ethnic areas head through the media as the freedom of media is currently on the way.#