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Jakarta Post

Myanmar youths speak out on democratic transition

For Thinzar Yi, a member of Myanmar’s Youth Forum (MYF), a visit to Jakarta was an apprehensive affair

The Jakarta Post
Jakarta
Sat, May 18, 2013

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Myanmar youths speak out on democratic transition

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or Thinzar Yi, a member of Myanmar'€™s Youth Forum (MYF), a visit to Jakarta was an apprehensive affair.

News on the Internet about demonstrations in front of the Myanmar Embassy in Jakarta concerned her.

'€œI saw pictures of demonstrators in front of the Myanmar Embassy holding signs saying '€˜we want jihad'€™ and honestly I was concerned for my security,'€ Yi told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Up to 2,000 police officers were deployed in early May to secure the embassy and the ambassador'€™s residence due to a demonstration by the Islam Defenders Front (FPI). On the same day, an alleged plot to bomb the embassy was thwarted. It was believed to be in retaliation for attacks in Myanmar on Rohingya Muslims.

Freddy, another MYF member, said the Rohingya issue in his country was complicated. '€œTheir population growth is a concern, as it may affect the economy and I am afraid of it,'€ he said.

Despite his concerns, he does not hate Rohingyas. '€œI have Rohingya friends,'€ he added.

Yi, Freddy and four other members of the youth forum paid a three-day visit to Jakarta on May 13-15 as part of wider effort to gain more knowledge about their neighbors. Other ASEAN countries visited by MYF members include Brunei and Thailand.

Accompanied by the Human Rights Working Group Indonesia, they traveled around Jakarta to learn more about ASEAN, visiting the ASEAN Secretariat and also the ASEAN Foundation. Their visit to the Post was part of learning about the role of media in the country.

The Myanmar Youth Forum, which represents young people from 14 states across Myanmar, underlines in its 2012 handbook that information technology (IT) and media play a crucial role in the development of the young generation countries undergoing democratic transitions, such as Myanmar.

'€œHow do you see our country? How does Indonesia'€™s youth engage with the media? What ethnic groups are represented in Indonesia'€™s online media?'€ were just a few of the questions they had about Indonesia.

'€œOur people are very new to this, and so we want to learn as much as we can to catch up,'€ said David, an MYF member.

When asked her opinion on Myanmar'€™s transition to democracy, Yi said that progress was '€œso far, so good'€.

'€œThe president is definitely a change maker. He gave [Aung San]Suu Kyi a chance to return to public life. I think the upper levels of the government are reforming, but there is not so much reform among lower-ranking officials,'€ she said.

'€œMyanmar'€™s president has relaxed media restrictions, saying the media is the fourth pillar of democracy. What is also important in our transition is that the country is preparing for the ASEAN chairmanship in 2014,'€ said Yi.

Since being elected, President Thein Sein has freed many political prisoners and relaxed media censorship.

In April 2013, private daily newspapers began to be sold in Myanmar for the first time in almost
50 years. Sixteen papers have so far been granted licenses. Publications such as Golden Fresh Land,
Standard Time Daily, the Voice, and Union are now available at newsstands. (asw)

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