Eleven Media, others to boycott IPI media conference

24 March 2015
Eleven Media, others to boycott IPI media conference
Eleven Media's graphic used in their publications to express support for journalists in Myanmar. Photo: Eleven Media

The Eleven Media Group and several other local media organizations plan to boycott the International Press Institute conference to be held from March 27 to 29.
Eleven Media published the boycott plan in a story in Eleven Media on March 23. 
The plan for a boycott was decided in a Myanmar Journalist Network’s meeting on March 13, according to the media group, intended as an action against the repression of journalists in Myanmar. 
The IPI World Congress will be held in Yangon under the title, “On the Path to a Free Media”, and will be attended by journalists and media people from around the world. Myanmar’s media landscape and the threats to media freedom will be under the spotlight during the conference.
Journalists continue to face imprisonment and intimidation from the government in Myanmar, according to the MJN, including the recent beating and arrests of journalists covering the student protest in Latpadan, and the imprisonment of two Myanmar Post journalists for defamation.
The MJN boycott appears to be in response to the fact that Information Minister U Ye Htut will attend the event. The MJN has called for a boycott of news about government officials in response to what they say is the repression of journalists.
The Eleven Media Group plans to run a slogan on the front page of its publications for one week – Stand in Solidarity with Myanmar Journalists, Show No Fear.
Some other publishers have also agreed to run the slogan on their front pages.