SPJ Rio Grande is asking for donations to help our colleagues under fire in Myanmar.
On February 1, the Myanmar military staged a coup that has led to extraordinary levels of escalating violence against people across the country. Every day since, millions of Burmese people have protested – without weapons – and local journalists have reported all they have witnessed.
Hundreds of civilians have been killed. The military has specifically targeted journalists, and dozens have been arrested, beaten, imprisoned, and tortured. All independent media have been shuttered. Most recently the government has been televising warrants for the arrest individual journalists. Many have been imprisoned.
Still, journalists throughout the country risk their lives daily to work in whatever manner they can. What news you have heard from Myanmar has come through their work. Most are in hiding and have left their homes both for their own safety and the safety of their families. Some have fled to neighboring countries – mainly Thailand.
The COVID-19 pandemic further complicates the state of journalism there. A pandemic-related economic crisis meant that many journalists had not been paid for months before the coup. For many, money has run out, food is short, basic supplies and medical care are rare.
In the past two months, a growing group of journalists and free-press organizations around the world have worked under the radar to raise funds to supply journalists with safety equipment, medical care, transportation, and evacuation costs. Every day this group receives more requests from journalists for further help.
Your money will go directly to help these fellow journalists, by supplying SIM cards, Internet connection costs, and other basic reporting and safety expenses.
SPJ Rio Grande has set a matching grant of $1,000 for all donations raised through this fundraiser.
A former SPJ Rio Grande board member is part of the international working group that is raising funds for those journalists. In years past, this person has led trainings for Myanmar journalists there, in neighboring Thailand, and here in the U.S.
This person is in daily contact with people on the ground in Myanmar, who can still receive and disburse money to journalists in need. The effort becomes more dangerous by the day, but the people there are committed to getting the word out. It could be dangerous to those there to tell more about the program publicly or name people involved in transferring money. If you have questions, please contact anyone on the SPJ Rio Grande board, who can then put you in touch with those involved.
With your donation, you can take some satisfaction knowing that this money really is helping
journalists do journalism in their own towns in very dangerous circumstances.
On their behalf, thank you.
