Interviews with junta bigshots from Burma are a rare thing these days. Claiming a “global exclusive”:
Al Jazeera English was granted exclusive access to Naypidaw – a first for a foreign broadcaster. The team filmed the former capital, Yangon, and Naypidaw where news presenter Veronica Pedrosa interviewed the Minister of Information. Independent reporters are very rarely allowed into the country.
The coverage of this meeting with Brigadier-General Kyaw Hsan has yet to be picked up by many other broadcasters or commentators.
The full Al Jazeera account of Naypidaw, penned by reporter Veronica Pedrosa, describes the experience of filming in Burma and is certainly worth a read. She has also written a very candid reflection on the problems of getting access to Burma and the restrictions that were placed on the Al Jazeera crew. Pedrosa writes:
We believe the Myanmar government saw letting our crew in as an opportunity. Why? Because they think Al Jazeera is anti-American.
1 response so far ↓
1 Richard // Nov 22, 2006 at 12:37 pm
I was going to post on this very matter, but really you said everything I had to say. Though even though Al Jazeera may have gotten such access for it’s anti-American reputation, they were still followed everywhere and eventually no longer permited to speak to citizens.
It should also be mentioned that the Al Jazeera report did show both sides of the story of the sanctions debate. I had expected them to strongly condemn sanctions but even Al Jazeera can’t spin the questionable future of the people of Burma.
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