Aung San Suu Kyi’s Silent Stance: The Imprisonment of Two Reuters Reporters
Why the World is Gripping Its Hands
On a drizzly autumn day in 2017, reviewers Wa Lone (32) and Kyaw Soe Oo (28) were pulled into a vortex after they were caught on camera documenting the brutal displacement of roughly 700,000 Rohingya Muslims by Myanmar’s military. Fast‑forward to September 4, 2018: a Yangon court found them guilty under the Official Secrets Act and handed each a seven‑year jail term. The verdict struck a nerve worldwide—UN, EU, and the US all flared, eager to see Myanmar shed its decades‐old junta shadow.
The Silent Governor
Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate who endured 15 years of house arrest, has kept her mouth closed on this case. Hearty applause for her past media‑driven advocacy turned into a shrug when the two journalists were sentenced. Some say she’s toe‑tapping her hands because “criticising the judiciary would be contempt of court.” Her deputy minister, former Reuters correspondent Aung Hla Tun, sings the same tune, insisting she just “won’t hold a microphone on that topic.”
Lawyers, Appeals, and the Potential for a Presidential Pardon
The defense teams for both reporters are already filing appeals. Meanwhile, Myanmar’s president—Myo Zin Thein—who is also a close ally of Suu Kyi, holds the authority to grant clemency. He famously announced a blanket amnesty in April that freed 8 500 inmates, including 36 labelled ‘political prisoners’. However, the two journalists remain locked in a legal maze that refuses to open.
Domestic Reactions: The Paper Trail
In Myanmar, the press dropped a “silent protest” on the front pages. 7 Day News plastered a grim black box across its cover, while Myanmar Times showcased a photo of the jailed pair, condemning the verdict as a “blow to press freedom.” Yet, despite these gestures, the event went largely unnoticed by the general populace—the nation’s newfound independence has been shadowed by violence in Rakhine, keeping the public’s focus elsewhere.
Some Funny (and Frustrating) Side Notes
During a January banter with a Japanese broadcaster NHK, Suu Kyi mentioned the reporters had “broken the official secrets act,” a line that drew criticism for possibly biasing the trial. A US diplomat, Bill Richardson, claimed she later called them “traitors” in a heated exchange. The craziest part? No one in the streets was shouting anything about it, because the clamor of the press likely got swallowed by a louder narrative of ethnic conflict and political calm.
Bottom Line: A Tale of Power, Silence, and the Will of the People
Remember, while the international chorus is humming “free the reporters!” Suu Kyi’s tight-lipped stance sets a tone for Myanmar’s future. If she ever decides to speak up, it could ripple through the entire media landscape—bringing either triumph or sharper scrutiny. For now, the jailing remains a quiet, let’s‑hope‑it‑ends sharp reminder that journalism still faces real risks in some corners of the world.
