"IPCM: Journalists Should Be Allowed Into Myanmar", 2 April 2025

The Independent Press Council Myanmar (IPCM) has called on the junta to lift internet restrictions and allow international journalists into disaster zones to report on casualties and destruction following the … earthquake that hit central Myanmar.

International media has been eager to enter Myanmar to cover the aftermath of the magnitude 7.7 earthquake with its epicentre in Sagaing. It caused widespread destruction to cities, towns, and villages, including the cities of Sagaing, Mandalay, Tada-U, Taungoo, and the capital, Naypyidaw.

But, the junta has refused to allow journalists from international media organisations to enter the country, because it claims that it cannot guarantee their safety.

The IPCM said that the junta should grant visas to international journalists to cover the earthquake because media coverage can provide aid agencies and international organisations with accurate information about the situation in disaster zones and those in need.

The IPCM has also called for the junta to lift its enforcement of various restrictions on internet access and freedoms, which have exacerbated the current situation. It should restore internet access in areas where it has been cut off out of concern for the well-being of the people.

U Ye Ni, an IPCM spokesperson said: “We believe the junta is blocking international media from entering the country, much like what happened after Cyclone Nargis [in May 2008], to hide the true extent of the suffering caused by the disaster. The internet is crucial for the rapid flow of information, yet the junta has been enforcing internet restrictions since the coup. We're calling for these restrictions to be lifted, as they’re essential for effective relief efforts for those affected by the earthquake.”…