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Private newspapers in Myanmar

April 1, 2013

Privately owned newspapers have gone on sale in Myanmar for the first time in half a century. The move is part of a host of democratic reforms introduced by President Thein Sein after years of military rule.

A staff member of Myanmar Times weekly journal minds the printing presses following the news that the Myanmar government is to allow the publication of private daily newspapers from 01 April 2013, in Yangon, Myanmar, 10 January 2013. Photo EPA/LYNN BO BO dpa (zu dpa "Pressemonopol fällt: 16 neue Tageszeitungen in Birma" vom 26.03.2013) +++(c) dpa - Bildfunk+++ pixel
Image: picture-alliance/dpa

The four daily newspapers hit the streets on Monday some four months after Myanmar's government granted citizens the right to apply for publication rights.

Privately-owned newspapers had been banned in the country, also known as Burma, since it came under military rule in the 1960s.

Private daily papers go on sale in Myanmar

01:45

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A total of 16 papers were approved, including dailies published by opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League form Democracy party and Thein Sein's ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party.

The president, who came to power in March 2011, has sought to usher in a series of democratic reforms after more than half a century of military rule. As well as bringing an end to Myanmar's state monopoly on the media, his civilian government has overseen the release of thousands of political prisoners including Nobel Laureate Suu Kyi.

ccp/kms (AFP, AP)

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