Officially, Myanmar is in the fifth year of political reform leading to a more democratic system. In truth, the country is well into the second year of reversal and backsliding on promises made and commitments to citizens and neighbours.
A report compiled and released this morning by Amnesty International (AI) focuses on the appalling, backward treatment of the media, especially local journalists. After showing tantalising views of press freedom, Myanmar has yanked them back, reverting towards the bad old days of the military dictators.
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It's true that the Myanmar press of today has more freedom than, say, a decade ago under the thumb of the properly dreaded State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). It is true that foreign journalists have comparative freedom to work inside Myanmar. Yet, half a dozen years ago after being promised actual freedom of the press, Myanmar took two timid steps forward and a giant step back. Authorities browbeat, harass and threaten Myanmar journalists to encourage pro-regime stories and prevent honest reporting.
The Amnesty report is chilling to anyone who cares even a bit about freedom of the press and freedom of expression. Promises of media freedom were either dishonest or discarded a couple of years ago. Since then, in the words of the Amnesty report, journalists, writers and photographers of all stripes "have been detained or imprisoned solely for the peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of expression".
Most of the journalists interviewed for the report begged that the London-based agency leave out their names. This is a page directly out of the military dictatorship's long, ruinous and violent rule. The state apparatus of secret police and their many informants remains intact. Myanmar nationals who give honest opinions to foreigners are easily found, threatened, arrested or imprisoned — or all of the above.
If the direct threats and arrests are a step away from the reform measures announced in March 2011, there is another, worse result. Myanmar journalists and writers live in a climate of fear and uncertainty.
President Thein Sein won plaudits for abolishing pre-publication censorship. But the new, unwritten rules inspire only fear and uncertainty. Entirely predictably, the regime enforces something worse than censorship: Self-censorship.
If this sounds familiar, it is. But multiply the "guidance" and the "attitude adjustments" of the Thai National Council for Peace and Order by a magnitude to get an idea of day-to-day media life in Myanmar.
The Amnesty report documents 11 cases in 2014 where journalists were imprisoned for their honest reports. A 12th man was killed while in military custody. While comparisons are never perfect, none of the cases described in the AI document released this morning would bring about even an arrest in Thailand, despite what many decry as draconian martial rule.
Back-sliding on reforms meant to end dictatorship and bring respect for Myanmar governance is well documented.
Besides the disturbing Amnesty report on the press, President Thein Sein's government is regressing towards its old army ways in many ways.
It never has tackled the drug factories that degrade and corrupt neighbours including Thailand.
New ethnic strife has broken out, fuelled by the same old violent Buddhist leaders. Former drug lords continued to dominate the economy. Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi is still treated like a political pariah, unable to run for president of her own country.
It is disappointing to see Myanmar backslide in this fashion. The country made real progress in several years of reform. President Thein Sein should end the repression and restart democratic reforms.