Burma's state-run newspaper on 24 April carried an article that
says satellite TV which enables people to watch international news
and entertainment programs should be banned in Burma.

A writer, who identified himself as Ko Gyi claimed in an article on
the 24 April issue of the "New Light of Myanmar" that powerful
nations are exploiting the satellite channels to instigate unrest,
and harm the culture of the people through entertainment programs
that have hidden agendas.

The writer said that because of these, the government should
prohibit the sales of satellite dishes and receivers, which are
widely used in Burma.

A similar article appeared in the same daily newspaper on 17
February. The article said, "Restrict the watching of uncensored
satellite TV programmes telecast by the outside world".

"We were surprised to see this article. This is a warning to our
satellite dish shops. But [the government has] not done anything so
far. We have to wait and see in the next 10-15 days," Nyi Nyi
Naing, a salesman at TATA Sky satellite dish shop in Rangoon, told
Mizzima.

The writer also wrote in the article, "Some people do not notice
that satellite receivers are harmful to the morality of the
viewers".

The article further said that in countries such as Singapore,
Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Pakistan and Iran, "the public are not
allowed to use satellite receivers legally", the writer claimed.

While satellite dishes and receivers are not popularly used in the
Indonesian capital of Jakarta, locals are able to freely watch news
programmes telecast by foreign news channels.

A Burmese citizen, John Moe, who is living in Jakarta said, "We pay
a monthly fee of Indonesia Rupiah 150,000 and can watch foreign
news channels such as BBC, CNN."

The article, while it is not an official government statement, is
believed by Burmese media workers as an attempt to further tighten
and systematically suppress media freedom in Burma.

Despite the absence of freedom of expression in their country, the
Burmese can freely watch foreign news programs through satellite TV.

But since it is not affordable to pay the monthly official license
fees, people are forced to install satellite receivers illegally, a
local from Rangoon said.

"Most of the people installed these satellite receivers and dishes
without a license. But as for us, it's difficult to pay monthly
fees of Kyat 15,000", he said.

Sellers of the satellite dishes see the warning as an attempt to
prepare the ground for a plan to levy taxes on the shops. The sale
centres, however, doubt that this will cause a drop in their sales
volume.

"Shops have long been selling satellite dishes. They cannot stop
the illegal sales of these devices. VOA Burmese Service news
channel can be tuned into in Burma by using TATA Sky," an official
from Satellite Receivers Import Company said.

Burmese media in exile were able to broadcast news, pictures and
videos of the junta's brutal crackdown after the monk-lead revolt
in 2007 through satellite TV.

In its drive to block the free flow of news and information to the
outside world, the junta began arresting bloggers and domestic
reporters, and handed down long prison sentences.