The people of Burma live under one of the world’s most oppressive regimes, where any form of opposition is violently crushed and all forms of news and information are strictly censored—the sole exception to this censorship are broadcasts from radio, which the government has not been able to control.

Because journalists inside of Burma are often imprisoned while foreign correspondents are denied entry, these radio broadcasts from international sources, particularly those run by the exile Burmese community, are crucial—for they have become the only way for the people of Burma to receive independent, uncensored information.

1. Burma is being controlled by one of the most brutal, repressive and corrupt military regimes in the world for many decades where fundamental and universal humans rights are taboo and country’s media and information flow are strictly controlled, censored and manipulated by the regime
2. There are over 15 million people in Burma without access to information and news
3. Ordinary people in rural and remote regions of Burma cannot afford to buy a radio on their own since most of them make less than US$1.00 a day
4. Anything broadcast, air and publish by any television and radio stations along with magazines, journals, books and newspapers inside Burma must acquired prior authorization from the Military Censorship Board
5. Radios are needed to break through Burma’s strict media censorship and allow ordinary citizens to receive information and news that will increase their knowledge and empower them to conceive change in Burma
6. Radios will bring protection and promotion of human rights into the very own hands of those who are at risk of such rights
7. Radios save many innocent lives during critical times. Cyclone Nargis struck Burma’s remote delta regions in 2008 that over 150,000 people die and over 2 millions became homeless. Most of them lost their lives simply due to lack of information from the regime and they have no means to receive basic information that this devastating cyclone was approaching toward the Delta regions
8. Burmese exiled and other overseas radio stations play crucial roles during nationwide anti-military uprisings by informing and engaging everyone inside Burma about upcoming rallies and developments