Delay of newspapers in Sittwe

Sittwe, December 19: The government controlled presses in Sittwe are unable to publish the Burmese newspapers on time. Hence, the city newspaper readers have to get the papers from Rangoon.

“The local press offices in Sittwe cannot publish the papers on time. Local prints come out later than those come from Rangoon. Sittwe residents can read the local print two days late, and the readers are getting very impatient. Now, we are reading the papers send from Rangoon” said a newspaper distributor from Maw Lake Quarter.

However, the newspaper demand in Arakan cannot be met from Rangoon, since Rangoon printings do not count the demand of Arakan state. The newspapers to be distributed in Arakan state are to be published from an Sittwe Newspaper press, but it has only been able to publish at least three days late.

“They should have thought through properly. There is no electricity in Sittwe. Computer and email work only with electricity. This is just a public relation stunt. It is all chaos here since there is no planning from the government planners. It is a pity that we can’t even read the newspapers on time,” an Sittwe resident complained.

The junta set up newspaper press in the capital cities of States and Divisions, so that the regional people could get the newspapers on the day, everyday. However, due to the frequent black-outs in Sittwe, there is delay in getting news through the net as well as being able to print the papers, and the people are having difficulties get the paper on time, everyday.

A printing press to publish the government controlled Myanmar Alin and Kyemon newspapers was opened on August 26, in Sittwe, by the President of the Arakan State Peace and Development Council Maung Oo and the Deputy Minister for Information Brig-Gen Aung Thein. And the junta media boasted that Sittwe residents could have the some rights and access to information and news as their counterparts in Rangoon.