Thread by @thinink

Many people more eloquent than me have responded to this tweet, but since I’m a journalist myself + Burmese, female & NOT white, I feel I should point out to Clarissa why some of us have an issue with her trip & respond to this tone-deaf tweet. (THREAD) #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar

https://twitter.com/clarissaward/status/1379356818963595265

I wasn’t part of crowd that thought you/CNN would side with junta, even if trip was arranged by a lobbyist who launders the reputation some of world’s worst human rights abusers (Mugabe, Sudan’s army). Both you & CNN have reputation to protect & I expected you to be balanced. (2)

I’m also sure no money exchanged hands between CNN & junta/lobbyist. Why? Because as a journalist who extensively covered the Rohingya's plight, that’s the false accusation I & fellow journalists faced too, that we were paid by folks who wanted to tarnish Myanmar’s reputation (3)

Having said all that, I & many other non-white, non-male members of Myanmar Twitterati wonder why you cut a deal with the junta? What did they offer that CNN couldn’t get from local journos & citizens on the ground who risk their lives to tell world #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar (4)

Also, why visit only Yangon where there is enough media presence? Ditto NPT if you made it there. Oh & yes foreign media has not been allowed into Myanmar post-coup but there're many good foreign journalists who have been working in Myanmar for years & can speak the language. (5)

Like others have suggested, why not go to Thailand/ China/ Bangladesh, along borders they share w. Myanmar & speak to minority ethnic groups fleeing junta’s abuses post-Feb 1? And get real on-the-ground coverage instead of interviewing stiff junta officials in stale rooms? (6)

You should've known also you wouldn’t get access to ordinary people & that any civilians who spoke to you face arrest, torture or worse & so it proved to be the case. Glad you pushed the junta & they released 8 ppl out of 11 but they shouldn't have been arrested in 1st place (7)

Do you know what happened to other 3? Did junta promise the released won’t be arrested again? What would you do if that happens, if junta says they’ll kill these people if you put out critical report? I get it - access is important to journalists, but was this trip worth it? (8)

"Do No Harm" isn’t just a policy for aid agencies you know? It also applies to us journalists particularly when you are reporting on a country with vicious junta & you can leave any time but anyone associated w. you & their families are stuck there

https://twitter.com/NimrodAndrew/status/1379094424030863362

(9)

I have friends & former colleagues who've been arrested, who are wanted & are in hiding since coup. Many still covering #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar despite risks to their lives. So it's pretty galling to hear you talk as if no other independent journalists have reported on this (10)

I also have issue with your 1st report where you talked abt how there's real danger of civil strife as protesters become more violent, without making clear violence has been totally 1-sided so far. Besides, Myanmar's been in civil war for 70+ years 'cuz of the same military. (11)

Not gonna touch on presenters’ comments that world is lucky to have you in Myanmar. I’m assuming that’s just network's style. But the 2 pieces you’ve done so far haven't brought anything new to the table. We already know how terrible junta is & how little support they have. (12)

So I’m hoping you have some amazing footage up your sleeve that you'll use in next few days that would give a totally new insight into what’s happening in my home country. Just in case you don’t believe other Burmese people could have issues with your trip & reporting so far (13)

Here’s a sample. This is from @the_ayeminthant, a Pulitzer-winning Burmese journalist -

https://twitter.com/the_ayeminthant/status/1379072069523009545

(14)

From @MissWHPT a Burmese activist whose father is a well-known activist currently in jail -

https://twitter.com/MissWHPT/status/1379330710411079680

(15)

More here -

https://twitter.com/randallbreanna/status/1379358832820776961

. Last note to those who say, “The army is winning by creating this division between CNN + their supporters & their detractors”. No. We can disagree respectfully. It’s something the Burmese need to learn pronto. (ENDS) #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar