U Thaung: Difference between revisions
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'''U Thaung''' (born 4 October 1926, [[Nyaung Oo]], [[Burma]]; died 3 April 2008, [[Fort Lauderdale]], [[Florida]], USA) was a [[Burmese people|Burmese]] author and journalist. In 1957, he founded the newspaper ''[[Kyemon]]'', which became the most popular in Burma. |
'''U Thaung''' (born as "Aung Ba La", 4 October 1926, [[Nyaung Oo]], [[Burma]]; died 3 April 2008, [[Fort Lauderdale]], [[Florida]], USA) was a [[Burmese people|Burmese]] author and journalist. In 1957, he founded the newspaper ''[[Kyemon]]'', which quickly became the most popular in Burma. In 2000, he was named one of the [[International Press Institute]]'s 50 [[World Press Freedom Heroes]] of the past half-century.<ref name=IPI>{{cite web |url=http://www.freemedia.at/awards/u-thaung.html |title=U Thaung, Burma |author= |date=2010 |work= |publisher=[[International Press Institute]] |accessdate=5 February 2012}}</ref> |
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==Work with ''Kyemon''== |
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U Thaung was born "Aung Ba La" in Nyaung Oo township, [[Mandalay Division]], to Thar Phan and Daw Oak.<ref name=Irr>{{cite web |url=http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=11286 |title=Journalist Kyemon U Thaung Dies in US Exile |author=Min Lwin |date=4 April 2008 |work= |publisher=''[[The Irrawaddy]]'' |accessdate=5 February 2012}}</ref> He began his literary career with humor writing and plays,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mizzima.com/archive/125-journalist-mirror-u-thaung-passes-away.html |title=Journalist Mirror U Thaung passes away |author= |date=4 April 2008 |work= |publisher=''[[Mizzima News]]'' |accessdate=5 February 2012}}</ref> entering journalism in 1947 with the [[Yangon]]-based newspaper ''The Burma Times''. Within four years, at the age of 25, he had become the newspaper's editor-in-chief.<ref name=IPI/> |
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In 1957, he founded his own independent daily, which he titled ''Kyemon'' (English: "The Mirror"). The paper was an immediate success, and its circulation rose to 55,000 over the next seven years, more than twice the circulation of its next closest competitor.<ref name=IPI/> |
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The following year, following a split in Prime Minister [[U Nu]]'s [[Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League]], General [[Ne Win]] was given control of a two-year [[caretaker government]]. The military government immediately began to restrict press freedoms, imprisoning journalists and dissidents.<ref name=IPI/> ''Kyemon'' was briefly confiscated by the authorities, but returned to U Thaung's control after U Nu's 1960 return to power.<ref name=IPI/> |
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Ne Win took control again, however, in a [[1962 Burmese coup d'état|1962 coup d'état]]. For the next two years, ''Kyemon'' continued to publish "open criticism" of the military rule of Ne Win's new party, the [[Burma Socialist Programme Party]].<ref name=Irr/> In 1964, U Thaung, along with three other editors, was arrested for his writing and imprisoned without charge.<ref name=IPI/> ''Kyemon'' was nationalized on 1 September 1964, followed by several other papers, marking the end of a free Burmese press for more than fifty years.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.asiapacificms.com/papers/pdf/burma_access_to_information.pdf |title=Access to Information: The Case of Burma |author=Bertil Lintner |date= |work= |publisher=Asia Pacific Media Services |accessdate=5 February 2012}}</ref> |
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==Post-release== |
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U Thaung was pardoned in 1967. He then began work at the Burmese Ministry of Information and again permitted to write columns; however, his license was revoked when his popular column again became too critical of the government.<ref name=IPI/> In 1977, he was granted permission to travel to the US, where he began work for ''The Missiourian'', based in [[Washington]], [[Missouri]]. While in the US, he continued to criticize Burmese military rule, most notably in a ''[[Reader's Digest]]'' article describing his three years of imprisonment. In retaliation, the Ne Win government revoked his passport, leaving him unable to travel or return home. The US government later granted him [[political asylum.<ref name=IPI/> |
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U Thaung continued to condemn military rule in Burma through essays and books for the next three decades.<ref name=IPI/> Two of these books-- ''General Ne Win and His Executioners'' (1990) and ''A Journalist, a General and an Army in Burma'' (1995)--became bestsellers.<ref name=Irr/> He also became a consultant for [[Radio Free Asia]] and served as editor-in-chief of the ''New Era Journal'', an independent Burmese news publication printed in Thailand and illegally smuggled into Burma.<ref name=IPI/> |
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On 3 April 2008, U Thaung died in Fort [[Lauderdale]], [[Florida]], having never returned to Burma.<ref name=IPI/> He had worked for over sixty years, leading [[Democratic Voice of Burma]] to dub him "Burma's longest-serving journalist".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dvb.no/uncategorized/veteran-journalist-kyemon-u-thaung-dies-at-82/1197 |title=Veteran journalist Kyemon U Thaung dies at 82 |author= |date=5 February 2012 |work= |publisher=[[Democratic Voice of Burma]] |accessdate=5 February 2012}}</ref> |
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==Personal life== |
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U Thaung was married to Tin Tin Win, with whom he had five children, now living in the US.<ref name=Irr/> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 17:45, 5 February 2012
U Thaung (born as "Aung Ba La", 4 October 1926, Nyaung Oo, Burma; died 3 April 2008, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA) was a Burmese author and journalist. In 1957, he founded the newspaper Kyemon, which quickly became the most popular in Burma. In 2000, he was named one of the International Press Institute's 50 World Press Freedom Heroes of the past half-century.[1]
Work with Kyemon
U Thaung was born "Aung Ba La" in Nyaung Oo township, Mandalay Division, to Thar Phan and Daw Oak.[2] He began his literary career with humor writing and plays,[3] entering journalism in 1947 with the Yangon-based newspaper The Burma Times. Within four years, at the age of 25, he had become the newspaper's editor-in-chief.[1]
In 1957, he founded his own independent daily, which he titled Kyemon (English: "The Mirror"). The paper was an immediate success, and its circulation rose to 55,000 over the next seven years, more than twice the circulation of its next closest competitor.[1]
The following year, following a split in Prime Minister U Nu's Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League, General Ne Win was given control of a two-year caretaker government. The military government immediately began to restrict press freedoms, imprisoning journalists and dissidents.[1] Kyemon was briefly confiscated by the authorities, but returned to U Thaung's control after U Nu's 1960 return to power.[1]
Ne Win took control again, however, in a 1962 coup d'état. For the next two years, Kyemon continued to publish "open criticism" of the military rule of Ne Win's new party, the Burma Socialist Programme Party.[2] In 1964, U Thaung, along with three other editors, was arrested for his writing and imprisoned without charge.[1] Kyemon was nationalized on 1 September 1964, followed by several other papers, marking the end of a free Burmese press for more than fifty years.[4]
Post-release
U Thaung was pardoned in 1967. He then began work at the Burmese Ministry of Information and again permitted to write columns; however, his license was revoked when his popular column again became too critical of the government.[1] In 1977, he was granted permission to travel to the US, where he began work for The Missiourian, based in Washington, Missouri. While in the US, he continued to criticize Burmese military rule, most notably in a Reader's Digest article describing his three years of imprisonment. In retaliation, the Ne Win government revoked his passport, leaving him unable to travel or return home. The US government later granted him [[political asylum.[1]
U Thaung continued to condemn military rule in Burma through essays and books for the next three decades.[1] Two of these books-- General Ne Win and His Executioners (1990) and A Journalist, a General and an Army in Burma (1995)--became bestsellers.[2] He also became a consultant for Radio Free Asia and served as editor-in-chief of the New Era Journal, an independent Burmese news publication printed in Thailand and illegally smuggled into Burma.[1]
On 3 April 2008, U Thaung died in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, having never returned to Burma.[1] He had worked for over sixty years, leading Democratic Voice of Burma to dub him "Burma's longest-serving journalist".[5]
Personal life
U Thaung was married to Tin Tin Win, with whom he had five children, now living in the US.[2]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "U Thaung, Burma". International Press Institute. 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
- ^ a b c d Min Lwin (4 April 2008). "Journalist Kyemon U Thaung Dies in US Exile". The Irrawaddy. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Journalist Mirror U Thaung passes away". Mizzima News. 4 April 2008. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Bertil Lintner. "Access to Information: The Case of Burma" (PDF). Asia Pacific Media Services. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
- ^ "Veteran journalist Kyemon U Thaung dies at 82". Democratic Voice of Burma. 5 February 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2012.