Sat May 10 03:38:43 UTC 2025: ## Defiant Myanmar Journalists Risk Lives to Report Amidst War and Funding Cuts

**LASHIO, Shan State, Myanmar** – Despite facing constant threats of arrest, violence, and dwindling funding, the Shan State-based news outlet Shwe Phee Myay continues to provide crucial on-the-ground reporting from within Myanmar’s war-torn regions. The outlet’s journalists, many operating under pseudonyms for safety, navigate landmines, aerial bombardments, and military crackdowns to document the devastating impact of the ongoing civil war on civilians.

One video journalist, Mai Rupa, recounts witnessing countless injuries and deaths, highlighting the immense emotional toll of their work. Shwe Phee Myay’s commitment is even more remarkable considering the exodus of most journalists following the 2021 military coup, which crushed media freedoms. The outlet’s reporters have already endured office raids, arrests (including a two-year imprisonment of one reporter), and the constant threat of violence. Their clandestine operations, often relying on backroads to avoid military checkpoints, allow them to report on crucial events like the recent earthquake, when international media access was blocked.

The situation has been further exacerbated by significant cuts to international funding, primarily from USAID, due to recent US government policy shifts. These cuts have created an “existential crisis” for numerous independent Myanmar media organizations, including Shwe Phee Myay, forcing staff reductions and program cancellations. The loss of support from organizations like the Voice of America and Radio Free Asia leaves a gaping information void.

Despite these challenges, Shwe Phee Myay, with its large Facebook following, remains a vital source of information for the Myanmar people. Editor-in-chief Mai Rukaw acknowledges the potential need to shut down operations due to funding shortages but emphasizes the team’s unwavering resolve to continue reporting, driven by a commitment to providing vital information in the face of the military’s information control. The outlet’s persistence underscores the critical role independent journalism plays in documenting human rights abuses and providing a counter-narrative to the military regime, even amidst extraordinary risks. With 35 journalists currently imprisoned in Myanmar, the work of outlets like Shwe Phee Myay is more vital than ever.

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