To counter repeated Internet cuts and try to win the information battle, the Burmese youth circulate under the cloak “Molotov”, the underground newspaper of those who resist the junta coup.
The country has been hit with Internet shutdowns for 56 days in a row, according to NetBlocks, a specialist observatory based in the United Kingdom.
Burma was the scene of a military coup in early February that ousted democratically elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi from power and sparked a massive protest movement, which sparked a bloody crackdown that left more than 700 dead among civilians.
It was Lynn Thant, a pseudonym, who created this underground bulletin by giving it the name of “Molotov” in order to make it attractive to young people.
“This is our response to those who want to slow down the flow of information,” said the 30-year-old man to AFP.
Across the country, thousands of readers are downloading the PDF version of this publication, before printing it and distributing copies in Yangon, Mandalay and other cities.
Lynn Thant is well aware of the risks involved in editing it.
More than 3,000 people have been arrested since the putsch, according to the Association for Aid to Political Prisoners.
In addition, around 180 celebrities, including actors, singers and influencers are currently wanted for their engagement against the junta, risking years of detention if arrested and convicted.
“If we write groundbreaking content and distribute it like that, we risk going to jail for many years,” says Lynn Thant, her face hidden under a “V for Vendetta” mask.
“Even if one of us is arrested, there are young people who will continue to produce this newsletter. Even if one of us is killed, someone else will take his place. The Molotov newsletter will exist until the revolution triumphs. “
He says the post has an audience of over 30,000 people on Facebook, mostly Gen Z.
Hard copies are also distributed covertly in markets.
Burma lived for almost half a century under military rule before the transition to democracy that began in 2011. And the country has a long experience of underground publications.
Independent media are currently under serious threat in Burma, where 64 journalists have been arrested since the coup, including 33 who are still in detention, according to the ASEAN reporting organization.