In the 1950s and early 1960s, Burma published credible and respectful newspapers and had the highest standards for professional journalists in Southeast Asia. I think it is now time to restore our credibility. The government should encourage it and we are ready to help them out. Aung Zaw also welcomed the decision to lift the ban on certain websites, including The Irrawaddy. But he also said it is time for Burma to integrate into the world community and not depend on China alone, and to make this happen Burma should make political reforms.
Although the November 2010 election was widely criticized, Aung Zaw said that President Thein Sein has the opportunity to make genuine reforms, and if he does so then, “People will acknowledge and recognize the government.”He said that Burma needs both a credible government and a credible opposition.
When asked about a possible return to Burma, he noted that many prominent exiles are still waiting to see since there is currently no official amnesty. “I want to return to Burma to publish both English and Burmese languages newspapers, when Burma is free and there are no restrictions on the press,” he said, but also stressed that the release of political prisoners—particularly journalists, photographers and bloggers who are now behind bars—is a priority before that can happen. “We will go back to Burma with dignity,” Aung Zaw said.
Following the Weekly Eleven interview with Aung Zaw, Burma’s Press Censorship and Registration Division director Tint Swe told Radio Free Asia on Saturday that his own department should be shut down. "Press censorship is non-existent in most other countries as well as among our neighbors, and as it is not in harmony with democratic practices, press censorship should be abolished in the near future,” he said, adding that newspapers and other publications should accept press freedom with responsibilities.
2011.10.10 The Irrawaddy - -interview with Aung Zaw, the exile-based editor of The Irrawaddy