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 Bhutan’s welcoming of the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) has opened the door to media freedom in the country and has come at an important time with elections looming.
Bhutan is the last of eight South Asian countries to join the association, which was established in 2000 as an associate body of SAARC, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. SAFMA has been the second international media watchdogs besides Third World Media Network (TWMN), which is based in Bangladesh, that has allowed Bhutanese journalists to open a country chapter. TWMN has been working for Bhutanese journalists living in exile in Nepal and India since September 2006. SAFMA is a non governmental body, made up of journalists from all media sectors who are striving to strengthen media capacity, promote access to and free flow of information, strengthen regional cooperation through SAARC and defend and expand press freedom. SAFMA aims to strengthen networking among media stakeholders, especially working journalists to improve professional standards through journalism education, training and capacity building and promoting press freedom. General secretary of SAFMA, Imtiaz Alam, who was in the Bhutan capital Thimphu for the launch, said that the move was timely as Bhutan moves towards democracy next year. He has also stressed that freedom of media is essential in that transition and beyond, with the important part media has to play in a democratic system.  Bhutanese journalists working inside the country have been subject to government control and censorship. Hundreds who demanded press freedom were detained during the demonstrations in the early 1990s and some are still missing. SAFMA needs investigate this as a matter of urgency. 
Bhutanese journalists working inside the country have been subject to government control and censorship. Hundreds who demanded press freedom were detained during the demonstrations in the early 1990s and some are still missing. SAFMA needs investigate this as a matter of urgency. SAFMA also needs to will recognizes media professionals and activists including press organizations in exile. Similarly, this regional body must not avoid its responsibilities to extending its cooperation and support to organizations operating in the Bhutanese refugee community so that a joint effort can be set up to guarantee media freedom for all Bhutanese. With Bhutan lacking press, it is difficult for any international media or rights body to operate in free and fair atmosphere inside the country. Undoubtedly, SAFMA will face similar challenges as the days to go. It has to be remembered that the Bhutanese government blocked one of the popular site, The Bhutan Times, from being viewed within the country. SAFMA should now take steps to allow the Bhutan Times to be viewed within the country. This will be a notable step towards media freedom.
Bhutan’s general election takes place next year. There are no indications that the elections will not be free and fair. However SAFMA must ensure that its presence means that it will be able to scrutinize the events surround the voting and results to ensure that Bhutan is indeed becoming an open society with a free media.
The writer, T.P. Mishra, is president of Third World Media Network - Bhutan Chapter and the editor of the Bhutan News Service (BNS) and chief coordinator for Helping Hand - Bhutan (a social organisation). He is also the winner of Bhutan’s journalist of the year award, 2006.
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