Agartala: The Myanmar military regime has refused to allow foreign media into earthquake-stricken areas, saying rescue efforts and infrastructure issues prevent their entry.
Regime spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun confirmed the decision on Sunday through a voice message to regime-affiliated media. He cited difficulties with accommodation, power outages, water shortages, and ongoing rescue operations led by officials from the regional to the ward levels.
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Only a few Myanmar-based foreign media outlets and pro-regime news organizations are permitted to report from the disaster zones. Most independent Myanmar media, forced into exile due to the junta’s crackdown, are covering the disaster remotely, relying on reports from local residents and underground journalists inside the country.