The Democratic Voice of Burma has been reporting since 1992, but only for the last 8 years it has operated ‘above ground’ with a legal status and a (very costly) broadcast license since 2 years. Since the February 1st coup d’état DVB’s TV signal was switches off by the army, but it kept disseminating the news nevertheless. DVB has ‘underground reporting’ in its DNA so to say.

How this is done in detail remains secret, to protect the brave journalists risking their lives daily. But it is no secret DVB reaches now 24 million people a month on Facebook alone. Also, DVB relaunched its former satellite signal through the Thai PSI dish, which is received by an estimated 10 million people across the country. So even though the internet is switched off every night, lots of people can watch DVB TV if they have the small black PSI dish.

The DVB studio in Yangon with the new video wall, last January. It is expected to be raided by the army soon.

As DVB’s external media developer working from the safe EU online, it has been a terrible but also incredible month; to see the young democracy collapse, slipping back into dark dictatorial days is extremely sad and frustrating. At the same time, it is really inspiring to see how courageous and vibrant most Burmese are, protesting day after day, every day knowing it could be their last by facing unarmed the triggerhappy police and army officers.

Most hopeful is to see a growing sense of unity between the deeply divided groups in society. Most of the many ethnic minorities have been fighting the Burmese army for decades, while the ethnic dominant ‘Bamar’ have enjoyed relative peace and freedom in the last decade. This divide seems to shrink fast under pressure of the Tatmadaw (Burmese army) that is fighting everybody. It would be a sweet revenge if the coup d’état ultimately leads to a finally united federal Myanmar.

Facebook screenshot of the Mobile Talkshow: one of DVB's new 'illegal formats'.

Most inspiring are the reporters from DVB, who have quickly switched to an ‘unseen reporting mode’, with lots of precautions and smart tricks to report on the streets without being caught. The 8pm news anchor now stands in the middle of protests, while new formats pop-up: e.g. the ‘Mobile Talkshow’ is a TV program, recorded inside a mini van, parked at unknown locations.

The work is incredibly dangerous. Unfortunately two reporters have been arrested last week and are being detained without a process nor access to a lawyer. One of these days the army with raid DVB's offices in Yangon to steal computers and flatscreens. It only strengthens the other journalists at DVB to keep reporting the facts, especially now it is officially illegal!

Watch DVB on Facebook, Youtube, Twitter and Dailymotion.
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- Article by Dutch public broadcaster NOS: 'Myanmar army declares independent media outlaw'
- Own article in NRC Handelsblad: 'News about Myanmar from a laundry room'.