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| The Irrawaddy (magazine) | |
|---|---|
| Title | The Irrawaddy |
| Category | News magazine |
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Firstdate | 1993 |
| Country | Myanmar |
| Language | English, Burmese |
The Irrawaddy (magazine) is an independent news magazine founded in 1993 by exiled Burmese journalists and activists. It reports on politics, human rights, and culture related to Myanmar, covering events and actors across Southeast Asia and global institutions. The magazine has been cited in analyses involving Aung San Suu Kyi, Than Shwe, Min Aung Hlaing, State Peace and Development Council, National League for Democracy, Tatmadaw, Kachin Independence Army, Karen National Union, Shan State Army, United Nations, ASEAN, UN Security Council, International Criminal Court, International Court of Justice, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Asian Human Rights Commission, Reporters Without Borders, Committee to Protect Journalists, The New York Times, BBC, Al Jazeera, Reuters, The Guardian, The Washington Post, Foreign Policy, The Economist, Asia Times, and South China Morning Post.
The magazine was established in 1993 by exiles including Aung Zaw, who had contacts with figures in Rangoon exile communities and Burmese diaspora networks in Bangkok, Geneva, Washington, D.C., and Chiang Mai. Early reporting focused on clashes involving the Karen National Liberation Army, Kachin Independence Army, Shan State Army and ceasefire accords such as the 1994 Myanmar–Thailand border conflict and negotiations with the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma. During the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the 2007 Saffron Revolution, the magazine provided coverage alongside outlets like DVB and Mizzima. After the 2010 general election and the 2011–2015 reforms under Thein Sein, it expanded from exile operations to reporters operating inside Yangon, Mandalay, Naypyidaw, and ethnic areas. Following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, the magazine documented arrests tied to Civil Disobedience Movement, reporting on actions by Min Aung Hlaing and responses from ASEAN and the United States.
The Irrawaddy states an editorial mission of independent journalism, emphasizing investigative reporting on figures such as Ne Win, Saw Maung, Tin Oo, Ko Ni, Zaw Min and institutions like the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, State Administrative Council, National Unity Government (Myanmar), Myanmar National Human Rights Commission, Ethnic Brotherhood Alliance, and humanitarian responses by UNICEF, UNHCR, and Médecins Sans Frontières. Content spans analysis of peace talks involving the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (2015), coverage of conflicts like the Rohingya crisis, and cultural pieces on writers such as Thakin Kodaw Hmaing, Khin Hnin Yu, Ma Thida and artists connected to Myanmar Film Festival and Bagan heritage debates. It has published investigative pieces on sanctions imposed by the European Union, United States Department of the Treasury, and import-export practices linked to conglomerates like Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited and Myanmar Economic Corporation.
Initially available in print for diaspora communities in Thailand, India, Japan, Australia, United Kingdom, and United States, the magazine transitioned to online platforms hosted outside Myanmar with servers linked to providers in Thailand and Singapore. Revenue streams have included subscriptions, grants from philanthropic organizations such as Open Society Foundations, partnerships with institutes like International Crisis Group, and advertising from international NGOs including Save the Children and OXFAM. Distribution networks have intersected with NGOs operating in responses to crises in Rakhine State, Kachin State, and Chin State, and with academic libraries at institutions such as Harvard University, Yale University, SOAS University of London, and Australian National University.
The magazine has acted as a bridge between exile opposition actors like the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma and domestic reformers within the National League for Democracy, influencing international perceptions via outlets including The New York Times, BBC World Service, and CNN. It covered landmark events such as the conditional release of political prisoners, negotiations involving the Peace Process and leaders like Aung San Suu Kyi, and international diplomatic engagements with countries including China, India, Japan, United States, and Thailand. The publication has been cited in analyses of sanctions, transitional justice, and transitional arrangements involving the Union Election Commission (Myanmar) and post-coup resistance led by groups like the People's Defence Force.
The magazine and its staff have faced legal challenges including summonses and arrests tied to domestic statutes enforced by the State Administration Council and previous regimes such as charges related to the Official Secrets Act (Myanmar), defamation suits by figures associated with USDP and business conglomerates, and cyberattacks traced to actors in Myanmar and neighboring jurisdictions. International organizations including Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders have protested actions taken against its journalists. Its reporting on sensitive topics—such as allegations involving military-run businesses and the Rohingya conflict—provoked diplomatic pushback from embassies of Myanmar and statements from the Ministry of Information (Myanmar).
Contributors have included veteran journalists and analysts who reported on figures such as Aung Zaw, Maung Thura (Zarganar), Ma Thida, Sein Win, Khin Ohmar, Min Zin, Kyaw Zwa Moe, and scholars with links to Columbia University, Chulalongkorn University, National University of Singapore, and Bangkok Post. The magazine broke or amplified stories on events including the Depayin massacre, the Saffron Revolution, the 2015 general election (Myanmar), the 2017 Myanmar clashes, the 2012 Rakhine riots, and the 2021 coup, and featured interviews with international figures like Ban Ki-moon, Samantha Power, John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, and Noam Chomsky in relation to Myanmar policy debates.
The Irrawaddy has influenced scholarship and policy debates at think tanks such as International Crisis Group, Chatham House, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Brookings Institution, and Asia Foundation. Its archives are used by researchers examining transitions involving leaders like Thein Sein and Aung San Suu Kyi, peace negotiations with ethnic armed organizations, and human rights reporting used in inquiries at the International Court of Justice and by the United Nations Human Rights Council. The magazine remains cited in coverage by major media, taught in courses on Southeast Asian studies, and referenced in memoirs by dissidents, activists, and diplomats involved in Myanmar’s modern history.
Category:Magazines established in 1993 Category:English-language magazines Category:Myanmar media