By Kantarawaddy Times
Since the military coup in Myanmar, internet access has been cut off in Karenni State, leaving many displaced people relying solely on radio for news and information, according to locals.
Local residents report that radio has become crucial for receiving updates on the situation in areas they cannot reach and for warning each other about potential dangers.
A local man told Kantarawaddy Times, “It’s very helpful. Even if we are returning home, there are landmines. With these warnings, we are informed. We listen to the radio, receive warnings, and then pass on the information to our children, worrying they might step on landmines. Radio is very helpful for getting news.”
Despite the importance of radio for receiving information, many people cannot afford to buy radios due to a lack of basic necessities like food. In some IDP camps, only one radio is available for the entire camp to listen to together, said U Marku, Kantarawaddy Times’s coordinator.
U Marku continued to explain, “In some places we went to, there was only one radio in the entire camp, and everyone had to listen to it. So, given the current situation, radio is the best and sometimes the only way for them to get information.”
This radio distribution program began in 2022, with 1,500 radios distributed in Dee Maw Hso and Pruso. In 2023, the organization distributed another 2,000 radios. In 2024, the program expanded to distribute 5,000 radios in LoiKaw, Dee Maw Hso, Pruso, Mese, and Bawlake townships.
