Thread: Burma : Ross Dunkley arrested

The Post’s publisher walks free from court
Friday, 01 July 2011


Ross Dunkley at court in Yangon yesterday.
Photo by: Thomas Kean

Publisher Ross Dunkley is preparing to return to Phnom Penh following the end of his trial in Myanmar, 140 days after it began.

Dunkley was found guilty of one of four charges relating to an incident in Yangon on January 18. He was sentenced to 30 days in prison, but as he had already spent 47 days in the notor-ious Insein Prison, he walked from the court a free man.

As a result of that conviction, however, he was also found guilty of breaching his visa conditions and was fined K100,000 (about US$100).

Dunkley said immediately after leaving the court that he would appeal to clear his name.

Dunkley, a co-founder of The Myanmar Times and the publisher of The Phnom Penh Post, was convicted of causing minor injuries to Myanmar woman Ma Khine Zar Lin, a charge he strongly denies. “The doctor called to to give evidence said this could have been caused by anything,” Dunkley said after the verdict was handed down.

“The girl wanted to withdraw the case twice. I absolutely deny that I touched this girl inappropriately.

“I was merely looking after this girl to get her to a taxi. I was worried about her, that’s all.

“I don’t hurt people. I don’t grab them by the neck or do anything stupid like that. Ever-yone knows I don’t do that.

“Many people have known me for a long, long time, all of my staff, they know that I’m not capable of doing such an act, so therefore I will appeal it.

“I will appeal this and hope to win it as time goes by.”

The hearing, which began about 2pm yesterday, was attended by staff from The Myanmar Times and more than 20 local and foreign journalists.

As soon as the session started, U Aung Min, the judge for Kamaryut township, read the verdict. The judge found Dunkley not guilty of providing Ma Khine Zar Lin with drugs, pointing to the fact that Ma Khine Zar Lin did not mention being drugged in the first information report and only said it later at the court. Additionally, police found no drugs when they searched Dunkley’s home.

U Aung Min repeated testimony from a doctor who said the injuries to Ma Khine Zar Lin’s neck could have been caused by traditional medical treatment and the injury to her forehead could have occurred when she hit her head in Dunkley’s car. However, the court found Dunkley guilty of causing minor injuries to Ma Khine Zar Lin, and subsequently of violating Section 13(1) of the Immigration Act.

When final arguments were presented at the 18th hearing on June 21, Dunkley’s lawyer, U Aung Than Soe, said there was no evidence that his client had committed the offences for which he had been charged and, according to the principle of presumption of innocence, he should therefore be acquitted.

U Aung Than Soe referred to differences between the first information report and the court testimony of Ma Khine Zar Lin, the main witness for the prosecution, whose allegations included being held against her will at Dunkley’s house between January 16 and January 18 this year.

Defence witnesses testified at the previous hearing on June 16 that Ma Khine Zar Lin was not present at Dunkley’s home between January 16 and 18.

One of the defence witnesses testified at the June 16 hearing that Dunkley had arrived home with Ma Khine Zar Lin late on January 18, but had left with her in his car within about 15 minutes and had returned home alone 15 minutes later.

Dunkley told the June 16 hearing he had never supplied drugs to Ma Khine Zar Lin, that there were no drugs in his home and that he had never broken the law in Myanmar.

In February, Ma Khine Zar Lin submitted an application to withdraw her charges against Dunkley, and approval for her to do so was granted in May.

Post Media chairman David Armstrong has previously said that Dunkley’s arrest came amid discussions with his Burmese partners over the newspaper’s ownership.

phnompenhpost.com

Australian media magnate banned from leaving Myanmar
Sunday, 21 April 2013

Tomas Ojea Quintana (left), UN Special Envoy to Myanmar, meeting with Ross Dunkley (right) at The Myanmar Times Head Office
(Photo - EMG)

Ross Dunkley, managing director of Myanmar Consolidated Media (MCM), was banned from leaving Myanmar for which his court case was claimed as reason despite court’s permission in his hand according to The Myanmar Times journal published yesterday.

Dunkley, the Australian media magnate in Myanmar, co-founded MCM with Sonny Swe (Myat Swe) in 2000, and the company is publishing The Myanmar Times, a well-known weekly journal in the country.

Dunkley and Khin Moe Moe, managing director of Swe Sone Media Group and wife of Dr Tin Tun Oo who is the chief executive officer of MCM, have filed reciprocal lawsuit on personal conflicts last January, as the latter took five strangers into the MCM office and the former argued over it.

Dunkley was stopped at the airport by the immigration officers when he arrived there for his business trip to Cambodia and Thailand. This was despite the court’s permission Dunkley received on April 8 as he promised to appear at court on trial.

The immigration officers stopped him at the airport on April 11 failing to give proper reasons. On the following day, Dunkley went to the airport and showed the airport officers the court’s permission and the appeal letter to the respective minister. He did not receive any reply for green light until April 17 yet, even though he sent the original certificates to the Ministry of Immigration and Population in capital Nay Pyi Taw on April 16.

There were public criticisms over the incident as Dunkley was banned from leaving the country despite the court’s permission and some people questioned the country’s reforms towards democracy.

The Myanmar Times quoted a foreign investor’s comment that he was very surprised at the incident. He said that the reason why investors brought their hard-earned money here is because they believe they can come here freely and will be treated fairly in accordance with the country’s laws.

Similar events were common during previous military regime. However, this is the first time such incident has occurred since the civil administration ruled the country, although some journalists from time to time find unnecessary delays at passport application process before their overseas trips.

Dr Tin Tun Oo (right) at the meeting of Myanmar Printers and Publishers Association attended by Information Deputy Minister Ye Htut (left)
(Photo - EMG)

In fact, Ross Dunkley, a long-time investor in Myanmar’s media industry, and co-founder Sonny Swe encountered similar ordeals at other times.

In 2005, Sonny Swe and his wife were forced by then Information Minister Kyaw San to sell their stakes with reasons linked political. Ross Dunkley bought some stakes and continued his leading role of MCM as chief executive officer.

On February 11, 2011, Ross Dunkley was arrested for breaching immigration laws and assaulting a sex worker. Three day after his arrest, Dr Tin Tun Oo, a close associate of Myanmar authorities, took the position of chief executive officer. Dunkley was made to pay fines for his offence, and released later.

Dr Tin Tun Oo, chairman of Swe Sone Media Group and holder of 51 percent stake in MCM, is close to the Ministry of Information and has close relationship with former and present Information Minister. He usually accompanies President’s trips, too.

He supported the controversial Printing and Publishing Bill devised by the Information Ministry apparently to control media in the country but postponed later by the parliament for necessary review. He once tried to become a member of parliament from Puzundaung township, Yangon region, but failed in his attempt.

elevenmyanmar.com

He deserves to be arrested with a name like that. I bet he used to be a ginger, too.