How Myanmar’s media covered the student protests

Front page of The Messenger, whose motto is “Right Time, Right News,” features a depiction of a civilian security guard in red armband dragging away a protester. The illustration is based on a real photo that went viral on social media in Myanmar. PHOTO/COCONUTS MEDIA

Student protests went from standoff to face-off last week as authorities arrested protesters in Letpadan, about 90 miles to the north of Yangon, and cracked down on a solidarity gathering in the city itself. Local journalists covered the scuffles and many newspapers put the story on their front pages, though with a variety of different approaches and even illustrations, common in Burmese media. Below are five front pages of newspapers, depicting news from the end of last week, when the relative peace between protesters and authorities began to break down.

THE POLITICS

Front page from the March 5th edition of The Politics seeks a more abstract, if not very subtle, depiction of the crackdowns. PHOTO/COCONUTS MEDIA

THE MESSENGER
 

Front page of the March 9th edition of The Messenger, which was on newstands Sunday. The illustration is a reference to civilian thugs in red armbands hired to disperse protesters at Sule Pagoda on Thursday. It was inspired by a real photo that went viral on social media. PHOTO/COCONUTS MEDIA

THAMAGA NEWS JOURNAL
 

The front page from a weekend edition of the Thamaga News Journal, whose motto is Liberty, Equity, Unity

THE VOICE
 

The Voice’s Saturday edition captures the chaotic nature of the crackdown. PHOTO/COCONUTS MEDIA

THE TRADE TIMES
 

Front page of The Trade Times weekend edition, which displays up-close photos of confrontations beween police and protesters. PHOTO/COCONUTS MEDIA