- Myat Moe Thu is a freelance journalist reporting from within Myanmar's conflict zones, specifically between Shan and Kayah (Karenni) States.
- A 2026 recipient of the Exile Hub’s Critical Voices Fellowship, she documents the impacts of the post-2021 coup civil war.
- Her work emphasizes reporting ethics, civilian dignity, and truth-telling as a form of resistance against enforced silence.
Professional Challenges
- Reporting occurs without standard protective equipment or institutional safety guarantees.
- Women in the field face unique barriers, including cultural biases that deem war reporting unsuitable for women and practical challenges like limited privacy and travel complications.
- Maintaining trust is difficult; journalists are often misunderstood or unfairly conflated with intelligence agents by both local communities and family members.
The Realities of Conflict Reporting
- Myat Moe Thu transitioned from a marketing career to journalism, covering armed conflict long before the 2021 coup.
- She operates primarily within "liberated territories" and remains inside the country to bear witness to events like aerial bombardments in civilian areas.
- The work is characterized by high levels of mental and emotional exhaustion, with limited access to support resources for journalists inside the conflict zones.
- She defines the necessity of her work not by the absence of fear, but by a commitment to the truth and the absence of regret regarding her professional choices.