Communication today has made the world a much smaller place, as we sit in our living rooms and watch history unfold throughout the globe. Often what we see on our television screens, is painful and sometimes incomprehensible, but through brilliant reporting by brave professionals, we are provided with a closer look at situations that decades ago, you read in a few paragraphs, and simply went about your business.

Despite great strides in the tools of reporting, there are still countries that prefer to keep the eyes of the world away from the way they conduct their business, which often is a clouded in secrecy, and a powerful hand capable of crushing anyone who seeks a more open and free society.

It is a shame that after two major world wars to protect freedom, there are still people being crushed and beaten to death in various parts of the globe, simply because they expressed a different view from those in the seats of power.

Making it harder for these tyrants to operate in total darkness are the communication gadgets of the day that everyone, including reporters, can use to reveal what was previously kept in the shadows and away from the free press.

Two recent major tragedies in the world that have dominated the headlines have in a strange way highlighted the urgent need to defend freedom, including that of reporting truths, despite the effect it might have on a Government's image. Much of the world is still in a daze over the shocking aftermath of the earthquake in China – where the total death toll is yet to be determined – and the terrible loss of life from a cyclone in Myanmar.

The deeply disturbing factors of these two tragic situations many miles apart, is that the freedom factor played a part in how the world could respond to assist the many survivors who needed help from anyone, anywhere just to stay alive.

It is no secret that the powerful military regime in Myanmar wanted to keep the door closed to the outside world, despite the magnitude of the disaster, because the glare of lights would also once again show a country where, in this day and age, people are denied basic freedoms.

Much of the world agonised over that Government's reluctance to allow relief workers from other countries to assist victims throughout the ravaged area. They even tried to block the press from getting a close look at the true picture. The British Prime Minister described the actions of Burma as bordering on criminal.

Although this behaviour was expected from this type of dictatorial regime, it was still a tormenting experience for those relief workers who could only sit and watch as thousands who were in dire need of help were simply left stranded.

However, in China a new chapter was opened in the way it allowed the world to respond, even though it had great resources to tackle the immediate crisis from the earthquake that left thousands buried and towns reduced to piles of rubble. With many thousands dead, the wide open rescue effort resulted in stories of remarkable rescues involving survivors who had been buried for days.

Reporters were operating under dreadful conditions, while doing their utmost to preserve dignity despite the gruesome pictures that lay before the view finder. Sometimes one picture can tell the whole story. Stamped in the minds of many around the world, was the picture of a child's hand amid the rubble still clutching a pencil. The significant factor to the observer here was that China, despite its record of secrecy, was willing to throw its doors open for international assistance in trying to come to grips with a tragedy that rocked that nation and the world.

This was a small victory for press freedom. It is a step in the right direction, even though only time will tell whether this will mark a new day in China's stance toward a better relationship with the free press.

Sadly, officials in Myanmar are far from ready to throw open doors to the world press, despite the heavy loss of life and efforts by the United Nations to penetrate a diplomatic wall designed to keep the Myanmar regime in power .

There are still countries where thousands suffer on a daily basis from Government's that rule with an iron fist and resent the press who they view as the enemy simply because they reveal truths these Governments would much rather hide.

The ongoing battle to defend freedom is still being waged in different parts of the globe, but thanks to modern communication techniques, that battle will not be fought in darkness anymore. Here in Bermuda, with our small population, we must collectively ensure that freedom to express ourselves without fear is protected and never taken for granted.

If we ever lose that freedom, democracy as we know it, will also crumble.

Every voice is important in a democracy, and that alone is worth defending.