18th December,2015
M-Media
Translated by Aung Thura
Series of anti-Muslim rhetoric which were decreased before and after the Myanmar’s historic election have been widely seen again in recent days.
Social media accounts of so called nationalist have played in a major role in these outburst of incitements by spreading hoax news about Myanmar Muslims and their places of worship.
Some Muslims and Yangon Division Police Force have cleared some of these false claims. Some incitements that went viral on social network are as follow:
10th December
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1. ‘Wira Mos Sess’, a Facebook page which is always stoking religious hatred, posted a hoax news – in which they accused a Mosque in 48th Street, downtown Yangon of accepting more than hundred illegal strangers. By checking on the ground, Yangon Police Force have responded quickly via Facebook that the news was wrong.
(http://www.m-mediagroup.com/news/49742)
2. Some nationalists have claimed that they found an IS flag by posting a photo of black flag in a Shia Muslim’s community center in Downtown Yangon and they also made up the story that Muslims are preparing to commit terror attacks. In fact, this flag is a symbol of sadness for their late religious leaders and does not resemble a flag used by IS terrorist group. Yangon Police Force have cleared the false claim and explained the true meaning of Shia Muslim flag.
(http://www.m-mediagroup.com/news/49760)
11th December
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3. Anti-NLD Facebook page, ‘Dr DemoSiekphwar (account created with Burmese words)’ posted an article with the title of ‘Muslim Kalars have raided the Mandalay International Airport’. Insulting the country’s Muslims, this post have urged to destroy business owned by Muslims.
12th December
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4. A Facebook post attached a photo of a building in Tachilek, eastern border town with Thailand, went viral from anti-Muslim Facebook page ‘Soe Paing’. Although this under construction building is a house owned by local tycoon U Saing Saing, the post accused of Muslims are building a Mosque. But local residents have expressed concern about this fake news and explained the true story with photo of building design.
(http://www.m-mediagroup.com/news/49811)
5. ‘Soe Piaing’ also described Shia Muslims’ black flag from a Mosque in Mawlamying as IS flag in his another post.
6. A group of nationalists led by hate monger Nay Myo Wai, chairman of hate based political party, gathered to create conflict by shouting and abusing in front of a Shia Mosque at 38th Street, downtown Yangon for flying a black flag – a symbol of sadness for their late religious leaders and does not resemble a flag used by IS terrorist group. Nay Myo Wai who also called to kill opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi before has arranged this criminal act through his Facebook page. Officials from Shia Mosque have decided to keep their religious flag to avoid conflict.
7. Hantharwady News, a Facebook based news agency, have spread anti-Muslims hatred by posting an article ‘there is no treatment if rabid Muslims Dog bites you’. In this baseless article, there were number of sentences which threaten the existence of Myanmar Muslim and intend to create communal violence.
8. Anti-NLD and anti-Muslims Facebook account ‘Naung Taw Lay’ made up a story that Muslims are going to gather to prepare terror attacks using an ad of annual Muslims religious festival in Thanlyin Township, a suburb of Yangon. In this post, he also called to eradicate all Muslim in Myanmar.
14th December
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9. ‘Hinin Hinin Aye’ (account created with Burmese words) posted a photo of an Islamic religious school ‘Madinatul Ulum Arabic University’ and claimed this institute is an illegal building urging to destroy it. Situated in Yaindaw Township of Miekhtila district, this religious center was a shelter of Muslim victims from Meikhtila violence that was hit in March 2013.
10. May Yu Ya Paing, daughter of lawyer U Aye Paing (who is a member of anti-Muslim organization Ma Ba Tha) has written anti-Muslim rhetoric from her Facebook page by posting photos of certificate-giving ceremony from ‘Myanmar Garden Arabic Institute’, an Islamic religious school opened in south eastern town of Mawlamying. She also claimed the institute as illegal building.
15th December
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11. One of the leader of Myanmar political party, National Development Party, has participated in those series of anti-Muslims activities by posting photos of Muslim wedding ceremony held in a Mosque in Patheinn, city of Ayerwaddy Division and spreading baseless accuses about the local Muslims to create tension between two communities.
Although those incitements and false claims are widely seen in social media, local and international media, political parties, members of parliament and government officials failed to criticize, correct and prohibit those dangerous actions that can probably lead to chaos.
In this sensitive political situation, law enforcement officials have also neglected these hate based activities.
