- Hits: 709
A total of 108 hate speech cases were found during BHRN’s monitoring process this month. When Facebook accounts were disabled, some created new accounts and some moved to Telegram channels. The military mainly used Telegram channels to spread hate speeches and the hate speeches were done through the cartoons more in this month.
Hate speech targets and expressions
In this month’s monitoring, the group targeted by hate speech the most was PDF and the second was AA and the third was NUG. Moreover, hate speeches targeting Rohingyas and ethnic groups were monitored as well.
In addition, the most used terms of hate speeches for this month are "dog, kelwar (a word used to call a dog in Rakhine State), terrorist, Ben people (referring to Bengali/Rohingya), illegal Bengali, Bengali with high reproductive rate, Kalar (a derogatory term referring to Muslim), extremist Christian.”
- Hits: 810
In a recent interview with BBC, the leader of AA, Twan Mrat Naing, spelt out, AA’s policy on Rohingya. He said all the residents of Rakhine State should have equal rights including the right to citizenship, however, the people of Rakhine may need more time to accept Muslims with their ethnic name Rohingya. He said as Rohingya are claiming that their ancestry in Rakhine State dates back to the 10th century, it would not go down well with the Rakhine people who think that they are the earliest inhabitants in the state. But one positive point mentioned by Twan Mrat Naing was that any approach to the Rohingya issue will be a rights-based approach and through democratic norms. However, in a recent incident with regard to the mistreatment of Rohingya by AA, the rebel group launched their attack against the Burmese military from the Rohingya village, drawing fire from the Burmese military against civilians. As many as 40 homes were destroyed, several were injured, and there are reports of deaths of many Rohingya civilians. This incident took place on 26 January.
While the junta faces defeats and debacles on the battlefield, however, it continues to maintain a status quo in terms of holding on to power. The junta boss seemed to have saved his job for now. A sham constitutional grouping the Defence and Security Council extended the mandate of the junta until August 2024. The sixth time to do so since the coup in 2021.
- Hits: 683
The Myanmar military and its supporters have been spreading religious hate speeches targeting ethnic minorities and religious minorities to create division and disunion among the revolutionary forces. The junta is disseminating its ideology by means of hate speech. Moreover, the 2021 coup accelerates persecution, marginalization and violence against persecuted communities. The junta is using hate speech as a tool to create fear and disunion among the communities. The military is trying to keep their power longer and to continue their persecution by creating hate speeches that target ethnic and religious groups.
The junta and its supporters are circulating hate speeches in various ways, via both online and printed media, to deviate public attention from revolution. The objective of the BHRN monthly report is to monitor and analysis hate speeches circulated by the military and its supporters. BHRN documented a total of 176 hate speech cases in December 2023.
- Hits: 969
The military junta in Myanmar is currently facing at least four major coordinated military operations being launched by different ethnic groups with the help of pro-democratic militia groups called themselves the People Defence Forces (PDF). PDFs were established after the military coup three years ago.
Although these military operations are aimed at uprooting dictatorship and installing a civilian government that will transform the country into a federal democratic union, however, they are threatening the decades of dominance by the people with Burmese and Buddhist identities in Myanmar.
It is a fact that Myanmar has never been a unitary state under the absolute control of a single government since the country’s independence from British rule in 1948. The central government has no control over some of the ethnic regions, which were mostly under the authority of the ethnic armed organizations that have been fighting the central government since the country's independence for self-determination of their respective ethnic and religious identities.
- Hits: 766
The Myanmar military and its supporters have been spreading religious hate speeches targeting ethnic groups and religious minorities to make division and disunion among the revolutionary forces, which led to weaken the revolution. The junta is disseminating its ideology using hate speech. Moreover, 2021 coup accelerated persecution, marginalization and violence against minorities. The junta is using hate speech as a tool to create fear and disunion among the communities. The military is trying to keep its power longer by targeting ethnic and religious groups.
The junta and its supporters are circulating hate speeches in various ways, via both online and printed media, to divert the public attention from the revolution.
The objective of the BHRN monthly report is to monitor and analysis hate speeches circulated by the military and its supporters. BHRN documented a total of 131 hate speech cases in November 2023.