34 A NATION LEFT BEHIND 6. Political Exploitation of the Virus: ‘Fake News,’ Misinformation, and Hate Speech Both unofficial and official statements on throughout March and April. the coronavirus in Myanmar have helped craft The aforementioned Ta’ang CSOs’ state- a narrative in which the state claims to be utiliz- ment was re-printed on the Pyidaungsu Tat- ing all available resources to care for vulnerable madaw Facebook page on the day it was re- communities in spite of efforts by EAOs their leased, but with a large “X” superimposed over alleged allies to destabilize them. This is appar- the text. It alleged that the statement had made ent in Facebook posts by questionable entities, false accusations and had been written by the statements from government ministries, and an TNLA “pretending” to be civil society. Before amped up public relations campaign by the mil- and since the 8 April statement, most of the itary and its political allies. page’s posts have been attempts to delegiti- An unverified Facebook “news and me- mize the AA. The shift to condemn Ta’ang civil dia” page entitled - jynfaxmifpkwyfrawmf (Py- society organizations could indicate a broader idaungsu Tatmadaw) – in English translated to perception of who is considered an enemy of “Union Military” – was created on 14 February, the state. The allegation that Ta’ang civil soci- once the threat of coronavirus had already be- ety actors and activists are TNLA agents mir- gun to spread. It has been a growing source of rors the pattern used by the government and anti-EAO propaganda throughout the corona- military to target journalists and ethnic media virus pandemic, gaining thousands of “likes” for perceived links to the AA. A Ta’ang civil society statement dismissed as TNLA propaganda on 8 April 2020. A Ta’ang civil society statement dismissed as TNLA propaganda on April 8, 2020. (Photo: jynfaxmifpkwyfrawmf Pyidaungsu Tatmadaw / Facebook)