Myanmar’s Weaponization of COVID-19 destruction of property and threats to public were immediately put into place to set the stage security – also overlap with the many human for the silencing of media organizations that had rights violations of which the Myanmar military conducted interviews with the AA and reported was accused by the Independent International on conflict in Rakhine State. Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar.14 Again on 23 March, the same day as the While the order against the AA was issued “terrorist” declaration and the first COVID-19 by the NLD government, it was signed by Lt- cases, the NLD-run Ministry of Transport and Gen Soe Htut of the military-operated Ministry Communications issued a directive ordering all of Home Affairs. This collaboration between telecommunications providers to block access the elected administration and the armed to more than 220 websites, including more forces illustrates a long practice of divide-and- than 60 that they alleged were spreading “fake rule tactic against EAOs, isolating the AA and news.”17 Included in the directive were multiple creating a legal precedent under which the independent ethnic media sites. Mobile service Myanmar military’s perceived enemies can be providers do not appear to have resisted the apprehended and punished. order, instead complying and notably blocking The declaration set into a motion a series users’ access to three ethnic news sites reporting of shutdowns and arrests of voices critical of on conflict and sharing updates related to the Myanmar military violence in Rakhine and Chin coronavirus pandemic: the Rakhine State-based States, where analysts have long speculated Narinjara18 and Development Media Group19 that the military has been losing in intensifying and the Karen Information Center.20 They are battles with the AA.15 While discussing the members of the ethnic media coalition Burma AA’s classification with the media, a Myanmar News International (BNI)21 Multimedia Group, military spokesperson told The Irrawaddy that a platform to amplify local reporting particularly both locals and journalists would be prosecuted on conflict and human rights issues in areas for having had contact with the AA.16 Actions often inaccessible to other international and 14 FFM Myanmar. Report of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar. 18 September 2018. Available at: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/Pages/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=23575&LangID=E 15 Anthony Davis. “Why Myanmar is losing the Rakhine war.” Asia Times. 3 July 2019. Available at: https://asiatimes. com/2019/07/why-myanmar-is-losing-the-rakhine-war/ 16 Nyein Nyein. “Myanmar Government Declares Arakan Army a Terrorist Organization.” The Irrawaddy. 24 March 2020. Available at: https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-govt-declares-arakan-army-terrorist-group.html 17 ARTICLE 19. “Myanmar: Immediately lift ban on ethnic news websites.” 1 April 2020. Available at: https://www.article19.org/resources/myanmar-immediately-lift-ban-on-ethnic-news-websites/ 18 Narinjara News. https://www.narinjara.com/ 19 Development Media Group. https://www.dmediag.com/ 20 Karen Information Center/Karen News. http://karennews.org/ 21 BNI Multimedia Group. https://www.bnionline.net/en 9