Myanmar’s Weaponization of COVID-19
If the page is in fact affiliated with the
It could not be independently confirmed who
Myanmar military and its security forces –
actually authored the post, which alleged that
which was previously barred by Facebook for
the AA was “bringing COVID-19 into Rakhine
using the platform to incite violence against the
State” by “secretly importing Bengalis” into the
Rohingya– it marks a dangerous shift in which
country across the Bangladeshi border. The
ethnic community-based organizations and
accusation played on a racist reference to the
ethnic civil society may be increasingly targeted
Rohingya Muslims. The post suggested that the
for persecution by the state.109
Rohingya were leaving refugee camps in Ban-
The Pyidaungsu Tatmadaw Facebook page
gladesh to escape the spread of coronavirus,
also published a concerning post on 12 April un-
but were infected themselves, and that the AA
der the hashtag #MinDinn, a pen name for one
was facilitating their return to Myanmar in ex-
of the many shadow writers known for creating
change for bribes.
military propaganda and anti-Muslim rhetoric.
A 12 April Facebook post on the Pyidaungsu Tatmadaw page.
A Ta’ang civil society statement dismissed as TNLA propaganda on 8 April, 2020.
(Photo: jynfaxmifpkwyfrawmf Pyidaungsu Tatmadaw / Facebook)
nfaxmifpkwyfpost
rawmfonPyidaungsu
A(Photo:
12 ApriljyFacebook
the Pyidaungsu
Tatmadaw
page.
Tatmadaw
/ Facebook)
The post is one of the first of its kind to
Pyidaungsu Tatmadaw page – is also reminis-
simultaneously blame both the Rohingya and
cent of the type of anti-Rohingya sentiment
an EAO for the spread of the coronavirus,
that was once prevalent on Facebook prior to,
demonstrating how COVID-19 is weaponized
during and following the so-called “clearance
for political gain, with the military as the pri-
operations” by the Myanmar military and secu-
mary beneficiary. The 12 April post – and the
rity forces against the Rohingya in 2017. These
109 Kaleigh Long. “Facebook Investigated Myanmar’s Military-Linked Accounts. It Found A Covert Propaganda Campaign.” TIME. 31 August 2018. Available at: https://time.com/5383780/myanmar-facebook-propaganda-rohingya/
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