of all ethnic Rakhine politicians and civilians arrested for affiliation with the AA and student protesters detained for demanding peace before the hostages would be released 32. As Election Day approached, NLD officials said they feared for the lives of the abducted candidates 33. In September, undetonated hand grenades were found at the residence of Nay Pyi Taw election subcommission chair U Thein Htwe. The two grenades were reportedly thrown into the compound from the street. The attack came after UEC chair U Hla Thein announced that the 2020 general elections would not be postponed despite several political parties’ requests to delay the elections due to COVID-19 34. On 3 October, a mob of around 100 people raided the house of the NLD’s Myaing township executive committee member U Myint Naing after the latter argued with a villager over the playing of the party’s campaign song. According to Myint Naing, a villager came to his house and told him to stop playing the song, before allegedly attacking him with a knife, causing a neck injury. A mob then gathered and attacked the house with projectiles and petrol bombs. According to the Magway region authorities, 19 people allegedly involved in the mob attack have been arrested 35. On 6 November, just two days before the elections, a bomb blast rocked the offices of Bago region’s election sub-commission 36. There were no casualties and the attack has not been claimed. Online Campaigning & Hate Speech In the time of COVID-19, a majority of the political parties and contesting candidates shifted their campaigns and voter education activities to the virtual domain to reach out to voters. They increasingly used their Facebook pages to disseminate their campaign slogans, messages and manifestos; however, their online campaigns would reach primarily urban centres and regions with better Internet connectivity. Political parties also developed songs and jingles to woo voters. A majority of the content posted on Facebook by political parties exhibited cultural and regional diversity. Some campaign messages also focused on encouraging women to vote; however, less content focused on support for PWDs or other marginalised sectors. According to an analysis of Facebook Ad Library, campaign advertising by political parties and candidates ramped up in the run-up to the elections. Opposition parties led by former military officers (the USDP) and a former ruling party stalwart (the PPP), among others, led in advertising spending on Facebook, Myanmar’s most popular social media platform with over 22 million users across the country. Pages affiliated with the USDP in particular spent a total of US$18,280 (23.48 million kyats) during the 90 days from 4 August to 2 November 37. However, the methodology used by Facebook’s Ad Library is opaque and likely does not include all campaign-related expenses on the platform. Online campaigning presented many challenges for political parties and candidates. Many areas of Myanmar, especially in the peripheral states, have low Internet connectivity. Several townships of Rakhine and Chin states have been affected by an Internet shutdown order, and only 2G network is 32 https://www.irrawaddy.com/elections/arakan-army-admits-abducting-three-myanmar-ruling-party-candidates.html https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/long-silence-abducted-nld-candidates-myanmars-rakhine-state-promptsfears.html 34 https://www.irrawaddy.com/elections/second-unexploded-hand-grenade-found-residence-election-officialmyanmars-capital.html 35 https://www.irrawaddy.com/elections/19-arrested-mob-attack-nld-members-house-central-myanmar.html 36 https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/bomb-blast-hit-bago-election-commission-office-ahead-of-general-election 37 https://www.irrawaddy.com/elections/myanmars-opposition-parties-ramp-facebook-ad-spending-electionnears.html 33 21