52
Hate Speech Ignited: Understanding Hate Speech in Myanmar
Biased international community
The narrative around the UN and particularly the international human rights system (which had once
been held in positive regard by many in Myanmar during the decades of the military rule) has taken
root as a narrative of biased interference – foreigners seeking to interfere and encroach upon Myanmar’s sovereignty. Ultranationalist groups have claimed “outsiders” are spreading “fake news” about
atrocities in Myanmar.270 According to them, the international community does not understand the
threat that the Rohingya and Muslims pose to Myanmar’s race and religion.271
969 and Ma Ba Tha have asserted that the international community has been either “hijacked
by Arabs” and/or funded by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (“OIC”) to disseminate misinformation.272 There have been countless political cartoons, both online and offline about international
community.273
Figure 14. Anti-Rohingya cartoon depicting a false narrative of “Bingali” issues receiving biased and
unjustified attention from the media, NGOs, and the UN.
270
271
272
273
Specia and Mozur; “Two Ultra-Nationalist Buddhist Monks in Myanmar Return to Preaching,” DW News, https://
www.dw.com/en/two-ultra-nationalist-buddhist-monks-in-myanmar-return-to-preaching/a-42921238.
Ibid.
Beech, “The Face of Buddhist Terror.”
Walton and Hayward.