5/1/2021 A Preliminary Analysis of the Myanmar Military Junta’s Media Propaganda – Tea Circle published on the same day at 10:05 pm, then again on February 10 and 11 at 7:48 pm and 9:21 pm, respectively, with the caption: “Citizens are peacefully visiting the Shwedagon Pagoda and other pagodas in respective regions and states.” The portrayal of “business as usual” with regard to religious practice is intended to downplay protest movements. Exploring the distribution of propaganda related to health care services, the junta has been highlighting military medics’ ability to continuously provide health care access to the citizens, despite the situation on-the-ground where even public doctors have joined other striking medical workers. As a consequence, we see the junta’s propaganda as mobilizing the health care sector as a means of achieving public trust and underscoring the public’s dependency on military hospitals and medics. Posts published on the Tatmadaw True News Information Team Facebook page align with this interpretation. A post on February 8, 1:21 pm was titled “Citizens received necessary health care services in military hospitals and in temporary health centers and refreshments were provided.” On February 9, 9:11 pm, another post read, “Military hospitals welcomed patients from various states and regions and delivered health care services.” A third published on February 10, 8:24 pm stated “Military hospitals welcomed patients from various states and regions and delivered health care services, with public doctors volunteering to join the services.” Lastly, on 11 February 5:08 pm, the Tatmadaw True News Information Team Facebook page issued Senior General Min Aung Hlaing’s speech, mentioning that new plans were being set to vaccinate all Myanmar citizens including monks. The plans were to issue permits for the FDA approved COVID-19 vaccines, to allow the import of more effective vaccines, and to welcome individuals’ requests for vaccination. He then continued to ask that the civil servants who refused to go to work not prioritise their feelings, requesting that they get back to their respective jobs for the sake of Myanmar’s citizens. Moreover, with the number of citizens participating in the Civil Disobedience Movement increasing every day, the distribution of anti-CDM propaganda has spread to all military-owned media and platforms. Senior General Min Aung Hlaing mentioned in a speech that citizens who are encouraging civil servants to participate in the movement are “unscrupulous people.” On February 2, after civilian doctors started the Movement, the military-owned media published a statement by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing accusing the civilian doctors of https://teacircleoxford.com/2021/03/09/a-preliminary-analysis-of-the-myanmar-military-juntas-media-propaganda/ 6/16