A/HRC/39/CRP.2
Although Hitler and Eichmann were the greatest enemies of the Jews, they were
probably heroes to the Germans. America had to drop nuclear bombs on Hiroshima
and Nagasaki. Why? If inhumane acts are sometimes permitted to maintain a race, a
country and the sovereignty... our endeavours to maintain the Rakhine race and the
sovereignty and longevity of the Union of Myanmar cannot be labelled as
inhumane.1533
714. In July 2012, a group of monks published a statement calling on the ethnic Rakhine
to implement a “great plan of staying away from bad Bengali (Kalar)” to prevent a “Rakhine
ethnic cleaning programme”. The statement called on ethnic Rakhine not to employ
Rohingya and not to trade with them. In October, a conference of monks concluded that there
was a need to “expose sympathisers of Bengali Kalars as national traitors along with photos
and to spread the information to every township”.1534
715. In August 2012, a blog called “Terrorist 2012” published a poem called “To Thida
Htwe, record written in blood, oath declared in blood”.1535 In 2016, the MaBaTha released a
video re-enacting the murder of Ma Thida Htwe and including a background song with
similar lyrics. The video was widely circulated on CDs and other formats.1536
716. Specific efforts were also made to sow fear and hatred against the Rohingya among
new recruits to the Tatmadaw. In October 2012, soldiers reportedly received specific training
at the Naypyidaw Divisional Military Headquarters on the “expansion of Islam” and the
“extinction of Buddhism”. A presentation titled “Fear of extinction of the race” echoed some
of the main anti-Muslim themes of the book published 30 years before. It concluded with the
need to “protect our race and religion as much as possible”. 1537
(b)
Inciting negative sentiments against the international community
717. Following the 2012 violence, the operating conditions for international organizations
in Rakhine State deteriorated severely. Humanitarian organizations assisting Rohingya
communities faced extreme hostility or even violence. This took place regardless of whether
they also assisted ethnic Rakhine. Rumours were spread that the Rohingya were being
unfairly prioritised for humanitarian assistance over the ethnic Rakhine. This translated into
hostility against international organizations.1538 This hostility was already prevalent in
northern Rakhine State prior to the 2012 violence but afterwards, with the support given to
displacement camps and sites in central Rakhine, it became more apparent in central Rakhine
also. Again, it was fuelled by nationalist groups, political parties and monks. For example,
the Group of Wunthanu Ethnic People circulated a letter accusing the United Nations and
international organizations of “watering poisonous plants”, using a recurrent analogy.1539 The
letter labelled nine leading international organizations as “traitors” for assisting the
Rohingya. The group also warned landlords against renting properties to organizations
assisting the Rohingya.1540
718. This narrative was also spread by some government officials. In late February 2014,
an international organization, one of the main health care providers in northern Rakhine State,
was ordered to cease operations throughout Myanmar, shortly after releasing a statement on
reported killings in Du Chee Yar Tan, Maungdaw Township.1541 The Presidential
1533
1534
1535
1536
1537
1538
1539
1540
1541
170
RNDP, Toe Thet Yay Journal, vol. 2(12) (November 2012).
K-112.
http://terrorist2012.blogspot.com/2012/08/blog-post.html.
Facebook posts with the video have since been deleted. A copy is on file with the Mission (V-234).
K-106.3.
A/69/398.
Analogy originally used in the book Fear of extinction of the race in the 1980s. See this chapter,
section C.5: Spreading hate.
On file with the Mission (K-112).
In January 2014, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a press release
calling on the Government to investigate credible reports that more than 40 Rohingya had been killed
in Du Chee Yar Tan between 9 and 13 January 2014. The Government strongly denied these
allegations.