Is Irrawaddy News Group Leading the Genocide Propaganda?
Maung Zarni
August 6, 2017
Myanmar Groups whipping up Genocidal Racism Against Rohingyas (& Muslims).
August 6, 2017
Myanmar Groups whipping up Genocidal Racism Against Rohingyas (& Muslims).
Irrawaddy News Group has joined the likes of ex-Chief of Military Intelligence, Wirathu, & Rakhine Racist Groups.
First with this outrageously racist cartoon (the first image), May 2016.
https://asiancorrespondent.com/2016/05/offensive-boat-people-magazine-cartoon-slammed-rohingya-activist-dangerous/#BTkKWItD9rjWm279.97
Today with another cartoon (the second image), illustrating what is officially characterised as "My,anmar's Western Gate Problem", the title of the Burmese language book published by ex-General and ex-Spy chief Khin Nyunt last year (the third image).
On 13 July 2017, in his half-hour interview with ex-Information Minister ex-Colonel Ye Htut, Aung Zaw, Managing Editor and Founder of Irrawaddy, repeatedly drove home a very clear message that Burma is now under the real threat of Jihadist attacks (by Rohingyas) in Western Burma.
See the video here:
The Rakhine Race Defence Group published the Burmese language book in 2012 (the fourth image & fifth image).
The last image the book cover of a booklet - "Fearing that our Race and Faith Will Disappear" - which is part of the Burmese language series which was, I suspect, published by the Burma Army Psychological Warfare Department & the Religious Affairs Department. (Reuters has documented the direct involvement of the senior most military leaders in systematically promoting anti-Muslim hatred and racism since early 1990's - since the days of the late Senior General Saw Maung).
All these are not necessarily coordinated, but spring from the more or less same source of anti-Muslim racism, genocidal view towards Rohingyas, etc.
Among this diverse group of influential racists are ex-General Khin Nyunt, Ne Win's grandsons, Ma Ba Tha, Sitagu, Wirathu, Irrawaddy News Group, the late Nay Win Maung's The Voice, Than Tun Aung's Eleven News Group, the military's Psychological Warfare Division (Department of People's Relations, officially named), Religious Affairs Ministry (formerly Religious Affairs Department under Home Affairs), Thein Sein Administration, Rakhine nationalists, etc.
These Myanmar hate- and racism-promoters do not necessarily form a single cohesive group, nor do they share common aims, logic, interests or methods.
But the psychological impact of their work on the Burmese society at large is profoundly devastating: the society is soaked in racist poison - Islamophobia in general and genocidal strain of racism towards Rohingya.
This genocidal propaganda targeted at the Rohingya is going to have the irreversible impact on religious relations within the society at large.
Myanmar Muslim communities scattered all throughout Burma too will become a subject of violence, both by state institutions and tradition-bound, gullible Buddhist communities.
None of this augurs well for the promotion of either human rights or democracy.
Ultimately, the Buddhist society itself will pay the price for their participating in this racist, hate-campaign against the most vulnerable communities - not just the Rohingyas but other Muslims as well.
We might as well forget about civil liberties, press freedom, human rights or democratisation - if and when a Jihad is ever waged against Myanmar. The military will gleefully suspend or drastically curtail any of these freedoms and rights in the name of "national security". The military will be the real and ultimate winner - if and when a Jihad materialises. Threats to public security are typically used to justify suspending freedoms and human rights - even in countries with very well-established traditions of liberalism. US and UK spring to mind.
Mark my words: Burma has not seen the worst yet.
Mark my words: Burma has not seen the worst yet.
We are well on its way to be a fully genocidal country, in due course.
(Unless you think democracy, human rights and economic development are conceivable when the country sleepwalks into a full-blown genocide it is in everyone's interest to try to stop this madness.)
