18th September,2015
M-Media
Reported by Aung Thura
A Myanmar political party has promoted hate speech and campaigned using religious incitements via state TV on 15th September following the start of election campaign.
Peace and Diversity Party, chaired by hate-monger politician Nay Myo Wai – who has been inciting anti-Muslim sentiments and criminal activities from his Facebook page – presented its hate-based policy through Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV) channel that is running under the supervision of Ministry of Information.
Sandar Oo, first deputy president of the party, said that although her party accepts diversity, they would destroy the religion which does not encourage freedom of thinking and which orders death penalty if someone converts to other faith. Moreover, she said they would ban the religion that is delivering to attack other faiths.
She also lobbied Nationalism, which was introduced by ultra-nationalist Buddhist monks and has become popular in Myanmar’s political climate, in terms of ‘National Politic’.
Party leader Nay Myo Wai propagates anti-Muslim sentiments via Facebook, using fake news and photos, and sometimes he calls for attacks on the country’s Muslim minority. Once, through his Facebook page, he urged people to assassinate the opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. He has also created religious tensions among the communities by arranging road-side anti-Muslim poster shows.
Ye Htut, the Minister of Information, has confirmed that government would take action to those who are using religious tensions during the period of election campaign. But it has become questionable,as for such illegal statements were allowed to air through state-controlled media.
The use of religious hatred by some parties and individuals has been reported after starting Election campaign on 14th September.
Nine foreign embassies in Yangon including United States, Canada and UK released a joint statement on 15th September making highlight that they are concerned about the prospect of religion being used as a tool of division and conflict during the campaign season. It also states that embassies will continue to watch the process closely through the formation of new government in 2016.
In 2008 constitution, using religious and racial incitements in election campaign has been prohibited.
