Myanmar Government-backed 969 campaigners manufacture a rape story to incite anti-Muslim violence in Mandalay

July 6, 2014

Myanmar Government-backed 969 - now "Defence of Buddhism and Race League" - manufactured "Buddhist-woman-raped-by-a-Muslim" story to incite religious violence in Mandalay

"I am not ashamed of having been raped by a fellow Bama and Justice Department staff, but I am ashamed that monks and other (anti-Muslim) groups are distorting and using my rape story to create religious conflicts in my hometown of Mandalay."

Ma Hae Mar Kyaw (17), a Mandalay rape victim, Press Conference in Mandalay, 3 July 2014.

The gist of the story according to this news report about her press conference:

Back in 2013, her older brother was approached by some elements to sell drugs. When her brother refused to cooperate they went ahead and farmed him with possession of illegal drug charges for which the brother was arrested. She and her family began attending his court hearings in Mandalay and became well acquainted with one court staff named Mr Tin Maung Win, Myanmar Government staff with Justice Department, Home Affairs Ministry.

(Earlier this year), the court official offered her and her family to help with the brother's case, and asked Ma Hae Mar Kyaw to come to Pyin Oo Lwin (forrmely May Myo famous colonial hill station 42 miles from Mandalay) a few months ago (this year) where she was promised a meeting with a judge important for her brother's case.

At a teashop, Tin Maung Win spiked her CocaCola, took her to a nearby Pearl Guest House and subsequently raped this young woman.

The rape victim explained that on 19 May 2014 the doctor who conducted pregnancy test informed her that she is pregnant and she tried to communicate with the above-named rapist, who refused to discuss the matter.

Subsequently, she and her family reported him to the local police. But the Court officials under whose supervision the rapist works refused to issue any arrest warrant which the police needed to take legal actions.

Then she and her family got in touch with social activist networks to go to public with her story. It was at this point 969 monks and other anti-Muslim agitators got involve: they manufactured this 'a Muslim man raped a Buddhist story' and used this lie to incite anti-Muslim communal violence.

Amnesty International's T. Kumar to Speak at the Islamic Society of North America's Convention

Amnesty International's T. Kumar to Speak at the Islamic Society of North America's Convention Advocacy Director T. Kumar to Speak on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar (Burma) Contact: Carolyn Lang, clang@aiusa.org, 202-675-8759 /EINPresswire.com/ (Washington, D.C.) -- Amnesty International Advocacy Director T. Kumar will address the Islamic Society of North America's 49th Annual Convention "One Nation Under God: Striving for the Common Good," in regards to the minority community of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar (Burma) on Saturday, September 1, at 11:30 am at the Washington DC Convention Center.

American Buddhists Promote 969 Movement With Website

Irrawaddy News: July 9, 2013 A group of American Buddhists has launched an English-language website promoting the 969 movement, in response to negative media surrounding the ultra-nationalist Buddhist campaign in Burma. The website aims to dispel “myths” about the movement, with a letter from nationalist monk Wirathu to a Time magazine reporter whose article about 969 was banned in Burma. “We’re not officially endorsed by Ven Wirathu at this time but will send a delegation to his monastery soon,” a spokesperson for the site said via email, adding that the group would create a nonprofit to coordinate “969 activities worldwide in response to religious oppression.”

Rohingya Activist Nominated for Human Rights Award

PHR congratulates Zaw Min Htut, a Burmese Rohingya activist, on his nomination for the 2011 US State Department Human Rights Defenders Award . Zaw Min Htut has been working for Rohingyas’ rights through the Burmese Rohingya Association of Japan since he fled Burma in 1998. Prior to that he was a student activist in Burma, and was detained for his participation in protests in 1996. In Japan, Zaw Min Htut has organized protests at the Burmese embassy and has written books on the history of Rohingya.

The Stateless Rohingya Blog

Search This Blog