BHRN says Myanmar faces new wave of hate speech targeting Muslims

Mizzima

On 17 October, the Burma Human Rights Network (BHRN) issued a statement warning of increasing risks of atrocities due to a rise in anti-Muslim hate speech and incitement to violence throughout Myanmar.

BHRN urged the UN, ASEAN, OIC, and international governments to take immediate action by monitoring hate-speech trends, sanctioning extremist actors, dismantling junta-backed militias like Pyusawhti, and ensuring protection of Myanmar’s Muslim and Rohingya communities.

The statement is as follows:

“We are seeing all the early warning signs including dehumanization, religious scapegoating, and a resurgence of ultranationalist ideologies operating with impunity,” said Kyaw Win, Executive Director of the Burma Human Rights Network. “This closely mirrors the lead-up to the Rohingya genocide and must be treated as an emergency signal for atrocity prevention.”

BHRN has documented a growing number of online hate speech incidents inciting violence against Muslims. This includes Facebook posts, videos, and Telegram messages from MaBaTha-linked accounts, calling for the destruction of mosques, bans on Muslim gatherings, and the expulsion of “Bengalis” and other so-called “non-citizens.”