Nyan Hein and Aung Kaung Zaw — The Women’s Network Rakhine State (WNRS) organised an anti-hate speech campaign on January 23 in several Arakan State townships.

 

The campaign included handing out pamphlets printed with messages urging an end to hate speech based on race, religion, place of origin and gender, as well as condemning words that cause disunity among peoples.

“We undertook the campaign to end hate speech so that people can build a peaceful society,” said Daw Moe Moe Aye, an official from WNRS in Sittwe. “Social conflicts occur in society due to hate speech. And undesirable problems have appeared in the peacemaking process.”

Ethnic Arakanese, Maramargyi and Hindus are participating in the campaign.

Hate speech based on politics, race and religion is proliferating online in Arakan State, so the campaign was organised to foster social cohesion and peace in the community, said Daw Ma Ywe, a WNRS official in Manaung Township.

“Hate speech is mostly distributed on social media, especially using fake Facebook accounts. Hate speech goes viral when Facebook users share them,” she explained.

Ma May Myat Phyo, a Manaung resident who participated in the campaign, said: “I think hate speech that spread during the elections was 80% due to too much bias of political parties.”

Similar efforts have been carried out previously in Arakan State, including a campaign organised by the Colorful Women Organization in March of last year.