Bias reporting of foreign media on Rakhine-Rohingyas issue disgraces Myanmar images

Bias reporting of foreign media on Rakhine-Rohingyas issue disgraces Myanmar images

Reported by EMG

People in Yangon object on 11 June reports of foreign media on Rakhine unrest Foreign media are now presenting bias reports on the clashes between Rakhine people and Bengali Rohingyas to destroy the image of Myanmar and its people. For example, the reporting of the BBC news agency mentioned on 8 June that police forces are firing on at the rioters in Maungdaw Township, quoting the so-called witnesses. The report of this news agency was based on religion. Moreover, the AFP news agency also stated on 7 June that police forces are shooting the mobs. Their news mentioned the conflict between Muslims and Rakhine people. The truth is that no police fired on the rioters. Only Rohingyas killed Rakhine people and burned down their houses. The Nation Media of Thailand stated the news “Call for UN to intervene in Rohingya ‘genocide’.  They first mentioned the news with the photo of Eleven Media Group without caption. In fact, the photo is the burning Rakhine houses ignited by Rohingyas.  As the news was stated with no captioned photo, international readers misunderstood the country and the people. However, the Nation changed the photo without hesitation at the request of the Eleven Media Group. As some foreign media biased the reports on Rakhine unrest, Myanmar citizens protested against them in Yangon on 11 June. People in Yangon also took to street in front of Yangon City Hall to object the reports of some foreign media by holding placards written ‘We oppose to BBC, VOA, RFA and DVB’ and ‘We oppose to unfair local and foreign media’. They also raised the placards such as ‘Rohigya are Terrorist. Get out of our country’ and ‘We have our own swords, but we observe the law. We are Myanmar nationalities’, ‘Protect our country, our culture and our brethrens’ and ‘We Love Peace’. Chairman and CEO Dr. Than Htut Aung of the Eleven Media Group said, “The Nation website posted that ‘some 800-1,000 people - including women, children and elderly people - have disappeared recently’. The sources of these words are Rohingya organizations and some Thai NGOs. The news also stated ‘Paramilitary and "racist" Rakhine are burning houses and shooting people, with some being burned alive.’ These facts are totally wrong. There is no paramilitary in Rakhine.How could 20,000 Rakhine people in Maungdaw Township kill the 400,000 Rohingyas(20 times more than Rakhine people)?  The Eleven Media Group only uploaded  the news and photos which show the blazing Rakhine wards burnt by Rohingyas.  Moreover, the groups also asked for immediate action to stop this serious genocide and ethnic cleansing by sending a UN peace keeping force to Arakan to protect innocent people.” Dr. Than Htut Aung continued, “To erase such propagandas of some foreign media, local journalist are reporting news from the scene without considering about their lives. However, foreign media are exploiting the efforts of local media. The government should hold a press conference by inviting foreign missions and correspondents. This is the right time for the world figures to unveil the truth. The Eleven Media Group has sent our reliable and energetic four reporters to Rakhine State. They are now taking news photos to clear accuses of foreign media without convincing evidences that our country and Rakhine people are the killers and the terrorists.  They have to take risk in conflict areas where there is no rule of law, but jut swords and weapons. Everybody can imagine their awkward situation. Therefore, we expressed our objection to the Nation Media Group regarding with the aforementioned photo on their website. While the EMG is safeguarding our country, we want the people to cooperate with us. We will also present the accurate news without bias. People should also participate in our efforts sensibly.” With regard to bias report of foreign media on Rakhine unrest, editor in charge Aung Paw Tun of the Messenger News Journal said, “The reports of some foreign media four to five days ago are not fair. Their presentations are deviating from the actual events. It is not a good intention. The Reuters news agency said Rakhine people came back after setting fire, and Rohingyas were burned alive and they were extinguishing fire. These news are destroying the image of Rakhine people.” “Based on the bad images of previous military government, Rohingyas are conducting propaganda campaign through foreign media. They see the military government oppressed them. By taking advantage on little good image of the previous government, international media also view the government is oppressing the minorities. As the new government cannot avoid the shadow of previous government, some foreign groups are conducting such campaigns from the side of Rohingyas. The existing issue is not a religious conflict. But such incident usually occurs in the countries where migrant people are residing. As their own land experienced population boom and the cultivated lands become insufficient, these effects spread to the neighboring countries. The root cause of this problem is due to the weakness in policies and law of our country. Negligence and corruption of immigration department for 20 years caused the infiltration of Bengalis. Our media must reveal the actual situation patriotically and professionally,” said chief editor  Ko Kyaw Min Swe of the Voice News Journal. Chief reporter Ma May Nge of Pyi Myanmar Journal said “ It is necessary to release the right information from media. Some foreign media released the news every second of the 2007 incident.  For the incident in Rakhine state, no foreign media is releasing any actual news. I have read a news on BBC website. They wrongly posted that Presidential officer said Rakhine people were shooting Rohingya. This news was very terrible and totally wrong. It is horrifying to accuse a staff from president office. The wording can get people confused. There is no bias in media. It should be in the middle. The incident is concerning with the whole country. So we must stand on the right position. The problem is not between the Islamists and the Buddhists. Foreign media should not intend to destroy the unity of our country. This is not a religious riot. This is a plot to invade our land, and a blow to nationality. We never accept the attacks through religion.” U Zaw Thet Htwe, who is trying to emerge Myanmar Journalists Union, said, “Foreign media do not understand very well about Myanmar history. Such reporting will destroy the image of our country and people. Myanmar journalists in foreign based news agencies should respect their professional and love their own land. Without emphasizing only on human rights and human value, they should also consider about national interest of the country.” The following is the report on the Nation media website. Call for UN to intervene in Rohingya 'genocide' Half a dozen organisations concerned about the humanitarian crisis in Arakan State in Burma issued an open letter to Ban Ki-moon, secretary general of the United Nations, yesterday urging the UN to "intervene and protect a million Rohingya people of Arakan from a planned genocide". The letter, signed by Maung Kyaw Nu, president of the Burmese Rohingya Association in Thailand (BRAT) said some 800-1,000 people - including women, children and elderly people - have disappeared recently while the death tolls are still being calculated. Rohingya organisations and Thai NGOs, such as the People's Empowerment Foundation, claim that paramilitary and "racist" Rakhine are burning houses and shooting people, with some being burned alive. "Rohingya youth are running to hide in the forest. Some are crossing to Bangladesh. All dead and wounded bodies are taken away by the government forces," the letter said. It added that the Burmese regime plans to "kill and clear all Muslims from Arakan State." "We urge immediate action to stop this serious genocide and ethnic cleansing by sending a UN peace keeping force to Arakan to protect innocent people. We urge the UN to send a mission to control the serious situation in Arakan State and save the remaining Rohingyas as quickly as possible," said the groups. They added that international and Asean intervention to save people's lives was urgently needed and urged the international media to monitor closely the serious situation in Arakan. International humanitarian groups, the statement said, should step up their presence in Arakan State to support humanitarian work while the Burmese regime should explain what is going on. "We also demand the UN constitutes an independent and impartial inquiry commission to investigate these crimes against humanity and bring the culprits to justice," it concluded.

Dozens killed, hundreds of buildings burnt down by Bengali Rohingya mobs in border town of Maungdaw

Dozens killed, hundreds of buildings burnt down by Bengali Rohingya mobs in border town of Maungdaw

Reported by Eleven Media Group

A scene being set fire at Tha Zin Guest House near Maungtaw City Hall at about 2 pm on 8 June. A scene being set fire near the junction of Clock Tower of Maungtaw City Hall at about 2 pm on 8 June. Yangon, Sat June 9, 2012 (Eleven Media Group)- Dozens of Rakhine people were killed amidst the Rohingya terrorist attacks in border town of Maungdaw in Rakhine State, the western part of Myanmar on Friday. Due to the violence, hundreds of houses and buildings were burnt down by mobs, said the reporter Ko Win Maung of the Eleven Media at the scene. The death toll in the incident has reached 20 to 30 until the night of 8 June and the injured persons nearby villages of Maundaw Township have been taken to Maungdaw hospital. The onset of the violence on 8 June was that the Rohingya Muslims who returned from the mosque yesterday afternoon started throwing the stones to the Rakhine houses and buildings in Maungdaw Township, according to the Eleven Media reporter whose house was also blazed amidst the violence. As the riots could not be controlled, the police forces took security measures in the town where Muslims are majority and Rakhine people are minority. Rohingya mobs were setting fire on the nearby villages of Rakhine ethnics, said a Buddhist monk who resides in Maungdaw Township. Due to these unrests, the State-owned media aired the announcement of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (Curfew) which states people are not to go outside between 18:00 pm and 06:00 am in Maungdaw and Buthedaung townships. In contrary to the reporting of foreign media, the army did not fire at the mobs, but just warning shots to the riot to help the security measures of police forces, according to the EMG reporter in Maundaw Township where the clashes are happening. Highly prominent journalist Dr. Than Htut Aung, Chairman and CEO of the Eleven Media Group said, “Up to now, the handling of army in this violence is smooth and flexible.  It was reportedly known that the military fired only the warning shots. Although the case seemed to be the problem between the Muslims and the Buddhists, there may be some incitements behind the incident.” As the Rohingya mobs are approaching to enter the town and nearby villages, the security forces are taking places there and conducting warning fires to them. “The situations in Maungdaw Township are very serious. The problem should be solved by legal procedures. We do not accept anarchic actions. Security forces concerned should settle the problem systematically. We must control the situation not to spread. If the problem becomes bigger, it is possible to result in series of cases. I warned the possibility of problems in Maungdaw after the case of Sittway. These attacks would seriously threaten to Arakanese people not only in Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships, but also in some areas with minority of them. The government has responsibilities to calm down the worries of these people. In the future, the security of border area in Rakhine State should be taken by Rakhine people, and that of Shan State by Shan people. Paramilitary forces should be organized to safeguard the security of respective areas. The government should allow more security plans. We will also submit these plans to the parliament. If this incident is similar to massacre of 1942 which was intentionally plotted, the persons behind the curtain are responsible for the consequences. Security persons, international figures and religious leaders should not neglect the case. They should cooperate in solving this problem,” said Chairman Dr. Aye Maung of the Rakhine Ethnics Development Party.

Eleven Media Group’s public statement about riots in Rakhine State

Eleven Media Group’s public statement about riots in Rakhine State

Reported by Translated and Edited by EMG

(1)    The Eleven Media Group has heartfelt sympathy for the dead and the injured persons during the violence in Rakhine State. (2)    The Eleven Media Group would strongly advise the persons concerned, the authorities and the public against allowing religious conflicts, racial hatred and riots through the violence broken out in Rakhine State. It is also reminded that such problems would lead to instability and drawbacks of democratic changes. (3)    The Eleven Media Group will continue presenting the most reliable news for the benefits of the State and the public. Foreign media such as the BBC and the AFP should mention exactly that Bengali Rohingyas are not involved in Myanmar national ethnics. The reporting on Myanmar ethnic affairs should be accurate to avoid racial violence. (4)    This is an appropriate time for the Government and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to clarify the issue of Bengali Rohingyas, the root of violence in Rakhine State, to the world. Bengali Rohingyas are not involved in 135 Myanmar national races. If they want to settle in Myanmar, then they must observe the existing laws of the country. It is also suggested that effective legal actions must brought against hundreds of law breakers.