Human Rights and Freedom in Myanmar (Burma)

Myanmar Union of Myanmar [Country Profile Page]
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	175th best
Location	Asia
Population	53.7m1
Life Expectancy	65.67yrs (2017)2

Myanmar is amongst the very worst places in the world at ensuring any human rights and freedoms, and it has severe cultural issues when it comes to tolerance and equality. Myanmar does worse than average for opposing gender inequality₃, LGBT equality₄ and in freethought₅. And finally, it sits amongst the bottom 20 in the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators)₆, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports₇, combatting modern slavery₈, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms₉ (amongst the worst in Asia), supporting press freedom₁₀, its nominal commitment to Human Rights₁₁ (amongst the worst in Asia) and in its average Freedom in the World rating (one of the worst in Asia). After attacks on security force outposts by Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) militants, in 2017, the Burmese military "launched a large-scale ethnic cleansing campaign against the Rohingya Muslim population" and engaged in widespread crimes against humanity₁₂. Human rights are poorly defended because of Burma's "weak rule of law, corrupt judiciary, Buddhist extremism₁₃, and unwillingness to prosecute members of the security forces"₁₂. Since a military coup in 2021, civil life has deteriorated even further₁₃. Despite all this, China continued to strengthen economic ties to Burma and has actively shielded its government from international action₁₂.

1. Myanmar's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance
2. Human Rights & Tolerance Datasets
   1. Press Freedom
   2. Slavery in the 2020s
   3. Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom
   4. Freedom in the World
   5. Human Rights Watch Comments
   6. Nominal Commitment to HR
   7. HR Treaties Lag
3. Gender Equality Datasets
   1. Gender Inequality
   2. Gender Biases
   3. Year Women Can Vote
4. Prejudice Datasets
   1. LGBT Equality
   2. Freedom of Thought
5. Crimes Against Humanity: The Ethnic Cleansing of the Rohingya Muslim Minorities
   1. Violent Popularism
   2. The Failure of Facebook to Control Hate
6. Links

---

1. Myanmar's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #freedom #gender_equality #human_rights #morals #myanmar #politics #prejudice #tolerance

Compared to Asia (2025)14
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank14
1	Japan	34.7
2	Taiwan	42.4
3	Cyprus	43.8
	...
44	Iraq	137.3
45	Iran	137.8
46	Syria	140.0
47	Palestine	144.8
48	Saudi Arabia	146.2
49	Myanmar	146.5
50	Turkmenistan	149.7
51	Afghanistan	153.0
52	N. Korea	163.8
	Asia Avg	103.00
q=52.

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)14
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank14
1	Sweden	5.9
2	Norway	8.0
3	Denmark	8.1
	...
190	Sudan	146.0
191	Equatorial Guinea	146.1
192	Saudi Arabia	146.2
193	Myanmar	146.5
194	Turkmenistan	149.7
195	Afghanistan	153.0
196	Eritrea	156.7
197	Somalia	161.2
	World Avg	86.35
q=198.

The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, Norway and Denmark₁₅. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are N. Korea, Somalia and Eritrea₁₅.

25 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on supporting press freedom, combatting modern slavery, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms, its average Freedom in the World rating, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, its nominal commitment to Human Rights, speed of uptake of HR treaties, opposing gender inequality, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), the year from which women could participate in democracy, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice, LGBT equality and freethought. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₁₅, whereas the worst are The Middle East, Africa and Asia₁₅.

For more, see:

• " Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Amnesty International's 2023-23 summary on human rights in Myanmar (Burma) stated:

“The crackdown against opposition to military rule intensified. Thousands of people were arbitrarily detained and more than 1,000 opposition politicians, political activists, human rights defenders and others were convicted in unfair trials. Widespread torture of detainees continued. Four men were executed following unfair trials on politically motivated charges. Indiscriminate military attacks on civilians and civilian objects resulted in hundreds of deaths and mass displacement. Foreign companies were found to have supplied aviation fuel to the Myanmar military that was responsible for carrying out aerial attacks killing hundreds of civilians. Tens of thousands of ethnic Rohingya people remained in squalid displacement camps and their rights remained severely curtailed. Military authorities continued to restrict the delivery of humanitarian aid.”

"The State of the World's Human Rights 2022/23" by Amnesty International (2023)₁₆

"Despite the appearance of civilian rule, the military remained the primary power-holder in the country" and they blocked attempts legal attempts to restore democratic control₁₂, with over 90 cases being brought via the often-abused 2013 Telecommunications Act section 66(d), although the President Htin Kyaw managed (against Parliament's wish) to reduce the maximum sentence from 3 to 2 years for offences.

2. Human Rights & Tolerance Datasets

2.1. Press Freedom

#democracy #freedom #Freedom_of_Speech #Good_Governance #mass_media #politics #UK

Press Freedom Higher is better10
Pos.		202510
1	Norway	92.31
2	Estonia	89.46
3	Netherlands	88.64
	...
165	Belarus	25.73
166	Azerbaijan	25.47
167	Djibouti	25.36
168	Myanmar	25.32
169	Egypt	24.74
170	Russia	24.57
171	Nicaragua	22.83
172	Vietnam	19.74
	Asia Avg	39.69
	World Avg	54.65
q=179.

Myanmar is 12th-worst in the world in terms of supporting press freedom.

The freedom to investigate, publish information, and have access to others' opinion is a fundamental part of today's information-driven world, and is linked with Freedom of Speech and Good Governance. Scores on the Press Freedom Index are calculated according to indicators including pluralism - the degree to which opinions are represented in the media, media independence of authorities, self-censorship, legislation, transparency and the infrastructure that supports news and information, and, the level of violence against journalists which includes lengths of imprisonments. The index "does not take direct account of the kind of political system but it is clear that democracies provide better protection for the freedom to produce and circulate accurate news and information than countries where human rights are flouted". The rankings are used as one of the datasets of the Social and Moral Development Index₁₇

It must be noted that press freedom is not an indicator of press quality and the press itself can be abusive; the UK suffers in particular from a popular brand of nasty reporting that infuses several of its newspapers who are particularly prone to running destructive and often untrue campaigns against victims. The Press Freedom Index notes that "the index should in no way be taken as an indicator of the quality of the media in the countries concerned".

For more, see:

• "Human Rights" by Vexen Crabtree (2019).

Amidst continued threats and intimidation of journalists, "the government increased its use of overly broad and vaguely worded laws to detain, arrest, and imprison individuals for peaceful expression"₁₂ and the right to protest is still far too limited₁₂.

Averages by decade for Myanmar (for the ranks, lower is better):

Press Freedom	2000s  Average	2010s  Average
Myanmar:	96.29	56.63
World Rank:	171st	⇡  142nd
World Avg:	27.44	65.91

2.2. Slavery in the 2020s

#burundi #china #eritrea #human_rights #indonesia #myanmar #slavery

“Human trafficking remained a serious problem in several areas [of Burma], particularly in the north where armed conflict and widespread displacement exacerbated financial instability. Women and girls in Kachin and Shan States who went to China in search of work faced abuses. Many women and girls were sold to Chinese families as "brides" and often faced horrific abuses including being locked up, subjected to sexual slavery, forced to bear children of their "husbands" by rape, and forcibly separated from their children. The Burmese government put few measures in place to protect women and girls from these abuses or assist women and girls who escaped or sought to do so.”

"World Report 2018" by Human Rights Watch (2018)₁₂

Slavery in the 2020s Lower is better8
Pos.		Total Per 10008
1=	Switzerland	0.50
1=	Norway	0.50
3=	Germany	0.60
	...
145	Belarus	11.30
146	Albania	11.80
147	Turkmenistan	11.90
148	Myanmar	12.10
149	Macedonia	12.60
150	Ukraine	12.80
151=	Russia	13.00
151=	Afghanistan	13.00
	Asia Avg	9.89
	World Avg	7.15
q=160.

Regarding combatting modern slavery, Myanmar comes 13th-worst in the world.

Modern slavery includes forced labour (often of the under-age), debt bondage (especially generational), sexual slavery, chattel slavery and other forms of abuse, some of which can be surprisingly difficult to detect, but often target those fleeing from warzones, and poverty-stricken vulnerable.₁₈. Some industries (diamond, clothing, coal) from some countries (Burundi₁₉, Eritrea₁₉, Indonesia₂₀) are a particular concern. The Walk Free Foundation, say in their 2023 report that 50 million people are living in modern slavery₁₉.

For more, see:

• "The Historical Slave Trade and Modern Slavery" by Vexen Crabtree (2018).

Averages by decade for Myanmar (for the ranks, lower is better):

Slavery	2010s  Average	2020s  Average
Myanmar:	11.00	12.10
World Rank:	150th	⇡  148th
World Avg:	6.54	7.15

2.3. Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom

#freedom #politics

Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom Lower is better9
Pos.		2014 Rank9
1	Hong Kong	1
2	Switzerland	2
3	New Zealand	3
	...
150	Angola	150
151	Congo, DR	151
152	Algeria	152
153	Myanmar	153
154	Venezuela	154
155	Central African Rep.	155
156	Syria	156
157	Iran	157
	Asia Avg	94.6
	World Avg	79.7
q=159.

One of the highest in Asia regarding supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms, Myanmar is 7th-worst in the world.

The Human Freedom Index published by the Fraser Institute is...

“... a broad measure of human freedom, understood as the absence of coercive constraint. It uses 79 distinct indicators of personal and economic freedom in the following areas: Rule of Law, Security and Safety, Movement, Religion, Association, Assembly, and Civil Society, Expression, Relationships, Size of Government, Legal System and Property Rights, Access to Sound Money, Freedom to Trade Internationally, Regulation of Credit, Labor, and Business. [...]

The highest levels of freedom are in Western Europe, Northern Europe, and North America (Canada and the United States. The lowest levels are in the Middle East and North Africa, South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa. [...]

Countries in the top quartile of freedom enjoy a significant higher per capita income ($37,147) [compared with] the least-free quartile [at] $8,700). The HFI finds a strong correlation between human freedom and democracy.”

"The Human Freedom Index" by The Fraser Institute (2016)₂₁

For more, see:

• "Human Rights" by Vexen Crabtree (2019).

2.4. Freedom in the World

#freedom #human_rights #hungary #politics #USA

Freedom in the World Lower is better
Pos.		2024 Score
1=	Norway	1.0
1=	Canada	1.0
1=	Cape Verde	1.0
	...
195=	Belarus	7.0
195=	Afghanistan	7.0
195=	Iran	7.0
195=	Myanmar	7.0
195=	Eritrea	7.0
195=	Central African Rep.	7.0
195=	Azerbaijan	7.0
195=	Sudan	7.0
	Asia Avg	5.0
	World Avg	3.7
q=205.

Myanmar is worst in the world when it comes to its average Freedom in the World rating.

Freedom House's long-standing annual report has been running since the 1970s, collecting data on political rights (PR) and civil liberties (CL). Their reports rate countries as "Free", "Partially Free" or "Not Free", however the results here are based on their numerical values. Many countries score the best combination of scores (1 and 1), which is why the table of results show many places equally placed in 1st place. In the past two decades, some well-established democracies like the USA and Hungary have been falling. Whilst most of the world in general is improving rights and freedoms over time, the 2020s has seen some regression.

For more, see:

• " Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Averages by decade for Myanmar (for the ranks, lower is better):

Freedom in the World	1970s  Average	1980s  Average	1990s  Average	2000s  Average	2010s  Average
Myanmar:	6.2	6.8	7.0	7.0	5.7
World Rank:	129th	⇣  154th	⇣  190th	⇣  200th	⇡  164th
World Avg:	4.3	4.2	3.6	3.4	3.4

2.5. Human Rights Watch Comments

#human_rights

Human Rights Watch Comments Higher is better7
Pos.		2017 Score7
1=	UK	9
1=	France	9
1=	Germany	9
	...
107=	Turkmenistan	-8
107=	Algeria	-8
107=	Central African Rep.	-8
110=	Myanmar	-9
110=	Eritrea	-9
110=	Somalia	-9
110=	Libya	-9
114=	Sudan	-10
	Asia Avg	-5.0
	World Avg	-1.9
q=123.

Myanmar is positioned 5th-worst in the world with regard to commentary in Human Rights Watch reports.

Human Rights Watch comments concentrate mostly on negative issues, however, they also make positive comments for those countries that engage in human rights defence around the world, or who make improvements at home. By adding up positive and negative comments (including double-points for negatives that involve large scales and crimes against humanity), the Social and Moral Index turns HRW commentary into quantified values. Some countries may be unfairly penalized because HRW have not examined them, and, some countries "get away" with abuses if they manage to hide it, or if it goes unnoticed - a negative point has been given for those countries in which HRW specifically state that access to investigators has been barred. The points were limited to a minimum of -10 because there are some points at which things are so bad, with abuses affecting so many, it is difficult to be more specific about the depths of the issues.

For more, see:

• "Human Rights" by Vexen Crabtree (2019).

2.6. Nominal Commitment to HR

#human_rights

Nominal Commitment to HR Higher is better11
Pos.		2009 Treaties11
1	Argentina	24
2=	Chile	23
2=	Costa Rica	23
	...
187=	Singapore	5
187=	Nauru	5
189=	Marshall Islands	4
189=	Myanmar	4
189=	Palau	4
189=	Malaysia	4
193=	Bhutan	3
193=	Kiribati	3
	Asia Avg	12.7
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

Myanmar is 5th-worst in the world when it comes to its nominal commitment to Human Rights.

There are many international agreements on human rights, and, many mechanisms by which countries can be brought to account for their actions. Together, these have been the biggest historical movement in the fight against oppression and inhumanity. Or, putting it another way: these are rejected mostly by those who wish to oppress inhumanely. None of them are perfect and many people object to various components and wordings, but, no-one has come up with, and enforced, better methods of controlling the occasional desires that states and peoples have of causing angst for other states and peoples in a violent, unjust or inhumane way. Points are awarded for the number of human rights agreements ratified by the country, plus the acceptance of the petition mechanisms for disputes. The maximum possible score in 2009 was 24.

For more, see:

• "Human Rights" by Vexen Crabtree (2019).

2.7. HR Treaties Lag

#human_rights #international_law #micronesia #politics #small_islands

HR Treaties Lag Lower is better22
Pos.		2019 Avg Yrs/Treaty22
1	Ecuador	2.15
2	Uruguay	2.25
3	Tunisia	3.65
	...
177	Comoros	14.82
178	Fiji	14.85
179	Samoa	14.85
180	Myanmar	14.93
181	St Kitts & Nevis	15.00
182	Singapore	15.02
183	Papua New Guinea	15.23
184	Brunei	15.29
	Asia Avg	10.97
	World Avg	10.02
q=195.

Myanmar ranks 16th-worst in the world in terms of speed of uptake of HR treaties (one of the highest in Asia).

Human Rights (HR) Treaties Lag is a count of how long it took each country to sign each of 11 key HR treaties. From the date of the first signatory of each treaty, all other countries have one point added to their score for each day they delayed in signing. Results are presented as average time in years to sign each one. The lower a country's score, the more enthusiastically it has taken on international Human Rights Treaties - which are, of course, minimal standards of good governance. The slowest are the countries of Micronesia, Melanesia, Australasia and Polynesia all lagged by over 12 years per treaty. The best regions are The Americas, Scandinavia and the Mediterranean.

For more, see:

• " Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

3. Gender Equality Datasets

Myanmar is an unequal country, with male rights dominating those of women.

See:

• "Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree (2007)

3.1. Gender Inequality

#gender #gender_equality #human_rights #misogyny #women

Gender Inequality Lower is better3
Pos.		20223
1	Denmark	0.01
2	Norway	0.01
3	Switzerland	0.02
	...
113	Jordan	0.45
114	Belize	0.46
115	Laos	0.46
116	Myanmar	0.48
117	Guatemala	0.48
118	Mozambique	0.48
119	Botswana	0.49
120	Iran	0.49
	Asia Avg	0.33
	World Avg	0.34
q=166.

Myanmar comes 116th in the world regarding opposing gender inequality.

The UN Human Development Reports include statistics on gender equality which take into account things like maternal mortality, access to political power (seats in parliament) and differences between male and female education rates. Gender inequality is not a necessary part of early human development. Although a separation of roles is almost universal due to different strengths between the genders, this does not have to mean that women are subdued, and, such patriarchalism is not universal in ancient history. Those cultures and peoples who shed, or never developed, the idea that mankind ought to dominate womankind, are better cultures and peoples than those who, even today, cling violently to those mores.

For more, see:

• "Gender Equality" by Vexen Crabtree (2023).

On average throughout the 2010s, Myanmar's rate was 0.50.

3.2. Gender Biases

#gender #gender_equality #prejudice #women

Gender Biases Lower is better6
Pos.		2022 %6
1	Sweden	31.823
2	New Zealand	34.424
3	Australia	37.024
	...
74	Ghana	99.023
75	India	99.123
76	Rwanda	99.123
77	Myanmar	99.424
78	Bangladesh	99.424
79	Mali	99.525
80	Philippines	99.524
81	Nigeria	99.524
	Asia Avg	94.24
	World Avg	83.93
q=88.

With regard to the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), Myanmar is 12th-worst in the world.

The Gender Social Norms Index (GSNI) looks at gender biases across seven criteria; the % given here is for the total people who are biased across any of those criteria. By subtracting the value from 100%, you can see that those who do well on this index, you are seeing a count of those who do not appear to be biased against women in any of the criteria, and so, doing well on this index is a very positive sign for any country.

The data was included in UN (2022) with full results in Annex table AS6.7.1; their data stems for ranges between 2005 and 2022, depending on the country in question.

3.3. Year Women Can Vote

#christianity #gender_equality #human_rights #politics #women

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better
Pos.		Total Year
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
40=	Turkey	1934
40=	Brazil	1934
40=	Cuba	1934
43	Myanmar	1935
44	Philippines	1937
45	Uzbekistan	1938
46	Dominican Rep.	1942
47=	Bulgaria	1944
	Asia Avg	1907
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

Myanmar ranks 43rd in the world regarding the year from which women could participate in democracy.

Women now have equal rights in the vast majority of countries across the world. Although academic literature oftens talks of when a country "grants women the right to vote", this enforces a backwards way of thinking. Women always had the right to vote, however, they were frequently denied that right. The opposition to women's ability to vote in equality with man was most consistently and powerfully opposed by the Catholic Church, other Christian organisations, Islamic authorities and some other religious and secular traditionalists.

For more, see:

• "Gender Equality" by Vexen Crabtree (2023).

4. Prejudice Datasets

4.1. LGBT Equality

#equality #homosexuality #human_rights #ICCPR #intolerance #sexuality #tolerance

LGBT Equality Higher is better4
Pos.		2017 Score4
1	Netherlands	103
2	Belgium	90
3	Sweden	86
	...
139=	Antigua & Barbuda	-10
139=	St Vincent & Grenadines	-10
139=	Mauritius	-10
139=	Myanmar	-10
139=	Barbados	-10
144=	Ethiopia	-14
144=	Eritrea	-14
144=	Brunei	-14
	Asia Avg	-02.1
	World Avg	12.6
q=196.

Regarding LGBT equality, Myanmar ranks 133rd in the world.

Discrimination against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) folk is rife across the world. Legal restrictions co-exist alongside social stigmatisation and physical violence₂₆. LGBT tolerance and equal rights have been fought for country-by-country across the world, often against tightly entrenched cultural and religious opposition. Adult consensual sexual activity is a Human Right, protected by privacy laws₂₇. Despite this, homosexual activity is outlawed in around 80 countries₂₆. The Social & Moral LGBT Equality Index was created to compare countries and regions, granting points to each country for a variety of factors including how long gay sex has been criminalized and the extent of LGBT legal rights. Graded negative points are given for criminality of homosexuality, unequal ages of consent, legal punishments and for not signing international accords on LGBT tolerance. The signs in many developed countries are positive, and things are gradually improving. Europe is by far the least prejudiced region (Scandinavia in particular being exemplary). The Middle East and then Africa are the least morally developed, where cultural bias goes hand-in-hand with state intolerance, all too often including physical violence.

For more, see:

• "LGBT Rights Across the World: Which are the Best and Worst Countries?" by Vexen Crabtree (2017).

4.2. Freedom of Thought

#buddhism #christianity #europe #freedom_of_belief #freethought #hinduism #human_rights #islam #myanmar #netherlands #religion #religion_in_myanmar #religious_tolerance #secularism #the_enlightenment #Therevada_Buddhism

In this 88% Buddhist country, minorities such as Hindus, Christians and Muslims face "threats and persecution", and their religious activities are "tightly regulated", even in their own homes₁₂. Article 361 of the Constitution specifically names Buddhism as the favoured religion, with Therevada Buddhism in particular being supported by Government. Sociologists Grim & Finke still place Myanmar into the worst possible category when it comes to religious freedom and persecution: Severe restrictions on religious freedom and freedom of belief stem simultaneously from top-down pressure from government and institutionalized religion, and from bottom-up grassroots movements that often go even further than the government in harassing those who do not believe the right things (2011)₂₈.

Freedom of Thought Lower is better5
Pos.		20215
1=	Belgium	1.0
1=	Taiwan	1.0
1=	Netherlands	1.0
	...
149=	Chad	3.8
149=	Swaziland	3.8
149=	Thailand	3.8
149=	Myanmar	3.8
149=	Zimbabwe	3.8
149=	Samoa	3.8
149=	Sri Lanka	3.8
149=	Russia	3.8
	Asia Avg	3.7
	World Avg	3.0
q=196.

When it comes to freethought, Myanmar is positioned 149th in the world.

Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Belief are upheld in Article 18 the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights₂₉. It affirms that it is a basic human right that all people are free to change their beliefs and religion as they wish₃₀. No countries voted against this (although eight abstained). This right was first recognized clearly in the policies of religious toleration of the Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe in the post-enlightenment era₃₁ of the 19th century. In democratic countries, freedom of belief and religion is now taken for granted₃₂. In 2016 a study found that over 180 countries in the world had come to guarantee freedom of religion and belief₃₃. The best countries at doing so are Belgium, The Netherlands and Taiwan_5,34 and the worst: Afghanistan, N. Korea, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia_5,35.

Long-term studies have shown that religious violence and persecution both decrease in cultures where religious freedom is guaranteed₃₆. Despite this, there still are many who are strongly against freedom of belief₃₀, including entire cultures and many individual communities of religious believers. Their alternative is that you are not free to believe what you want and they often state that you cannot change religion without being punished (often including the death penalty): this is bemoaned as one of the most dangerous elements of religion₃₇ and "the denial of religious freedoms is inevitably intertwined with the denial of other freedoms"₃₈ and the solution is, everywhere, to allow religious freedom and the freedom of belief.

For more, see:

• "Freethought - Freedom of Belief and Freedom of Religion" by Vexen Crabtree (2022).

“In May [2017], authorities sent a letter to a Christian man in Rangoon, warning him not to continue to pray in his home with others without first receiving approval from authorities. In Sagaing Region, a Buddhist mob attacked Christian worshippers, destroying homes and personal property.

In April, a mob of about 50 to 100 Buddhist ultranationalists put pressure on local officials and police in Rangoon´s Thaketa township to close two Islamic schools. The authorities carried out the mob´s demand and have not reopened the schools, denying several hundred students access to education. Following the closures, local officials charged seven Muslims who participated in a public prayer session on May 31.”

"World Report 2018" by Human Rights Watch (2018)₁₂

5. Crimes Against Humanity: The Ethnic Cleansing of the Rohingya Muslim Minorities

5.1. Violent Popularism

#buddhism #buddhist_extremism #democracy #democracy_challenges #nationalism #politics #popularism

In politics, popularism is the effect of uninformed mass opinion on governance. It can transpire through the government being too sensitive to the loudest voices of the masses, through grassroots movements that are too narrow in scope to represent the entire population, through nasty forms of nationalism and jingoism. Popularist slogans are often catchy policies based on simple one-line policies that do not have a proper depth of research or meaning; hence, they appeal to 'the masses' and it is the job of politicians to convince the populace to pursue wiser courses of action than they would if left to their own devices. In the modern world, Internet-based and social media campaigns are becoming the most important source of public pressure on governments₃₉ and this is giving enemies of democracy powerful new tools of interference₄₀. The worst aspects of popularism are a disregard for minorities₄₁ and any unpopular subcultures (wherein popularism becomes 'the tyranny of the majority')₄₂ and the other main disadvantage is the pursuit of shallow and short-sighted policies that harm the nation in the long-run_43,44,45; issues that require strong international co-ordination and long-term planning such as environmentalism and protecting biodiversity are suffering as the result of selfish nationalism₄₆. The solution to popularism is to ensure the politicians are professional, well-trained, well-educated, and who are not afraid to engage in long-term strategy that is unpopular in the short term.

For more, see:

• "Popularism: When Mass Instincts Defeat National Strategy" by Vexen Crabtree (2018).

“The cost of not standing up to populist attacks on human rights was perhaps starkest in Burma. Vitriolic nationalist rhetoric increasingly propagated by Buddhist extremists, senior members of the Burmese military, and some members of the civilian-led government helped to precipitate an ethnic cleansing campaign against Rohingya Muslims, following a militant group's attacks on security outposts. An army-led campaign of massacres, widespread rape, and mass arson in at least 340 villages sent more than 640,000 Rohingya refugees fleeing for their lives to neighboring Bangladesh. [... There is] little immediate hope of the Rohingyas' safe and voluntary return, or of bringing to justice the people behind the atrocities that sent them fleeing.”

"World Report 2018" by Human Rights Watch (2018)₄₇

In a rare move, even the anti-human-rights international community called the OIC, supported the UNHRC:

“Nations of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) called for a special session of the UN Human Rights Council where they supported a resolution condemning Burma's crimes against humanity. The effort was notable because it represented a rare instance in which OIC members backed a resolution criticizing a particular country.”

"World Report 2018" by Human Rights Watch (2018)₄₈

5.2. The Failure of Facebook to Control Hate₄₉

#buddhist_extremism #Facebook #misinformation #social_media

The United Nations has accused Facebook in particular as being the facilitator for a wave of hate and misinformation, enticing the populace into continued violence against Rohingya Muslim minority in Rakhine State. Much of this content is disseminated through fake accounts on Facebook

“Free Basics [Facebook Internet provision in developing countries] gives internet access for the majority of people in Burma, at the same time it severely limits the information available to users, making Facebook virtually the only source of information online for the majority. [...] In March 2018, the UN Myanmar investigator Yanghee Lee said that the platform had morphed into a `beast´ that helped to spread vitriol against Rohingya Muslins. [...]

The activity of Facebook undermines international aid to Burma, including the UK Government´s work. Facebook is releasing a product that is dangerous to consumers and deeply unethical. [...] This situation is acknowledged by Facebook itself, who said that the hate material was 'awful' and it wanted to get rid of it.”

"Disinformation and 'Fake News': Interim Report"
UK Govt (2018)₅₀