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GAN/Arakan (Rakhine State) March 5, 2025
Many times, observers are easily trapped by sensational news and misinformation spread by Muslim diaspora activists such as Nay San Lwin and others. The patterns of one incident to another often differ.
During intense military confrontations in the Buthidaung and Maungdaw areas, news first emerged from unverified sources claiming to be "victims" when speaking to international media outlets. Gradually, as other media agencies picked up the same narrative—amplified by hundreds or even thousands of shares and retweets on social media platforms like X (Twitter) and Facebook—it became accepted as fact.
As the American writer Mark Twain famously said:“A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes.”
However, there is also a second pattern of spreading misinformation—one that involves deliberately "turning the truth into a false narrative." This commentary aims to highlight this phenomenon.
First Incident:
On February 21, 2025, Arakan Bay News (ABN), a local media outlet, reported that the Arakan Army (AA) had detained 19 Bangladeshi fishermen along with four fishing boats for illegally entering and fishing in Arakan’s territorial waters near the Myanmar-Bangladesh border. The report was accompanied by the following photo:
However, some Muslim diaspora activists on X (Twitter) misused this photo for malicious purposes. A false narrative emerged, claiming that the AA had detained 19 fishermen from a village in Maungdaw Township. Another fake account further distorted the story, alleging that the AA had detained and beaten 19 fishermen from the Mayyu region in Arakan.
Although these two narratives differ, they share the same intent—falsely blaming the AA for malicious purposes.
Please see the posts below.
Second Incident:
This time, the truth was distorted into a false narrative when prominent diaspora Muslim activist Nay San Lwin shared a post on March 3, 2025. He fabricated a story using a photo, and his false claim was as follows;
Nay San Lwin’s story attempted to link a statement made by a ULA leader in 2017 to events in 2025, falsely claiming that the ULA was systematically seizing Muslim community property as part of "genocide."
However, his lie was later exposed when local sources confirmed that the ULA had nationalized the property of all junta members and collaborators, regardless of race, religion, or social background. In fact, confiscating the assets of junta members and their allies is not a new practice in Myanmar’s political landscape. Other Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs), including the People’s Defense Forces (PDFs), have done the same when taking control of towns.
Therefore, Nay San Lwin’s attempt to equate this law enforcement action with "genocide" is a baseless and laughable fabrication. Does he believe that Muslims, by virtue of their religion, should be exempt from legal consequences and the rule of law—even if they collaborated with the junta in committing crimes against innocent civilians?
Conclusion:
The spread of fake news and false narratives remains a major obstacle in uncovering the truth and obtaining critical information regarding the Muslim community in Arakan. Observers must exercise careful scrutiny to avoid falling into the trap of victimhood narratives.
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