“We need to be vigilant not to fall into their trap .”

Interview with General Secretary Nan Moh Moh, the Women’s League of Burma

Myanmar’s military junta is orchestrating an online campaign of terror, and weaponising social media platforms to crush democratic opposition, UN experts warned on 13 March.

The report also said online rhetoric has spilled into real world terror, with military supporters using social media to harass and incite violence against pro-democracy activists and human rights defenders, targeting women and severely harm them. 

Interview with General Secretary Nan Moh Moh, the Women’s League of Burma is about this issue.

TLT: How have women of pro-democracy activists and human rights defenders and politicians been targeted on social media?

Nan Moh Moh: We have noticed that the military supporters  and their stooges using social media to incite violence and dissension among their dissidents. They are orchestrating online campaigns of terror against women, especially in personal affairs. They widely use sexualized rhetoric, affecting their works, and threatened the women to kill.

TLT: How did these threats affect politics, democratic movements and human rights campaigns?

Nan Moh Moh: We do not feel safe physically and mentally anymore due to these terrible threats. We got anxious in a state of panic. The junta supporters’ deliberate and personal attacks have hindered the women to express their beliefs and opinions online media.

The military is trying to stop our freedom of expression and rights to information. It is a severe intimidation against women.

TLT: Why did the junta is doing so?

Nan Moh Moh: It is   a common strategy of military junta. They used it many years, with inciting and instigating violence, and harbouring doubts.  They are using military tactics in these campaigns. We need to remain vigilant not to fall into their trap.

Otherwise, we will experience losses, and the military will be pleased with it. They will watch problems they created. They will continue their violent strategy to cause disunity among the people. It is an advantage for them. So, we need to avoid the military’s trap.