Wirathu’s Hate Speech: Junta’s Old Weapon Against Muslims and Democracy

TQVM U Aung Tin (Canada) for the endless facts provided for Myanmar’s democracy movement and Pathi/Myanmar Muslims. I tried to translate as a gyst for the international audiences, Journalists, Activists and Authorities.

Call to Unity

Myanmar today stands at a crossroads. The generals want to divide the people along religious and racial lines so that they can continue ruling over the ruins.

The antidote to this poison is solidarity. Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus—and all who dream of a free and democratic Myanmar—must see clearly that hatred is the junta’s weapon, and unity is the people’s shield.

To defend democracy, every citizen must reject Wirathu’s lies, resist the trap of sectarian division, and stand shoulder to shoulder for a future where no group is scapegoated and the military can no longer rule through fear.

By MMNN Desk | September 23, 2025

Just weeks before Myanmar’s long-delayed elections, ultranationalist monk U Wirathu has resurfaced on the political stage. Once again, he is playing the role the military has so often scripted for him: stoking communal hatred to destabilize democracy. This time, his rhetoric is aimed not only at Muslims but also at the NLD and the NUG.

A Two-Part Hate Speech

On September 21, 2025, U Wirathu delivered a speech laced with disinformation and inflammatory attacks.

Part I: Twisting History and Demonizing Daw Suu
He began by pointing to a September 20 rally in London against non-white, non-Christian immigrants, which he falsely described as an “anti-Muslim protest.” Using this as a springboard, he launched into accusations:

Claiming that “Bengalis” were once invited into the country by General Aung San’s wife, Daw Khin Kyi (whom he slandered as a “National Traitor”), and that they were even given a Rohingya voice in The Voice of Burma radio and the national encyclopedia.
Branding Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as the “daughter of the National Traitor” and accusing her of conspiring with the OIC to “Islamize Myanmar” by dismantling MaBaTha and undermining the Tatmadaw.

He declared:

“MaBaTha was easy to dismantle because it had no weapons. But destroying the armed military was the NLD government’s real mission. By breaking MaBaTha, Muslims gained leverage; by weakening the Tatmadaw, they could seize the country. That is why MaBaTha and the military became the biggest obstacles to Islamist Muslims.”

Part II: Targeting the NUG and OIC
U Wirathu then turned his fire on the NUG:

He alleged that the NUG had signed agreements with the OIC promising to recognize the Rohingya as an official ethnic group if it came to power.
He claimed some NUG ministers plotted with the OIC to prosecute Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
He attacked the NUG’s reliance on the OIC, alleging that Western aid dried up under Trump and Europe, leaving the NUG “orphans” who turned to Islamic organizations for funds.

He ended with a warning: “NUG people—don’t bring misery to our country.”

Why It Matters

U Wirathu’s speech is more than fringe rhetoric. It reflects the military’s long-standing strategy: weaponizing religious hatred to divide society, weaken pro-democracy forces, and present itself as the defender of Buddhism and the nation.

Although the armed forces orchestrate these campaigns, they persist partly because of the silence—or even quiet endorsement—of many political parties, civil society leaders, and democracy groups. Such negligence has allowed extremist narratives to gain traction among the uninformed public.

The Real Target: Democracy

By reactivating Wirathu and MaBaTha, the junta is reviving a familiar pattern: scapegoating Muslims as a tool to fracture democratic unity. In every country where state-directed racial violence occurs, the weakest and least protected minorities—in Myanmar, the Muslims—become the first victims. But genocide never happens without state involvement.

If Myanmar’s people and political leaders dismiss Muslim suffering as “not our concern,” they overlook the military’s real intent: the destruction of democracy itself. In the long run, it will not only be the Muslims but all of Myanmar’s society that bears the pain.

Call to Unity

Myanmar today stands at a crossroads. The generals want to divide the people along religious and racial lines so that they can continue ruling over the ruins. The antidote to this poison is solidarity. Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus—and all who dream of a free and democratic Myanmar—must see clearly that hatred is the junta’s weapon, and unity is the people’s shield. To defend democracy, every citizen must reject Wirathu’s lies, resist the trap of sectarian division, and stand shoulder to shoulder for a future where no group is scapegoated and the military can no longer rule through fear.