Manufacturing Hate: How Myanmar’s Regime Hooked a Nation on Islamophobia

The Illusion of Democracy
As Myanmar’s “democratization” charmed the world, a darker truth festered: most Bamar Buddhists don’t want equality—they want dominance. Their fear? Losing control over ethnic minority lands rich in oil, gas, and jade, or competing fairly with Burmese-Chinese and Muslim entrepreneurs. This isn’t speculation—it’s the engine driving state-engineered hate.

The Poison in the Pamphlets

In tea shops, monasteries, and markets nationwide, two booklets spread like venom:

“We Are Afraid Our Race Will Disappear”
“Burmese Citizens Beware!”

Their core lies, repeated since the 1990s:

“Malaysia/Indonesia were once Buddhist nations until Muslims ‘invaded’…

Now they plot to destroy Buddhism in Myanmar by:
1. STEALING LAND
2. BUYING CONVERTS
3. SEDUCING WOMEN
4. PREACHING DOCTRINE
5. SEIZING STATE POWER”

These claims—printed by military affiliates (USDP) and distributed via monks—reframe Muslims as existential threats. Worse, they include explicit calls for apartheid:

BOYCOTT MUSLIMS: Avoid shops with *786/Bismillah/Halal* signs.
BAN TRADE/EMPLOYMENT with Muslims.
REFUSE HOUSING to Muslims.
DISPLAY 969/ARAHAN logos (markers of Buddhist supremacy).

State Machinery of Hate

This isn’t grassroots bigotry—it’s systematic indoctrination:

Monks as Agents: Military Intelligence (DDSI) infiltrated the Sangha. HRW documented monks leading riots while using state-issued mobile phones (2001).
Economic Scapegoating: Pamphlets surge during economic crises (e.g., 1999, 2012), diverting anger from regime failures.
Marriage Paranoia: Fabricated stories of Muslim men “converting” Buddhist women stoke moral panic.

Thein Sein, Aung San Suu Kyi, and the NLD did worse than nothing:

Thein Sein’s regime distributed pamphlets via USDP.
Suu Kyi reduced anti-Muslim pogroms to “both sides” clashes, erasing Muslim victimhood.

A Playbook Older Than the Junta

The tactic is timeless:

SLORC staged fake “Muslim marriage plots” in Taunggyi (1988) to crush democracy protests.
Anti-Muslim riots erupted in Myingyan/Myanaung (1999) after USDP pamphlet drops.
969 Movement (backed by generals) recycled these lies in 2012-2015, enabling Rohingya genocide.

“When monks with luxury phones, and booklets appear mysteriously before riots inciting mobs—ask who prints them.”
— Human Rights Watch, 2001

Why the Hook Sinks Deep

Bamar Buddhists swallow these myths because they promise:

Economic Security: Eliminate Muslim competitors.
Cultural Purity: Stop “Islamization.”
Continued Dominance: Justify military rule as “protecting Buddhism.”

Conclusion: Cutting the Line

Myanmar’s Islamophobia isn’t organic—it’s regime policy wrapped in saffron robes. Justice requires:

ICC prosecutions for incitement to genocide (Rome Statute, Art. 25).
Global Magnitsky sanctions on pamphlet distributors.
Pressure on ASEAN to condemn state hate speech.

The world must see: these pamphlets aren’t “free speech”—they’re blueprints for genocide. Until their printers face consequences, Myanmar’s democracy remains a lie.

Preserved Evidence from my Original Article Many Bamas are swallowing the hook, line, and sinker

Key Fact	Source/Context
Pamphlet distribution via USDA/monks	HRW, U.S. State Department (2001)
969 boycott directives	“Burmese Citizens Beware!” pamphlet
Staged riots (Taunggyi 1988, Myanaung 1999)	Historical records, HRDU Yearbook
Suu Kyi’s “both sides” rhetoric	Public statements (2012-2015)
Monk-military collusion	HRW mobile phone reports