Myanmar beauty queen dethroned over Rohingya

London: A Burmese beauty queen has claimed she was stripped of her pageant title over a video she made on the ongoing violence in Rakhine state, reports BBC.

Shwe Eain Si had posted the clip online last week, accusing Rohingya militants of perpetuating the unrest.

The 19-year-old Miss Grand Myanmar lost her title on Sunday when organisers announced they had revoked it.

They said she breached contract rules and did not behave like a role model. They did not mention her video.

But on Tuesday Shwe Eain Si drew a connection between the dethronement and her clip.

"Yes, Shwe Eain Si made a video about the reign of terror brought about by the Arsa militants in Rakhine state, but that was hardly qualified as a failure to project a decent image of a pageant contestant," a statement posted on her Facebook page said, making reference to the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army.

It added that she "is obliged as a citizen of this country to use her fame to speak out the truth for her nation".

In the graphic video, posted on her Facebook page last week, the beauty queen says Arsa's "caliphate-style movement" attacks were "out of proportion".

Speaking in English, Shwe Eain Si accuses the militants and their supporters of conducting a media campaign "so that harbingers of terror and violence themselves [now seem] as if they are the oppressed".

Her video makes no mention of the Burmese military's widespread atrocities allegedly committed against the Muslim Rohingya minority. The army, which has been accused of conducting ethnic cleansing, has said it is only targeting militants.

The latest outbreak of Rakhine violence began on 25 August when Arsa militants attacked security posts, triggering a military crackdown. More than 500,000 Rohingya have since fled to neighbouring Bangladesh.

Rakhine villagers and other minorities such as Hindus have also been affected by violence.

But correspondents say that the large wave of Rohingya migrants and their widespread claims of abuse at the hands of the military indicate their community has been disproportionately affected.

Shwe Eain Si is not the first beauty pageant winner to run into trouble in recent months.

In September the winner of Miss Turkey 2017 was stripped of her crown after it emerged she had shared a post referencing last year's coup attempt. Competition organisers said the tweet was "unacceptable".

A fresh outbreak of violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state has caused hundreds of thousands of Rohingya civilians to flee to Bangladesh.

The exodus began on 25 August. Myanmar's military says it is fighting insurgents but those who have fled say troops and Rakhine Buddhists are conducting a brutal campaign to drive them out.

 

Myanmar beauty queen dethroned over Rohingya

London: A Burmese beauty queen has claimed she was stripped of her pageant title over a video she made on the ongoing violence in Rakhine state, reports BBC. Shwe Eain Si had posted the clip online last week, accusing Rohingya militants of perpetuating the unrest. The 19-year-old Miss Grand Myanmar lost her title on Sunday when organisers announced they had revoked it. They said she breached contract rules and did not behave like a role model. They did not mention her video. But on Tuesday Shwe Eain Si drew a connection between the dethronement and her clip. Yes, Shwe Eain Si made a video about the reign of terror brought about by the Arsa militants in Rakhine state, but that was hardly qualified as a failure to project a decent image of a pageant contestant, a statement posted on her Facebook page said, making reference to the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army. It added that she is obliged as a citizen of this country to use her fame to speak out the truth for her nation. In the graphic video, posted on her Facebook page last week, the beauty queen says Arsas caliphate-style movement attacks were out of proportion. Speaking in English, Shwe Eain Si accuses the militants and their supporters of conducting a media campaign so that harbingers of terror and violence themselves [now seem] as if they are the oppressed. Her video makes no mention of the Burmese militarys widespread atrocities allegedly committed against the Muslim Rohingya minority. The army, which has been accused of conducting ethnic cleansing, has said it is only targeting militants. The latest outbreak of Rakhine violence began on 25 August when Arsa militants attacked security posts, triggering a military crackdown. More than 500,000 Rohingya have since fled to neighbouring Bangladesh. Rakhine villagers and other minorities such as Hindus have also been affected by violence. But correspondents say that the large wave of Rohingya migrants and their widespread claims of abuse at the hands of the military indicate their community has been disproportionately affected. Shwe Eain Si is not the first beauty pageant winner to run into trouble in recent months. In September the winner of Miss Turkey 2017 was stripped of her crown after it emerged she had shared a post referencing last years coup attempt. Competition organisers said the tweet was unacceptable. A fresh outbreak of violence in Myanmars Rakhine state has caused hundreds of thousands of Rohingya civilians to flee to Bangladesh. The exodus began on 25 August. Myanmars military says it is fighting insurgents but those who have fled say troops and Rakhine Buddhists are conducting a brutal campaign to drive them out.