The Myanmar embassy in Dhaka, which is always media shy, is currently engaged in a propaganda campaign with regard to Rohingya tragedy that is happening in Rakhine state bordering Bangladesh. The mission, through their campaign, wants to portray Myanmar security forces, which, according to the United Nations and many other countries and organisations across the globe, are committing crimes tantamount to genocide and ethnic cleansing, are doing nothing but maintaining law and order in northern Rakhine respecting rule of law and exercising restraints.

It also put all the blames on Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA). The embassy is sending correspondences to foreign ministry of the host country, all diplomatic missions and international organisations stationed in Dhaka on regular basis containing news and statements in favour of their country.

“Yes, we are aware of this. They send these also to us,” a senior foreign ministry official has told The Independent. Despite repeated attempts, the Myanmar embassy in Dhaka could not be reached for comments regarding their letters, contents of which are contrary to the versions of the outside world including the UN. This technique, the mission resorted to, is very new as it hardly speaks or sends press releases to media. Even, when their envoy was summoned by the foreign ministry on different occasions, he hardly spoke to the media.

After any bilateral or official meetings with foreign minister, state minister, foreign secretary or other officials, their delegations interact with media with smiles or one of two words. The mission started sending these correspondences in a small scale after Myanmar security forces had begun a brutal campaign against Rohingya Muslims in October, 2016. But, during the ongoing brutalities, the mission is sending letters attaching different news items and statements on regular items justifying the campaign.  

“The security forces have been instructed to adhere strictly to the code of conduct in carrying out security operations, to exercise restraint and to take full measures to avoid collateral damage,” said one correspondence dated September 11. The view of the international community as well as media is quite opposite in this regard. While the international community is urging for granting humanitarian and media access to the affected areas on a daily basis, the embassy, in a blatant propaganda, claimed that access to local and international media as well as humanitarian organisations had been granted. Glorifying the activities of the Myanmar security forces, one correspondence said that families and personnel of army, navy and air force donated relief items for the victims. In none of the correspondences, it was mentioned or admitted that over 4.5 lakh Rohingya Muslims have fled into Bangladesh to escape the atrocities by the Myanmar security forces. The names of Bangladesh and Rohingya were also not mentioned. In all the correspondences, the word ‘ARSA’ instead of the elaborated name Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army was used to avoid the use of the word Rohingya.

The military operations in northern Rakhine has been on hold since September 5, the embassy claimed in one of its correspondences, although the Amnesty International, the London-based global body, said on Friday that Myanmar security forces and local mobs are still torching the Rohingya villages.

“Let them run the propaganda. The world sees what actually is happening in Rakhine,” said the foreign ministry official, adding, “We are also doing our bit to project the truth in front of the world.”