HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN MYANMAR: THE ROLE OF FACEBOOK IN THE VIOLENCE AGAINST THE ROHINGYA

Abstract

Contextualization: The study explores the history of Myanmar, investigating the complex dynamics between Burmese Buddhists and the Rohingya Muslim ethnic minority. The analysis assumes that historically present ethnic tensions were fueled by colonial roots. However, it highlights how Facebook has been highlighted as a platform contributing to the escalation of hostility between the Buddhist community and the Rohingya, further fueling this ethnic conflict.

Objectives: In this study, we examined Myanmar history, observing the complex dynamic among Birman Buddhists and the Muslim Rohingya ethnic minority.

Methodology: As for the methodology, we chose the bibliographic and documental procedural method applied to a theoretical and qualitative research, being the information interpreted in accordance to the deductive method.

Results: At the end, we concluded that social media act not only implementing but also violating human rights. Nevertheless, they do not perpetrate human rights abuses directly, but they play an important role in (not) regulating the type of discourse that is seen in its platforms and the frequency that it appears. It was demonstrated that the impacts of online information are seen offline through Facebook's role as a conduit for hate speech and fake news in Myanmar.