Emails claiming to be from AA threaten local media including EMG with mine attacks

Emails claiming to be from AA threaten local media including EMG with mine attacks
Published 3 April 2019
Zaw Min Naing

A group claiming to be AA (Arakan Army) sent emails to local media including Eleven Media Group threatening to carry out mine attacks on them. 

Letters threatening to carry out mines attacks on eleven Media Group were sent twice on April 1 and once on April 2 around 11:00 am.

In the first e-mail, on April 1 evening, it is said that, "Arakan Army is not an insurgent group. It is working towards revolution for our patriarch country. Our AA is safeguarding Rakhine State and Rakhine nationals. Please stop reporting false news concerning AA. If not, your media will face destruction. AA will not guarantee safety for the media and its reporters. If any negative views concerning AA are reported, we will attack your media with mines. It is the final warning." 

On the email sent at 11:00 am on April 2, it is said that "AA has invited media to cover  news. But there is a special warning to journalists and the media. You can write whatever you like about Myanmar Tatmadaw (military). But if you write any bad things concerning AA, no one will be able to leave with their lives from Rakhine land".

The chief editor of 7 Day News Agency also said that email letters with a threat of violent attacks were received.

"We got an email letter threatening our media twice. One in yesterday(April 1)  evening  and one in this  (April 2 )morning," said Arr Marn, chief editor of "7 Day News Agency".

With the gmail account of Flowerlay, a threat letter was sent on April 2 afternoon and with the gmail account of aye705997, it is stated that an example of a news agency must be taken as lesson if reporters were sent to Rakhine State for news coverage.

The case was that a freelance columnist living in Rakhine State for covering news for DVB news agency was stabbed by unknown men after he covered news on AA.

Chief editor Arr Marn said that it was a kind of oppression towards media.

"This shouldn't be like this. We have been covering news since 2011 such as peace process, and internal conflicts. We've never been faced that kind of experience," said Arr Marn. 

Similarly, other local news agencies such as Mizzima, Khint Thit, MCN, The Ladies News received threat letters.

Yangon Khit Thit news media received threat letters once from Rakhinetharchay Facebook account   and twice from [email protected]. Yangon Khit Thit news media will inform Myanmar Media Council about the case. It is stated in Yangon Khit Thit news media's social Facebook page.

Myo Thant, an editor from Mizzima news agency, said that threat letters claiming to be from AA were sent to local media. So, he would not do anything as he didn't think the letters were from AA, he commented. 

Concerning the threat letters sent to local media, contacts were made to spokesman of AA Khine Thu Kha on April 2 for several times but it was no avail.

Chairman of Myanmar Press Council Ohn Kyaing said that such threat letters sent to media were unacceptable and that complaints could be filed to MPC.

"Their action is a kind of committing a crime and a low standard. There were unrests in 1949 but no threat letters were sent like this. At that time, thugs threatened public members. Whoever did this, their acts proved low-class. It is not a good sign for AA if they didn't send these letters. Such a threat, we can take action under the Penal Code of Myanmar. Media report only true news," said Ohn Kyaing, chairman of Myanmar Press Council.

But, Irrawaddy News Agency has not received any threat letter, according to Kyaw Swa Moe, editor from English Section. Current investigation shows that foreign news agencies such as BBC and RFA don't receive such letters.

Eleven Media Group will send complaint letters to respective police departments and local authorities. It will also send information about the threats to Myanmar Press Council, WAN-IFRA, CPJ, ANN and RSF.

The chief editor of 7 Day Newspaper Arr Marn said that he would send letters to Ministry of Information, MPC, and local media.

The case of threat letters claiming to be from AA were sent to media happened not only in Rakhine State but it also reached Yangon.

It is required to tighten security not only in Rakhine State where clashes are going on but also in other places.

In over 70 years of ethnic armed conflict in Myanmar, it is the very first time that media have received such a threat.