'Facebook is spreading hate speech against Rohingya Muslims': UN
Geneva: The UN human rights experts have blamed Facebook for playing a key role in spreading hate speech against the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.
Speaking at the UN's Human Rights Council in Geneva, UN Myanmar investigator Yanghee Lee said that "everything is done through Facebook in Myanmar," adding it has been used to spread hate speech. "Iam afraid that Facebook has now turned into a beast, and not what it originally intended," she said.
Facebook did not immediately comment on the fresh charges.
Lee said she had seen evidence that Myanmar's military was continuing to target the Rohingya, razing their villages.
Marzuki Darusman, Chairman of the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar, said on Monday that the social media platform had played a "determining role" in Myanmar.
"As far as the Myanmar situation is concerned, social media is Facebook, and Facebook is social media," ABC Online quoted Darusman as saying.
More than 650,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar's Rakhine state into Bangladesh since insurgent attacks sparked a security crackdown last August.
Last week, Sri Lanka barred social messaging networks, including Facebook, following violence against minority Muslims in Kandy district.
The government ordered internet and mobile service providers to temporarily block Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, as well as messaging service Viber, after officials said these platforms were fueling online hate speech.
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Kallapu: Qur'an competition, prize distribution programme on January 24
Mangaluru: The Dakshina Kannada and Udupi District Madrasa Association will organise a Qur'an competition and prize distribution programme on January 24 at 4:30 PM at Unity Hall in Kallapu, Mangaluru.
The event will be held in collaboration with institutions such as Iqra Arabic School, Salafi Education Board (SKSM), Karnataka Education Board (KSA), Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Deeniyath, As-Suffa Academy, Al-Noor Arabic Academy, Sirat-e-Mustaqeem, Al-Furqan Arabic Institute, and Al-Kalam Arabic Academy, according to the press release.
