As conflict between the military and various armed groups continues to roil Buddhist-majority Myanmar,\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>a clip of pro-democracy fighters has been shared alongside a false claim they have arrived at a sacred site of worship called the Golden Rock pagoda. But visual clues show the pagoda is just a replica found in the country’s central region of Magway and not the original one located in the eastern Mon state.<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n“Arrived on the mountain of\u00a0 the Golden Rock Pagoda,” read the Burmese-language caption of a Facebook post<\/a> shared on November 12.<\/p>\nThe post includes a video of soldiers with arm badges showing the logo<\/a> of “People’s Defence Forces<\/a>“, which are units made up of former students, farmers and workers who have left their lives behind to take up arms and oppose the junta’s coup (archived links here<\/a> and here<\/a>).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nKyaiktiyo Pagoda — or Golden Rock pagoda — is one of Myanmar’s most famous Buddhist landmarks.<\/p>\n
Each year millions of pilgrims<\/a> visit the pagoda on the summit of Mount Kyaiktiyo, peaking during Buddhist Lent up until Vesak day from October to May in the following year<\/span> (archived link<\/a>).<\/p>\nThe video has accumulated over 1.4 million views and was shared more than 4,000 times.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\nScreenshot of false Facebook post taken on November 14, 2024<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe video has been shared alongside similar claims on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>, YouTube<\/a> and X<\/a>.<\/p>\nMyanmar has been racked by conflict <\/a>between the military and various armed groups opposed to its rule since the ruling junta ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in February 2021 (archived link<\/a>).<\/p>\nThe junta’s brutal crackdown on anti-coup protesters resulted in thousands of youths flocking to join the PDF and reignited fighting with ethnic armed groups.<\/span><\/p>\nIntensified skirmishes<\/a> between the military and anti-coup fighters around the area of the Golden Rock pagoda became a safety concern<\/a>\u00a0for tourists and pilgrims who were visiting the site (archived links here<\/a> and here<\/a>).<\/p>\nComments indicate users appear to believe the claim.<\/p>\n
“May the heroes who are fighting for the truth be safely returned to their mothers\u2019 bosom by the power of the Golden Rock Pagoda,” one user said.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n“Be safe all beloved hero PDF,” another said.<\/p>\n
But the pagoda in the video is a replica of the famous Buddhist shrine situated about 654 kilometers from the original site in Mon State.<\/p>\n
Replica pagoda<\/h3>\n
Comments in the post said the video shows a replica of the Golden Rock pagoda located in the village of Daung O Gyi in the Myaing township.<\/p>\n
A photo<\/a> from 2021 in Google Maps showed the pagoda in Daung O Gyi — which is located in the mostly flat central region of Magway\u00a0<\/span>— has a similar deck railing as the one seen in the pagoda in the false post (archived link<\/a>).<\/p>\nBelow is a screenshot comparison of the clip in the false post (left) and the Google Maps’ photo of the replica pagoda (right) with matching features highlighted by AFP:<\/p>\n\n![\"<span>Screenshot](\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/uy3AhoqWFPaMhIFCIGypVQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTUwOA--\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/afp_factcheck_us_713\/7b483b5fb104c71c7c5ec10c867e4095\"\/)
The post includes a video of soldiers with arm badges showing the logo<\/a> of “People’s Defence Forces<\/a>“, which are units made up of former students, farmers and workers who have left their lives behind to take up arms and oppose the junta’s coup (archived links here<\/a> and here<\/a>).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Kyaiktiyo Pagoda — or Golden Rock pagoda — is one of Myanmar’s most famous Buddhist landmarks.<\/p>\n Each year millions of pilgrims<\/a> visit the pagoda on the summit of Mount Kyaiktiyo, peaking during Buddhist Lent up until Vesak day from October to May in the following year<\/span> (archived link<\/a>).<\/p>\n The video has accumulated over 1.4 million views and was shared more than 4,000 times.<\/p>\n Screenshot of false Facebook post taken on November 14, 2024<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n The video has been shared alongside similar claims on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>, YouTube<\/a> and X<\/a>.<\/p>\n Myanmar has been racked by conflict <\/a>between the military and various armed groups opposed to its rule since the ruling junta ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in February 2021 (archived link<\/a>).<\/p>\n The junta’s brutal crackdown on anti-coup protesters resulted in thousands of youths flocking to join the PDF and reignited fighting with ethnic armed groups.<\/span><\/p>\n Intensified skirmishes<\/a> between the military and anti-coup fighters around the area of the Golden Rock pagoda became a safety concern<\/a>\u00a0for tourists and pilgrims who were visiting the site (archived links here<\/a> and here<\/a>).<\/p>\n Comments indicate users appear to believe the claim.<\/p>\n “May the heroes who are fighting for the truth be safely returned to their mothers\u2019 bosom by the power of the Golden Rock Pagoda,” one user said.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n “Be safe all beloved hero PDF,” another said.<\/p>\n But the pagoda in the video is a replica of the famous Buddhist shrine situated about 654 kilometers from the original site in Mon State.<\/p>\n Comments in the post said the video shows a replica of the Golden Rock pagoda located in the village of Daung O Gyi in the Myaing township.<\/p>\n A photo<\/a> from 2021 in Google Maps showed the pagoda in Daung O Gyi — which is located in the mostly flat central region of Magway\u00a0<\/span>— has a similar deck railing as the one seen in the pagoda in the false post (archived link<\/a>).<\/p>\n Below is a screenshot comparison of the clip in the false post (left) and the Google Maps’ photo of the replica pagoda (right) with matching features highlighted by AFP:<\/p>\nReplica pagoda<\/h3>\n