The clip shows Burmese opposition soldiers praying at a replica pagoda, ‘not reaching the Golden Rock temple’

As clashes between the military and various armed groups continue to spread across Buddhist-majority Myanmar, a clip of the pro-democracy activists was shared along with a false claim that they had reached a sacred place of worship called the Golden Rock pagoda. But visual clues show that the pagoda is a replica found in the central region of Magway and not the original one found in the eastern region of Mon.

“You have reached the Golden Rock Pagoda mountain,” read a Burmese-language caption on a Facebook post shared on November 12.

The post includes a video of soldiers with badges on their arms showing the symbol of the “People’s Defense Forces”, which are units made up of former students, farmers and workers who left their lives to take up arms and oppose the overthrow of the junta (links saved here and here).

Kyaiktiyo Pagoda — or Golden Rock pagoda — is one of the most famous landmarks in Myanmar.

Each year millions of pilgrims visit the pagoda at the top of Mount Kyaiktiyo, highlighting the Buddhist Lent until the day of Vesak from October to May of the following year (archived link).

The video has garnered more than 1.4 million views and has been shared more than 4,000 times.

A screenshot of the fake Facebook post was taken on November 14, 2024

The video was shared along with similar claims on Facebook, YouTube and X.

Myanmar has been wracked by conflict between the military and various armed groups opposed to its rule since the ruling party ousted the government elected by Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021 (link saved).

Brutal attacks by a group of anti-coup protesters led to thousands of young people flocking to join the PDF and began fighting tribal armed groups.

The intensified clashes between the military and anti-coup fighters around the site of the Golden Rock pagoda became a security concern for tourists and pilgrims visiting the site (archived links here and here).

Comments indicate that users seem to believe the claim.

“May the heroes who fight for the truth be safely returned to their mother’s bosom by the power of the Golden Rock Pagoda,” said one user.

“Peace be upon you all dear PDF hero,” said another.

But the pagoda in the video represents a Buddhist shrine located 654 kilometers from the starting point in Mon State.

Replica pagoda

A comment on the post said the video shows a depiction of the Golden Rock pagoda located in Daung O Gyi village in Myaing township.

A 2021 image on Google Maps shows a pagoda at Daung O Gyi — located in the central flat in Magway — has the same deck as seen on the pagoda in the fake post (archived link).

Below is a screenshot comparison of a clip from the fake post (left) and a Google Maps image of a replica pagoda (right) with similar features highlighted by AFP:

An AFP photograph of the Golden Rock pagoda taken in 2016 also revealed that its features differ from those of the replica pagoda.

The Golden Rock pagoda has concrete steps visible around it, while the replica does not as seen in the Google Maps Street View image (archived link).

Statues of famous Buddhist sites are common in Myanmar, with additional statues of the Golden Rock pagoda built in the townships of Dawei and Paung (archived links here and here).

The AFP previously released false information related to PDF forces here, here and here.