Contact: 1-888-742-5877 International: 1-866-782-7892 Read latest breaking news, updates, and headlines. Determining the countrys future political shape should involve a more diverse and inclusive set of voices. Myanmar Releases 4 Foreigners in Broad Prisoner Amnesty The foreign prisoners were part of a broad release of 5,774 prisoners in the country as part of celebrating its National Victory Day We do not encourage viewing this site in this width. Appendix C: Racial Map of Myanmar from the 1931 Census, Appendix D: Main Spoken Languages of Myanmar. Some Tatmadaw members have discussed the possibility with Mro and Khumi leaders, but there has been no concrete move to set up new militia units among these communities in Rakhine and southern Chin. Jane M. Ferguson, Whos Counting? [9][17] China extensively aided the construction of strategic roads along the Irrawaddy River trade route linking Yunnan province to the Bay of Bengal. Once-taboo language lives again in rural Myanmar, Nikkei Asian Review, 30 July 2018. At the same time, the group became an increasingly prominent participant in the illicit economy, in particular hosting the narcotics production and trafficking operations of transnational criminal syndicates. [fn]After 1937, Burma was governed as a separate colony, but it had no ability to control immigration from the sub-continent until 1947, the eve of independence. At a local level, as the case studies in Section IV demonstrate, longstanding conflict and militarisation, the states inability to provide security, and the often distrustful and competitive nature of relations among different ethnic groups in the same area, leads to a literal arms race. We have always wanted an ethnic armed group instead, added another. Although a minority nationally, the Rakhine are the majority group in Rakhine State, with the Rohingya a sizeable minority; smaller minorities include the Mro, Khami, Thet and Daingnet. On this day two years ago, the 2020 general election was held on November 8 with more than 27 million votes cast. All Rights Reserved. Events in Rakhine State underline not only how rising ethno-nationalism is a conflict driver, but also how the Tatmadaws inability to protect minority groups in conflict-affected areas can lead to the creation of new armed forces, such as militias or ethnic armed groups. cit. This change will require reform of the 1982 Citizenship Law, with the removal of references to indigenous races. During the negotiation, both parties discussed the issues that Burma severed relations with Kuomintang, how Rangoon disposed all Kuomintang organizations and their estates in Burma. The challenge is great because ethnic identities are strongly held and often seen as a defence against the policies of forced assimilation and Burmanisation pursued under the military regime. Department Reports and Publications Agency Financial Reports Human Rights Day Antony J. Blinken December 9, 2022. The traditional outfits of Myanmar for men included a turban, hnyat-phanat slippers, a silk jacket embroidered with fur, and a cotton shirt. [fn]Crisis Group telephone interviews, Mro village leaders and activists, June 2020.Hide Footnote, Mro leaders from Buthidaung related how an aid agency arranged food supplies for their hilltop villages, but because of the terrain had to leave the bags of rice in the valley below for collection. A source at Japans embassy in Myanmar said they had been informed that Mr. Kubota will be released today by junta authorities. Many are also key actors in the illicit economy. The national animal of Belize is also the largest indigenous mammal in Central America. India and Myanmar have explored the possibility of trade in national currencies and establishing direct maritime connectivity when Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra called on PM and junta Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in Nay Pyi Taw. Its quite flexible in size, shapes for matching with the mans body. In January 2020, the group sparked controversy by saying that Paletwa township was historically controlled by the Rakhine and that its Khumi residents, who are recognised in the official list of 135 groups as being part of the Chin national race, are actually a Rakhine sub-group. Small skirmishes were reported in the following years, but major conflict erupted in December 2018 and has continued to escalate since then, concentrated on central and northern Rakhine State and Paletwa in southern Chin State. [fn]James George Scott, Gazetteer of Upper Burma and the Shan States, part 1, vol. One Mro village administrator recalled how he spent a year hiding in the jungle after the Arakan Army accused him of supplying information to the Myanmar military. The first-past-the-post voting system also makes it difficult for Shan parties to win seats in areas where the majority of Shanni live. Increasing trade and military cooperation with India and developing bilateral relations with Japan and within the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) shows a shift in Myanmar's foreign policy to avoid excessive dependence on China. [fn]Crisis Group telephone interview, Mohnyin resident, June 2020.Hide Footnote, Much about the SNA remains unknown, in part due to the remote location of its headquarters, in the township of Homalin in northern Sagaing Region. In March 2020, in northern Shan State, the Tatmadaw detained the leadership of the powerful Kaungkha Militia, then entered its territory and disarmed its 3,000 fighters (see the map in Appendix E). We are a passionate team of one hundred avid travelers who love to share our experiences of Myanmar with those looking for a more authentic travel experience. It is probably not a coincidence that the SNA announced itself publicly in January 2016, the same month that Thein Seins outgoing government held the first Union Peace Conference and shortly after Shanni parties failed to win a seat in the 2015 general election. The Question of 'china' in Burmese Chronicles. Rugged mountains and fertile valleys have connected and separated different populations, whose languages and cultures evolved in contact with or in isolation from each other. Instead, they hold only ethnic affairs minister posts in the Kachin and Sagaing governments that represent all Shan peoples in those states and regions. [23][24] Most of the power generated will be exported to Yunnan province in China and local residents claimed the lack of community feedback in the planning process. Panglong refers to the town where the Panglong Agreement was signed on 12 February 1947 between independence leader Aung San and the Shan, Kachin and Chin peoples, under which they agreed to join the Union of Burma on its independence the following year, and were in return given promises of autonomy for their areas. 3 (2019). ; Nick Cheesman, How in Myanmar National Races Came to Surpass Citizenship and Exclude Rohingya, Journal of Contemporary Asia, vol. They encourage the idea that ethnic rights are contingent on numerical superiority in a particular locale, ignoring the fact that many ethnic minority people do not inhabit one particular location. Khin Yi, The Dobama Movement in Burma (19301938) (New York, 1988), p. 96. Eighty-seven political parties took part and the National League for Democracy (NLD) won 920 (or 82 percent) of the 1,117 available seats. [fn]Red Shan form armed organisation after demand for new state, Shan Herald Agency for News, 25 January 2016.Hide Footnote, Also known as the Red Shan or Tai-Leng, the Shanni are thought to number up to 300,000 people although some claim far more, as discussed below and mostly live in the fertile plains of southern Kachin State and northern Sagaing Region (see the map in Appendix E). Not all applications to form ethnic parties were approved. Features include 52 Places and The World Through a Lens. People here (Paletwa) are like the grass that was destroyed between two fighting bulls, said one ethnic Chin who helps internally displaced persons. Crisis Group interview, Shanni activist, June 2020. This dynamic is most vividly illustrated by the rise of the Arakan Army in Rakhine State and its strong popular support there. Painting the Burman-dominated government as a colonial power, it has sought to gain confederal status with almost complete autonomy, like that of the United Wa State Army in Shan State. Access to Myanmar's ports and naval installations provide China with strategic influence in the Bay of One ethnic Khami community leader complained that community training was needed on the history of the different ethnic groups and their characteristics; the lack of a clear understanding, particularly among the young generation, of what distinguishes different ethnicities was a big problem in maintaining the cultural and biological purity of the different groups. [fn]Crisis Group telephone interview, Mro village administrator, June 2020.Hide Footnote, Both the Arakan Army and Tatmadaw have been responsible for killing and injuring civilians from among these minority groups, as well as destroying or confiscating property and other abuses. On 12 May, U Phyo orally replied that Burma's government never recognized any other China Kuomintang organizations except former China's Embassy to Burma. After Burma recognized new China, former China Embassy is not recognized instantly, and the personnel of former China's Embassy are regarded as common citizens. [fn]Crisis Group interview, foreign aid worker based in Kachin State, February 2019.Hide Footnote From the Tatmadaw perspective, the militia has been mostly a useful bulwark against KIO efforts to expand into southern Kachin State, but occasionally its soldiers have also fought on the front lines alongside the Tatmadaw against the KIO. The Shanni are included on the official list of 135 as Shan Gale and Tailem, but they have more recently demanded to be recognised as Shanni. Although it will not be easy, the opportunity exists for Myanmars leaders to reframe how ethnicity is understood. Some of these groups have significant support and legitimacy in the communities they seek to represent; others do not. Everything died. [fn]Villagers afraid of fighting during coronavirus pandemic, Shan Herald Agency for News, 22 April 2020. [citation needed] The violence was started by a China-backed militia, rebelling against Myanmar. At the meeting, they frankly exchanged views on cooperation in security, peace and tranquillity at the border region of both [fn]Buchanan, Militias of Myanmar, op. China is the second largest investor in Myanmar. See Mary Callahan, Political Authority in Burmas Ethnic Minority States: Devolution, Occupation and Coexistence (Washington, 2007). While it is legally possible for people who are not members of those groups to obtain full citizenship by descent after three generations in Myanmar, in practice and due to discrimination, many people from such communities including the Rohingya and those of Indian or Chinese origin are restricted to the lower tiers of citizenship or denied citizenship altogether. Active Sanctions Programs: Program Last Updated: Afghanistan-Related Sanctions 02/25/2022 28 February is Rare Disease Day . cit. Such a change would also likely have to be accompanied by the creation of a third tier of representative government across the country, delinked from ethnicity, which would allow greater decentralisation of spending and decision-making that would replace the current ad hoc arrangement of self-administered areas for certain ethnic populations. READ MORE. Professor Turnell continues to be our first priority. [fn]Crisis Group visit to Kaungkha, November 2018; and Crisis Group interviews, well-placed local sources, Lashio and Kutkai, November 2018.Hide Footnote The area has long been controlled by the Kaungkha Militia, which in recent years fielded several thousand well-armed fighters. These are, however, quite enough to prove that the Shans had a prosperous and populous kingdom here, colonial official J. George Scott wrote in 1900, adding that only British annexation saved the area from permanent ruin. Ne Win seized on the idea of indigenous races to justify his nationalisation of most of the economy (in 1962, the Indian community controlled some 60 per cent of trade and commerce, so the impact of nationalisation on the assets of indigenous communities was comparatively small). For colonial administrators tasked with conducting censuses, finding a systematic basis for ethnic categorisation was more difficult. Buchanan, Militias of Myanmar, op. Latest panel: Invest In Our Planet: Community and Youth Activism. Where is OFAC's country list? In 1962, General Ne Win took power in a coup and set about a radical, quasi-socialist transformation of the country and its economy. See Bernard Comrie, Introduction, in The Worlds Major Languages, 3rd edition (New York, 2018).Hide Footnote. A list of registered political parties is available on the Union Election Commission website (in Burmese).Hide Footnote Although these ethnic parties struggled to challenge either the military-established Union Solidarity and Development Party in 2010 or Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy in 2015 (the overwhelming victors in those elections), their relatively poor performance reflects structural features of Myanmars first-past-the-post electoral system rather than voters lack of identification with ethnicity. Receive the best source of conflict analysis right in your inbox. [fn]Crisis Group interviews, analysts, March-May 2020. The Dugong. Crisis Group Report, Fire and Ice, op. See 2008 Constitution, Sections 21, 34, 38, 347-360, 364-376 and 380-381.Hide Footnote, There has never been a transparent process or seemingly any meaningful process at all by which the post-independence state decided which groups met the criteria for being indigenous and which did not. Lack of state investment in developing minority areas only strengthened this perception of exploitation. See also Sai Wansai, Burma armys new strategy: anti-narcotics move and disarmament of a militia, Shan Herald Agency for News, 11 April 2020; Shan State militia, AA deny links through lucrative drug trade, The Irrawaddy, 29 April 2020. It is a fashionable wear for foreigners. Ethnic minority communities often frame their political demands not in terms of rights for all minority communities, but in terms of rights specific to their own groups, often with claims to specific territory attached. We cannot protect our area, a retired Shanni soldier was quoted as saying shortly after the group emerged. Topics: 2020 general election, civil disobedience movement, civilian deaths, Coup, crackdown, Democracy, February 2021 coup, Human Rights, junta, military in politics, military regime, Min Aung Hlaing, National League for Democracy, National Unity Government, November 8 general election, PDF, Peoples Defense Force, peoples war, Political Prisoners, regime, Rule of Law, State Administrative Council, State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Tatmadaw, The Day of Myanmars Last Democratic Election, Crime Surges Under Myanmar Junta as Rule of Law Crumbles, Why Myanmar's Dry Months Will See More Fighting and Regime Atrocities, Junta Watch: Big-Spending Chief Demands Frugality; Police Too Busy to Fight Crime; and More, Correcting Intl Misconceptions About Myanmars Struggle, Myanmar Junta Shelling Kills Teenager in Sagaing, Amnesty Demands Oil Importers Stop Myanmars Air Force Fuel Supplies, Myanmar Junta Rounding Up Officials in War-Torn Rakhine, About 20 Myanmar Junta Forces Killed in Latest Resistance Attacks, Myanmar Junta-Controlled Innwa Bank Continues to Use Global Financial System: Report. By Hein Htoo Zan 16 November 2022 . The SNA has formally sought a seat at the table within the peace process as Myanmars newest ethnic armed group and has met with the governments National Peace and Reconciliation Centre to discuss the possibility. When visitors take Myanmar vacation, they can see that Burmese women rarely wear makeup even in the special occasion in their country. It may be the date of independence, of becoming a republic, of becoming a federation, or a significant date for a patron saint or a ruler Myanmar: 4 January: Independence from the British Empire in 1948 [fn]Ibid.Hide Footnote, Emboldened by the strength of the Arakan Army, some ethnic Rakhine civilians also coerce non-Rakhine minorities to hand over their possessions, particularly aid supplies from NGOs. They are in the majority in the areas where they live, many of which were historically separate political entities that joined the modern state at independence, and then only conditionally. [31] [fn]A visual sense of the complexity of ethno-linguistic classification in Myanmar is provided by the contemporary language map in Appendix D, which should be seen as a demonstration of the impracticality of any such exercise, rather than as an accurate geographic mapping of ethno-linguistic identities. [25], There have been multiple reports and complaints from locals related to human rights violations, accusations of land grab and environmental damage due to land acquisition and industrial activities by Chinese companies. When Indian immigrants made their way to Myanmar, the style was also altered slightly to mimic their dress. In 2015, she led her National League for Democracy (NLD) to victory in Myanmar's first openly contested election in 25 years. For a Kachin version, see Where the Change Has Yet to Reach: Exposing Ongoing Earth Rights Abuses in Burma (Myanmar), EarthRights International, 2012, p. 30. Burma officiated its embassy in Beijing on the same day. Myanmar is home to some of the longest-running armed conflicts in the world, some dating back more than 70 years and others much more recent in origin. The 1948 citizenship law specified that, to count as indigenous, a group must have made its permanent home in Myanmar prior to 1823 (the year before the first Anglo-Burmese War started). This page was last edited on 8 November 2022, at 15:49. At the meeting, they frankly exchanged views on cooperation in security, peace and tranquillity at the border region of both Support our independent journalism and get exclusive behind-the-scenes content and analysis. Travel deals on hotels, flights, vacation packages, cruises and local & entertainment deals too. These generally include their ethnic affiliation in their name (for example, the Karen National Union or the United Wa State Army), and their stated objectives are some form of greater autonomy for their community. Climate Change & Health with Covid19 update, 10 September 2020. National Chocolate Day National First Responders Day National Immigrants Day. This is problematic. Chinese firms have been involved in the construction of oil and gas pipelines stretching 2,380km (1,480mi) from Myanmar's Rakhine State to China's Yunnan Province. It may be the date of independence, of becoming a republic, of becoming a federation, or a significant date for a patron saint or a ruler Myanmar: 4 January: Independence from the British Empire in 1948 Altogether, 5,774 prisoners will be released, including some 600 women, the junta official alleged, revising an earlier figure of about 700 women. Crisis Group telephone interviews, Kaungkha Militia leaders and members, June 2020. Although some ethnic leaders boycotted the vote, others seized upon it as an opportunity to redress decades of suppression of ethnic minority political representation and participation. "China and Myanmar: Alternating between Brothers and Cousins.". Features include 52 Places and The World Through a Lens. National First Responders Day on October 28 recognizes the heroic men and women who make it their business to take immediate action when disaster strikes. President U Win Myint, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her ministers were jailed and the results canceled. Ethnicity and conflict are inextricably linked in Myanmar, creating a vicious cycle of violence that continues to escalate. Former British envoy Vicky Bowman, Australian economics adviser Sean Turnell and Japanese journalist Toru Kubota were today freed by Myanmars military regime. Latest panel: Invest In Our Planet: Community and Youth Activism. The militia, the Ta'ang National Liberation Army, sought to get more autonomy from the Burmese central government. Squiz The Day. cit.Hide Footnote Given his focus on the unity of the masses as the way to achieve collective benefits, his tenure might have been a moment when the country moved away from ethnicity being politically central. Crisis Group telephone interview, SNA official, June 2020. Myanmar Releases 4 Foreigners in Broad Prisoner Amnesty The foreign prisoners were part of a broad release of 5,774 prisoners in the country as part of celebrating its National Victory Day We welcome reports in relation to Professor Sean Turnell, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Twitter. Ethnicity can also be a powerful force for building social cohesion and strengthening bonds within communities, and it could be harnessed for much good. The removal of the perceived outsiders happened in stages. See also Mary Callahan, Distorted, Dangerous Data? [fn]This point has also been made by David I. Steinberg, Burma/Myanmar: What Everyone Needs to Know (Oxford, 2010), p. 20.Hide Footnote This narrative also obscures the extent of contemporary Burman racism and discrimination against minorities, thus avoiding the national reckoning with this reality that is essential to building a more tolerant country and achieving a sustainable end to conflict. Among those released were also Kyaw Tint Swe, a former union minister for the office of the State Counsellor, Than Htay, a former member of the Union Election Commission and Lae Lae Maw, a former Chief Minister of Tanintharyi Region who had been jailed for 30 years for corruption since 2020 under Suu Kyis government, MRTV announced. [fn]See Sai Latt, Film Academy Awards, Myanmar Idol and the peace process in Myanmar, Tea Circle, 26 April 2017; Military rule may be over, but Myanmars film industry remains in a tawdry time warp, Time, 22 August 2018; and Renaud Egreteau, Fashioning Parliament: The Politics of Dress in Myanmars Postcolonial Legislatures, Parliamentary Affairs, vol. Myanmar Tours & Tour Packages (Burma)Go Myanmar Tours tailor-makes unique Burma tours to help travelers explore Myanmar their way. The Arakan Army has proven far more effective on the battlefield than any previous group in western Myanmar. [fn]Crisis Group analysis. The sanctions can be either comprehensive or selective, using the blocking of assets and trade restrictions to accomplish foreign policy and national security goals. 47, no. [fn]Ibid.Hide Footnote The group would not have been able to hold large Manau festivals or teach Kachin without the de facto autonomy that its significant armed strength afforded it. Compare to other countries traditional costumes such as Ao Dai (long dress) of Vietnam, Kimono of Japan or Hanbok of South Korea, which is only worn on special occasions, events and some national festivals, the traditional dress of Myanmar are worn regularly in daily life while doing See also Myanmars military and its proxy armies, Bangkok Post, 7 February 2016. Well-connected ethnic affairs association lobbying to develop popular Yangon park. His name is not on the deportation list presented by the junta. The experience of the Shanni contrasts with that of the Chin, who number perhaps 600,000 yet are accorded an entire state, with dozens of seats in national and regional parliaments; similarly, the Kachin have their own state, but are thought to comprise less than 50 per cent of the population there. Myanmars Red Shan to push on national registration cards, Myanmar Times, 21 January 2013. Assigning territory to particular peoples is thus inherently problematic, as it entrenches the contentious ethnic categorisation system and drives efforts to count the sizes of these categories. The Mro and Khami, for example, are recognised as Rakhine sub-groups, and the Khumi are considered Chin. Myanmars administrative structure needs to change to grant meaningful autonomy to subnational units that are not based around ethnicity, rather than privileging those ethnic groups with larger or more geographically concentrated populations. [fn]The Khumi are closely related to the Khami (whose language is also known as Eastern Khumi). In the attacks, police used white phosphorus military munitions, resulting in burns and injuries to dozens of protesters including monks. Communities should be free to celebrate their ethnic heritage and cultural identity. Underlying these conflicts are outdated, deeply engrained essentialist notions of ethnicity that have come to further dominate Myanmars political, economic and social spheres due to the countrys liberalisation starting in 2011. 3 (2017). 80. days. See Thant Myint-U, The Making of Modern Burma (Cambridge, 2001); Martin Smith, Burma: Insurgency and the Politics of Ethnicity, 2nd edition (London, 1999); G.E. 182-183 (p. 247 in English translation); Our Union of Myanmar where 135 national races reside. Therefore, [armed groups] were urged to operate legal businesses. This step would help reduce the zero-sum dynamic among minority groups. Sometimes this meant co-opting local ethnic leaders by giving them economic concessions, but there was a common perception at least partly justified that the military and its cronies were plundering the natural resources of ethnic minority areas. These efforts have led to an unworkably convoluted classification system that has become central not only to identity, but also citizenship, basic rights, politics and armed conflict. [fn]Ferguson, op. According to the source, Aung San Suu Kyi had grown too close to China for the generals liking. E.R. [fn]Khin Yi, The Dobama Movement in Burma (19301938) (New York, 1988), p. 96. [17] PetroChina is in process of building a major gas pipeline from the A-1 Shwe oil field off the coast of the Rakhine State leading to Yunnan, accessing and exploiting an estimated 2.88 to 3.56 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The Shan State militia of the same name recruits from this community. The insecurity that such conflicts generate only encourages the creation of ever more armed groups, a phenomenon that has recurred over and over in Myanmars modern history. All Olympic Solidaritys programmes are aimed at developing and promoting sport worldwide, and encouraging athletes participation in the Olympic Games. [fn]The fact that people understand race to be biologically determined does not necessarily imply that it is; geneticists have generally been unable to identify a coherent biological basis for racial characteristics. Myanmars ethnic groups including the majority Burmans have taken advantage of recently acquired greater freedoms to express their identity beyond the ballot box and campaign trail. [fn]Crisis Group telephone interview, Kachin researcher, July 2020. Some of the closed media outlets have continued operating without a license and many Myanmar journalists are working underground, moving from one safe house to another, hiding in remote border regions, or basing themselves in exile. While in some other places views on ethnic identity may be mainly of academic interest, in Myanmar ethnic categories have become central to conflict, politics, citizenship and rights (see Sections II.C, III and IV below). Hide Footnote, Hide Footnote Respondents were eventually barred from self-identifying as Rohingya, with the result that most of this group was left unenumerated. OFAC administers a number of different sanctions programs. Local Rakhine villagers cut open the rice sacks with knives, destroying the supplies. The 1931 census conflates language and race throughout its findings, sometimes viewing them as distinct, sometimes as the same thing. Both two countries and peoples, as well as both countries' official languages, share a close relationship and the same linguistic link, in which both the Burmese and Chinese are both parts of Sino-Tibetan language family and peoples. Crisis Group telephone interviews, Shanni politician and Mohnyin resident, June 2020. These positions provided part of the rationale for the 2014 census to attempt a controversial count of ethnic populations, sparking deadly clashes (see below). Mao Zedong accepted the credentials from Burma's Ambassador in Beijing and Burma and the People's Republic of China formally established diplomatic relations on 8 June 1950. cit. 1948 Union Citizenship Act, Section 3(1). Throughout its different incarnations, the armed group provided protection and a degree of governance to the (predominantly Kachin) population in its area, including a reliable electricity supply from two hydropower plants that it built. Crisis Group visit to Kaungkha, November 2018. [fn]For more discussion, see ibid. WHO works with governments and partners across the Region to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable. [fn]Crisis Group telephone interviews, Mro village administrators and Chin activist, June 2020.Hide Footnote. Amnesty Internationals regional office spokesperson said: Thousands of people jailed since the coup in Myanmar have done nothing wrong and should never have been imprisoned in the first place.. This demand harks back to Arakans centuries-long history as an independent kingdom. Youll find some of the cheapest deals available on They reinforce ethnic divisions by sending the message that group size matters; they result in zero-sum competition in which ethnic minorities compete for entitlements; and they create perceived winners and losers in arbitrary and unfair ways. Travel deals on hotels, flights, vacation packages, cruises and local & entertainment deals too. Given their limited resources, they would require some form of external support to do so. By Hein Htoo Zan 16 November 2022 . Where is OFAC's country list? Myanmars liberalisation after five decades of military dictatorship presented an opportunity to craft a more inclusive national identity and move the country away from its toxic legacy of ethnicity-based conflict. [fn]Crisis Group telephone interview, Shanni activist based in Homalin, June 2020.Hide Footnote, Unlike the Shanni militia, however, the SNA has the potential to affect regional and even national politics, particularly through the peace process. These are mobile backpack brigades, without fixed bases. Professor Turnells release is remarkable news after being held hostage by the regime, and his family and friends will be delighted, added independent analyst David Mathieson. Of these, 27 included an officially recognised ethnic group in their name; another, based in Chin State, referred to itself as the Ethnic National Development Party; and two parties seeking to represent the Rohingya used general names referring to national development. Ethnicity without Meaning, Data without Context, op. It seems likely that the Arakan Armys intention in asserting the Khumi are a Rakhine group was to strengthen their territorial claim in Paletwa, but the lines among ethnic groups in this region are often blurred. Myanmar to release 4 foreigners as part of a broad prisoner amnesty Myanmar's Myanmar media says the releases are part of a broader amnesty of thousands to mark the country's National Day. So China hoped that both sides immediately begun to negotiate the exchange of diplomatic envoys. Ethno-nationalism is at the core of all these groups, a characteristic that often sets them against their neighbours. [43] Bertil Lintner stated that Myanmar was prioritizing internal conflicts over its ties with China,[44] however some Chinese analysts, such as Shi Yinhong, played down the relationship between Myanmar and China, saying "They're not great friends. [fn]Natural Resources of Myanmar (Burma): Ownership Management, Revenue Sharing and Impacts, Ethnic Nationalities Affairs Center, September 2017; and States need bigger budget share, Shan MP says, Myanmar Times, 20 February 2020.Hide Footnote But the economic opening has also sometimes aggravated pre-existing economic grievances of minorities mentioned above. Countless Billions of Earth Day Participants Everywhere. Its going to be a great night. See also Crisis Group Report, Buddhism and State Power, op. What was at the time Myanmars largest ever drug bust took place in January 2018 in the groups territory, identified in an investigative article by Reuters as the main source of drugs for the Sam Gor syndicate, the dominant group in the Asian regional drug trade. The last Red Flag forces were defeated in the late 1970s, and the Communist Party of Arakan was finally dissolved in 2004.Hide Footnote Partly as a result of persistent conflict, the tri-border area remains remote and impoverished, and there is considerable anger and frustration at the perceived neglect and political oppression of central governments. This site uses cookies. This rarely-seen primitive ancestor of rhinos and horses has changed very little in the last 35 million years. Ethnic communities in Myanmar, especially the larger groups, prefer not to be described in English as ethnic minorities, instead favouring the term ethnic nationalities. Crisis Group telephone interview, Myanmar-based journalist, June 2020. 28 February is Rare Disease Day . At the meeting, they frankly exchanged views on cooperation in security, peace and tranquillity at the border region of both Get the Squiz Today newsletter. The United States National Herbarium was founded in 1848, when the first collections were accessioned from the United States Exploring Expedition (50,000 specimens of 10,000 species). They also underscore how ethnic identity can be a source of social capital that strengthens communities and builds cohesion, which can be particularly important at a time of rapid change. Access to Myanmar's ports and naval installations provide China with strategic influence in the Bay of For ease of exposition, however, this report will generally use the term ethnic minority rather than ethnic nationality, given that the latter term is likely to be unfamiliar to most readers. Climate Change and Health, 10 September 2020 in Myanmar language Sponsor a child. The KIO did not come here much because of the militia, said one Shanni resident of Mohnyin. [fn]Crisis Group telephone interviews, Mro activist, Khumi activist and Mro internally displaced person, June 2020.Hide Footnote, The growing conflict has only frayed these relationships further. The drug menace and the Tatmadaws mission, op. The youth group risking arrest to get aid to Myanmars political prisoners, Q&A: Sean Turnell on being framed as Suu Kyis puppet master, Released journalist urges Japan to pressure junta, Turnell tells of jail squalor, torture fears. At times when the military government would ban Manau festivals in areas under government control, the armed group would invite Kachin people from across northern Shan State to celebrate in its area, despite the risk of upsetting the authorities. Despite their population claims, the group has not been granted a self-administered zone in Myanmars political system, much less a state. Hundreds, possibly thousands, of armed militias that range from small village defence forces to entities with thousands of fighters, more powerful than many of the ethnic armed groups. An essentialist conception of ethnicity is deeply embedded in Myanmars national psyche and central to its politics, conflict and society. If there was no armed group, there would be no problem, said one politician. The senior SNA officer described the RCSS as brothers, and RCSS officials have used the same language. The Qing dynasty fought the Sino-Burmese War. Also, they wear it even shorter than the original Longyi. [fn]Crisis Group telephone interview, SNA senior official, June 2020. Communities must be free to celebrate their ethnic heritage, culture and identity. Rakhine State (previously known as Arakan) and Chin State are part of a larger tri-border area encompassing Myanmars borders with Bangladesh and India (see the map in Appendix E). [fn]Crisis Group telephone interview, Shanni activist, July 2020. Hide Footnote This commitment is significant for units that are already stretched fighting the Arakan Army insurgency in Myanmars west. This dynamic is evident along the Bhamo-Myitkyina road, where there are deserted, overgrown Kachin villages interspersed with thriving but heavily guarded Shanni settlements. The electoral system, as defined in the constitution, attempts to partly offset barriers to minority representation inherent in the first-past-the-post system by setting aside a small number of seats for certain minority groups meeting minimum population criteria in specific geographical areas (see Section III above). Deputy Secretary Shermans Meeting with UN Deputy Secretary-General Mohammed December 9, 2022. Compare to other countries traditional costumes such as Ao Dai (long dress) of Vietnam, Kimono of Japan or Hanbok of South Korea, which is only worn on special occasions, events and some national festivals, the traditional dress of Myanmar are worn regularly in daily life while doing homework, riding a motorbike, going to work and even in sports competitions. No disagreement with or lack of appreciation for the views of these communities is intended. Share your colours Download materials. 28 February is Rare Disease Day . [fn]Crisis Group telephone interviews, Kaungkha Militia leaders and members, June 2020.Hide Footnote. [11], However, Mao Zedong who was visiting Moscow, sent a telegram to Liu Shaoqi and Zhou Enlai on 19 December 1949 as to the question of the Burmese government's request to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. Its even much more comfortable than wearing pants. Citizenship and rights should be delinked from ethnicity, however, and politics and the peace process should not cement ethnic division. We must obey their demands. Burman (or Bamar) denotes the majority ethnic group in Myanmar, whereas Burmese (or Myanma) refers to all the countrys people. Citizenship should be delinked from ethnicity by amending the 1982 Citizenship Law as well as removing ethnic and religious identifiers on national identity cards and other government documents. It is unclear whether this is true. The words most commonly used are: This report examines the historical understanding of ethnicity in Myanmar, how it became central to national identity, citizenship, politics and armed conflict, and the negative consequences of that centrality. The Tatmadaw gave the group control over territory designated at the time as Northern Shan State Special Region 5. Neither the Arakan Army nor the Tatmadaw has been able to offer them adequate protection, although those interviewed generally claim to feel safer dealing with the Tatmadaw. Almost all these expressions of ethnic identity would have been impossible under military rule, and they reflect the greater freedoms that the majority of people in Myanmar now enjoy. See Thant Myint-U, A visual sense of the complexity of ethno-linguistic classification in Myanmar is provided by the contemporary language map in Appendix D, which should be seen as a demonstration of the impracticality of any such exercise, rather than as an accurate geographic mapping of ethno-linguistic identities. See The drug menace and the Tatmadaws mission, op. The more radical Red Flag communists, formally known as the Communist Party (Burma), broke away from the White Flag communists (the Communist Party of Burma) in 1946. The National Farmers Day is an intrernational annual event that offers the much-deserved praise to the hard-working farmers across nations. Indeed, the resurgence in celebrations of ethnic identities has been a notable feature of Myanmars transition from authoritarianism and a marker of its liberalisation. cit.Hide Footnote The resulting list is an odd mixture of ethnic groups, languages, clans, village names, outright errors (such as the same group appearing twice with different spellings) and exclusions (such as the Panthay and the Rohingya). Some of the largest ethnic armed groups are not represented in the formal peace process at all or attend as observers. [fn]Shanni Nationalities Army opinion statement, posted on Facebook, 18 January 2016.Hide Footnote The SNA official said the groups main goal was to defend the Shanni people from bullying and restore their long-lost political rights. cit.Hide Footnote The warnings sadly proved correct: fears that groups would be under- or over-counted or, in the case of the Rohingya, not allowed to identify as an ethnic group at all sparked protests and deadly clashes in Rakhine and Kachin States. The group has found willing volunteers among the Shanni youth of Sagaing Region, both men and women. Raising awareness and generating change for the 300 million people worldwide living with a rare disease, their families and carers. This map is intended to demonstrate the enormous ethno-linguistic complexity of Myan-mar, rather than providing any definitive or accurate geographic mapping of ethno-linguistic identities, which as the report argues is not possible and ultimately futile. The Tatmadaw summoned the militias eight top leaders to a meeting in Lashio on 24 March, where all were detained. Hide Footnote The groups aims include the creation of a Shanni state, fighting illicit drugs and participating in the peace process political negotiations. The latest travel news, guides, vacation tips and photography of the best places to visit around the world. cit.Hide Footnote It also puts these troops close to various insurgent forces, increasing the likelihood of clashes. It was originally the 4th Brigade of the Kachin Independence Organisation, one of the most prominent and powerful of Myanmars ethnic armed groups that was established in February 1961 by a group of young Kachin nationalists who felt that their people had not been granted the degree of political autonomy promised at independence. He and other prominent nationalists, known as the Thirty Comrades, went on to establish the Burma Independence Army in 1941 with support and training from Imperial Japan; the Army formed the backbone of the post-independence armed forces. 32, no. [9][17] Access to Myanmar's ports and naval installations provide China with strategic influence in the Bay of Bengal, in the wider Indian Ocean region and in Southeast Asia. [fn]Cheesman, op. He was sentenced in September to three years in prison for violating the countrys official secrets law and immigration law. In the early post-independence period, conflicts between the state and non-state armed groups revolved partly around minority grievances and partly around competition among different communist and socialist ideological visions for the country. New laws, policies and technologies have enabled ethnic communities to celebrate their religion, culture and languages in ways that were impossible for decades. See also Sai Wansai, Burma armys new strategy: anti-narcotics move and disarmament of a militia, Shan Herald Agency for News, 11 April 2020; Shan State militia, AA deny links through lucrative drug trade, The Irrawaddy, 29 April 2020.Hide Footnote This is plausible. The Kachin population of Kaungkha feels vulnerable to attack and does not believe the Tatmadaw can ensure their security. Myanmar dress changed slightly at the end of the British era in the country. Inter-ethnic relations have come to be dominated by competitive, zero-sum thinking that hardens ethnic divides and drives the formation of armed groups and militias and, ultimately, encourages conflict. It drew on theories of race (now considered scientific racism) that were in vogue in the late 19th century and superimposed these on vague local conceptions of ethnicity leading to the categorisation of people into ethnic groups that would come to be regarded as immutable and biologically determined. A National Day is a day on which celebrations mark the nationhood of a nation or state. Kristian Stokke, Political Representation by Ethnic Parties? WHO works with governments and partners across the Region to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable. 300M. 80. days. specifically, Its a sheet of cloth that has about 2 meters long, 80 centimeters wide and frequently sewed into a cylindrical shape, which is worn around from the mens waist to their feet. [54] Nonetheless, Chinese factories in the country were set ablaze as Burmese protesters did not trust China's response, leaving 39 people dead on 15 March; the Chinese embassy in Myanmar later responded by condemning the arson attacks, but was ridiculed by the protesters for not offering any sympathy to the protest movement. Tamil News | Tamil Newspaper | Latest Tamil news - Dailythanthi The Western Pacific Region is home to almost 1.9 billion people across 37 countries and areas in the Asia Pacific. See also Ne Win, Union Day Address to the Nation, 12 February 1964, cited in Cheesman, op. Although as of 1989 there were Shanni fighting in Kachin and Shan states against the military government within other armed groups, there does not appear to be any reference to the SNA. [fn]Ibid.Hide Footnote, The Kaungkha Militia is one part of a patchwork of insurgent groups and militias across Shan State and much of Myanmars upland areas. Closely related to elephants, the national animal of Papua New Guinea looks much more like its other kin, the manatee. When the seats were designated in 2010, several ethnic communities cried foul due to the lack of transparency about what population estimates were used there are no reliable datasets in the public domain and this problematic selection of seats was not reviewed ahead of either the 2015 or 2020 polls. Instead, the opposite happened. From a policy perspective, a key reform should be to delink ethnicity from citizenship. In this way, something of a competitive arms race has developed among different minority communities living in the same area. An Uncertain Fate for Upland People in Rakhine State. All Olympic Solidaritys programmes are aimed at developing and promoting sport worldwide, and encouraging athletes participation in the Olympic Games. See David I. Steinberg, The magic in Myanmars numbers. A senior commander told Crisis Group by telephone that the SNA was actually formed much earlier, on 21 June 1989, in the Shan State capital Taunggyi, but only began to shift its forces to Kachin State and Sagaing Region around 2012. See 2010 Myanmar General Elections: Learning and Sharing for the Future, Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, April 2011.Hide Footnote This trend has continued, with 54 of the 97 registered parties seeking to represent the interests of a specific ethnicity. But the distinction is more geographic than cultural: they, along with their ethnic kin in Bangladesh, all share many cultural links, and their languages are mutually intelligible. Such changes will be deeply controversial. Ethnicity, Belonging and the National Census in Burma/Myanmar, Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde, vol. Non-Rakhine minorities in Rakhine State have found themselves caught between two warring groups, neither of which they can rely on for protection. U.S. The militia is actually a collection of village-based units, usually in the range of 30-50 soldiers each, and sometimes includes other ethnicities, such as Lisu and Burmans. [24], Myanmar is China's key supplier not only for copper but also for rare earth metals required for high tech devices. "[44] China had urged Myanmar to ensure the stability of the border area and protect the interests of its citizens in Myanmar. [fn]There are six self-administered areas in total: for the Danu, Kokang, Palaung, Pao and Wa ethnic groups, all in Shan State; and for the Naga, in Sagaing Region.Hide Footnote Myanmars constitution also provides for a small number of elected seats in state and region parliaments to be reserved for ethnic groups without a self-administered area that meet minimum population requirements. [fn]Panglong refers to the town where the Panglong Agreement was signed on 12 February 1947 between independence leader Aung San and the Shan, Kachin and Chin peoples, under which they agreed to join the Union of Burma on its independence the following year, and were in return given promises of autonomy for their areas.Hide Footnote Although apparently aimed at inculcating a sense of collective purpose, in practice these terms are often interpreted by minorities as reflecting assimilationist policies. Crisis Group telephone interviews, Shanni politician and Shanni resident of Mohnyin, June 2020. [fn]Ibid.Hide Footnote. To remove this incentive and create a more diverse and inclusive process, the political negotiations over the future shape of the state should be resolved through a broader mechanism than the peace process, not one dominated by ethnic armed groups. In June 2015, Kokang rebels announced a unilateral ceasefire citing "the Chinese government's strong calls for restoring peace in the ChinaMyanmar border region" among other interests. Military.com helps millions of military-connected Americans access military and veteran benefits and news, find jobs and enjoy military discounts. Mistrustful of the Burman elite who control most levers of power, scores of minority groups have taken up arms since independence. 9 December 2022. cit. Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the content of the FCC Public file should contact Karen Calarese at kcalarese@whec.com or 585-546-5670, This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Share your colours Download materials. The Dugong. For more discussion, see ibid. Why does it matter? The UN and bilateral donors that funded and provided technical assistance to the count ignored repeated warnings that their insistence upon including a question on ethnicity, framed as a determinate choice from the problematic list of 135 categories, was dangerous. Moreover, there is one interesting point is that mens dress is strapless and quite loose; therefore, when they have to move regularly, they often have to adjust the skirt and wrap it back tight even in the middle of the street. In many ways, violent conflict in Myanmar can be seen as the militarisation of ethnicity. How can people work or play sports with that kind of skirt? The Kaungkha Militia provides a good example of this ambiguity. See fn 36 for details on the Panthay community. Moreover, Shanni attitudes toward the Shanni militia have been mixed due to its links to the Tatmadaw, which many among them see as an oppressive force. By The Irrawaddy 8 November 2022 . We will use armed revolution to get back our territory, the SNA official said. 47, no. This rarely-seen primitive ancestor of rhinos and horses has changed very little in the last 35 million years. India and Myanmar have explored the possibility of trade in national currencies and establishing direct maritime connectivity when Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra called on PM and junta Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in Nay Pyi Taw. Its going to be a great night. Since 1989, China has supplied Myanmar with jet fighters, armored vehicles and naval vessels and has trained Burmese army, air force and naval personnel. The Red Flag group was always the weaker of the two groups, and its decline accelerated after a Rakhine faction broke away in 1962 to form the Communist Party of Arakan. Death from Above: How to Combat Myanmar Juntas Escalating Air Campaign? See David I. Steinberg, The magic in Myanmars numbers, Nikkei Asian Review, 9 March 2017.Hide Footnote The first known reference was by a military leader in a 1989 press conference, and the list was published in state media the following year. The Khumi are closely related to the Khami (whose language is also known as Eastern Khumi). No disagreement with or lack of appreciation for the views of these communities is intended.Hide Footnote. Militia forces are generally accorded little if any role in the peace process. [24] China's government is stating Myanmar will get US$54 billion in tax revenue, shared profits, free electricity. Now those other ethnic armed groups dont dare do anything bad to the Shanni, because they realise there will be consequences, said one activist. Watch breaking news videos, viral videos and original video clips on CNN.com. The Myanmar Ethnic Entrepreneurs Association has also lobbied for a bank licence and for land in prominent locations in Yangon. Ferguson, op. [fn]Ibid.Hide Footnote This move suggests that the top brass wished to prevent possible local relationships from impeding the operation. Further, references to race and religion should be removed from identity cards (known as Citizenship Scrutiny Cards), along with honorifics, which are often a signifier of ethnicity. U.S. cit. 72, no. Watch breaking news videos, viral videos and original video clips on CNN.com. cit. [17] Relations began to improve significantly in the 1970s. See also Kei Nemoto, The Concepts of Dobama (Our Burma) and Thudo-Bama (Their Burma) in Burmese Nationalism, 1930-1948, Journal of Burma Studies, vol. For them, gaining independence meant not just removing the British, but also the Indians. [19] Chinese exports to Myanmar typically focus around oil, steel and textile products, while Myanmar exports to China range from natural rubber to raw wood. Crisis Group telephone interview, SNA official, June 2020.Hide Footnote This claim may be an exaggeration Crisis Group could not confirm the presence of SNA forces in Kachin State, for example but photos posted to Facebook suggest it has, at a minimum, hundreds of well-armed troops, and a source who met the group in 2019 estimated that troop numbers may be above 1,000. Our year-round series brings together experts, activists, and leaders to discuss a better world. HIV-AIDS: WHO Myanmar World AIDS Day special factsheet (1 December 2020) HIV-AIDS: WHO Myanmar World AIDS Day special factsheet (1 December 2020) in Myanmar language. It may be the date of independence, of becoming a republic, of becoming a federation, or a significant date for a patron saint or a ruler Myanmar: 4 January: Independence from the British Empire in 1948 Thousands of people jailed since the coup in Myanmar have done nothing wrong.. This law maintains the designation of indigenous races from the 1948 law (again without any enumeration), but is more restrictive by introducing three tiers of citizenship affording different entitlements citizen by birth or descent, associate citizen and naturalised citizen. Interviewees described being forced to share or hand over fertiliser, food and communal resources, such as fishponds and forests. The current venue for discussion of the future political shape of the country, including the question of what form of federalism should be adopted, is the peace process. Myanmars military says it has released almost 6,000 prisoners, including a former British ambassador, a Japanese journalist and an Australian economics adviser, in an amnesty to mark National Day. Longyi and Thummy are sold in many stores across the country. Traditional costumes of Myanmar contain two sets, offered for both Burmese men and women. READ MORE. The Red Flag group was always the weaker of the two groups, and its decline accelerated after a Rakhine faction broke away in 1962 to form the Communist Party of Arakan. [22], China Power Investment Corporation's investment in the $3.6 billion Myitsone hydropower station on the Irrawaddy River has hit a snagged in early October 2011 as Burmese government suspended construction due to local residents' concern about the human, environmental impact and perceived benefits. This arms race explains why, despite many armed groups having surrendered or disarmed over the decades, new ones have usually emerged to take their place. Kristian Stokke, Political Representation by Ethnic Parties? A high-resolution version of this map is available at the website of the Myanmar Information Management Unit.Hide Footnote. Ethnic minority grievances toward the state have perpetuated some of the worlds longest-running armed conflicts. For the moment, the Tatmadaw is taking charge of security at Kaungkha, with several thousand troops from its elite mobile infantry divisions posted to temporary bases in the area. All Olympic Solidaritys programmes are aimed at developing and promoting sport worldwide, and encouraging athletes participation in the Olympic Games. (For discussion, see Sai Wansai, Bridging Conceptual Differences Vital to End Ethnic Conflict, Transnational Institute, 4 April 2016.) ChinaMyanmar relations (Chinese: ; Burmese: ) are the international relations between the People's Republic of China and Myanmar. Not entirely to their satisfaction, however. cit.Hide Footnote The militias organisational and governance structures remain intact, with its members carrying out their roles in civilian clothing and without weapons although they say their authority vis--vis the populace is weakened now that they are unarmed. I often hear them say, This land is our land, and one day you will all have to go back where you came from. Turnell, 58, an associate professor in economics at Sydneys Macquarie University who had been serving as an advisor to Suu Kyi, was arrested by security forces at a hotel in Yangon just days after last years military takeover. Militia units have provided Shanni communities with important protection from Kachin armed groups, particularly the KIO. See also Ne Win, Union Day Address to the Nation, 12 February 1964, cited in Cheesman, op. National Museum of American Diplomacy Art in Embassies Administrative. Under the constitution, a minority group in a state or region needs to have a population equivalent to at least 0.1 per cent of the national population (51,200 at the time of the 2014 national census). For Customers. Since 1989, China has supplied Myanmar with jet fighters, armored vehicles and naval vessels and has trained Burmese army, air force and naval personnel. 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