Introduction
The history of Myanmar presents a country that has experienced numerous challenges and lost opportunities due to the local political, economic, and social issues that have remained unaddressed. The past two decades have been characterized by shocking news and reports of execution, repression, abuse of minorities, and loss of human rights. These gaps have affected the process of nation-building, thereby worsening the life experiences and outcomes of millions of people in the country. Despite being one of the most ethnically diverse countries, Myanmar requires international guidance and involvement to address most of the recorded conflicts related to diversity and the process of Burmanization.
Diversity and Possible Advantages
The geographical location of Myanmar has emerged as one of the primary reasons capable of explaining the ethnic diversity recorded in the country. Chaturvedi attributes this situation to the presence of shared borders with Bangladesh, India, China, Laos, and Thailand (1). For centuries, people with diverse backgrounds migrated and occupied the region’s new Irrawaddy River since it was fertile and capable of supporting agricultural activities. Around a third of the country’s population of 54 million people is comprised of minority groups (Chaturvedi 1). These groups belong to around 135 ethnicities that are primarily found in the deeply forested and mountainous borders of the country. These groups have continued to encounter numerous challenges despite identifying themselves as members of the Myanmar society.
The country’s majority group is comprised of the Bamar or Burman people. Chaturvedi indicates that these people amount to around 60 percent of the country’s population (1). Over the years, members of this dominant ethnic majority have been involved in leadership and political activities. They have succeeded in attaining high-quality education, occupying lucrative positions, and benefiting from shared resources. The group is found living in the country’s inland plains. This kind of scenario has led to a unique form of disparity that affects the overall experiences and outcomes of the affected minority groups.
From the Myanmar context, the recorded level of diversity has been able to deliver some notable advantages. For example, majority of the people find it easier to acquire ideas from each other, thereby being able to widen their thoughts. Diversity makes the country’s cuisine and culture rich and admirable by other members of the society. The presence of different ethnic groups in this country has become a unique opportunity for expanding Buddhist practices and encouraging more people from other parts of the world to embrace it (Chaturvedi 2). Unfortunately, Myanmar has yet to reap the benefits of diversity due to the cultural differences and conflicts that have been recorded since the early 1900s.
How Diversity Hinders Unity and Political Consensus
The promotion of diversity in Myanmar has remained skewed and incapable of delivering most of the anticipated benefits. While most of the cultural groups have their practices and occupy distinctive geographical regions in the country, those in power have promoted ideologies that make unity impossible. With the Burmans occupying the topmost political positions, a leadership order has existed whereby the majority are abused and ignored whenever pursuing their social and economic goals. For instance, Chaturvedi indicates that conscription, abuse of human rights, and extrajudicial executions of people belonging to minority groups have been common (1). Others tend to be compelled to engage in compulsory labor to support various economic activities.
The government that has remained in power has made the situations for most minorities worse and incapable of achieving their maximum potential. Smith indicates that the Burma Socialist Programme Party (BSPP) has been involved in detestable actions that affect the overall outcomes of more citizens (9). Specifically, the government has been observed to force entire populations or communities to relocate or be executed (Smith 9). The absence of proper political strategies has resulted in “deep-rooted problems and weakened the country’s ability to deal with a growing host of new ones” (Smith 9). Those on the receiving end have encountered economic collapse, displacement, and environmental challenges. The number of people from minority communities dying from the overuse of narcotics and HIV/AIDS has continued to increase (Smith 9). Without representation, these minorities have suffered the most, thereby being unable to predict their future lives.
Without any form of political will, minorities have continued to encounter a wide range of challenges that make it hard for them to pursue their economic and social aims. Consequently, the country has escaped one of the opportunities and goals towards becoming united. In the recent past, most of the reported stories and observations from Myanmar have presented some of the worst cases of human rights violations (Smith 11). The majority group’s obsession with political power and desire to pursue their unique economic objectives has worsened the country’s progress. The absence of a unified nation has, therefore, continued to make it impossible for the country to reach a political consensus. Consequently, numerous predicaments have continued to emerge that make it impossible for this nation to become economically and politically stable.
Ethnic Oppression of Minorities
The cold relationship between the government and ethnic minorities in Myanmar dates back to the late 1940s. Chaturvedi observes that these groups were ignored in the establishment of new programs intended to promote economic performance (2). In a few years, ethnic minorities joined hands to establish local militias that fought the main army, or the Myanmar Junta’s Tatmadaw (Smith 9). This social unrest has been ongoing for decades, thereby worsening the relationship between the majority group and the minorities. The subsequent policies and programs were implemented in such a way that they excluded most of these groups.
The government of the day has gone further to engage in questionable activities that have resulted in the repression and abuse of human rights. The country has been promoting an authoritarian approach that has helped the government to ignore the issues affecting minorities. In 2011, the completed elections resulted in a situation whereby the minorities rejected the outcome (Smith 12). Consequently, fighting ensued in the states of Kachin, Shan, and Karen, and along the nation’s borders (Chaturvedi 1). Over the years, most of the promoted peace agreements, such as the Panglong Agreement, have done very little to address most of these issues. Instead, the level of dissatisfaction has been increasing, thereby compelling more people to continue acquiring weapons and continue to demand equal rights and representation.
The government, through the military, has continued to promote extrajudicial executions and forceful removal of citizens from their regions. Some have been compelled to perform labor duties with minimum or no pay (Smith 9). Human rights abuses have remained the norm for years. The creation of war zones in villages occupied by minority groups remains a common picture in different regions in the country. These issues have resulted in untold suffering from most of the people belonging to the minority populations. They remain disenfranchised and incapable of voicing their concerns despite being recognizable citizens of the country.
Amid these abuses, a policy of Burmanization has become manifest in the country. This is pursued as an informal process intended to compel people belonging to different cultures to get rid of their identities (Chaturvedi 5). Specifically, this form of human rights abuse is intended to transform the schooling process, religious practices, and economic goals of the people. The government has been relying on repressive laws to ensure that such aims are realized. The use of brutal force has been a common feature of Burmanization in this country (Chaturvedi 8). In recent, the expulsion of the Rohingya Muslims from their regions has emerged as a good example of stamping the promoted Burman ideology.
The government has been keen to compel most of the people belonging to minority groups to denounce their religious foundations through the process of Burmanization. The Rohingya example describes how those who fail to consider such requirements tend to have increased chances of getting forcefully evicted from their regions. The complexity of these issues has led to increased armed conflicts as most of the victims continue to resist in the quest for their liberties (Smith 10). These issues show conclusively that the country’s minorities have remained suppressed. Without the political intention, the country has continued to experience numerous challenges that make it impossible for more minorities to achieve their potential.
Impacts of the Government: Possible Future
The Myanmar government, being led by the majority of Burmans, has been involved in efforts that have excluded the country’s ethnic minorities. The idea of excluding such groups has affected the overall process of nation-building, thereby making the civilian authority incapable of fostering unity. The efforts to get rid of the Rohingya community support the argument that the government has been keen to promote malpractices that affect minorities negatively. This failure by those in political leadership has led to over 600,000 casualties (Chaturvedi 11). Experts remain convinced that the best solution would be the one characterized by goodwill and the participation of all ethnic groups in the country.
The future of Myanmar might not be different from what has been recorded so far unless the global community remains committed to transforming the situation. Smith indicates the Burmans continue to dominate most of the areas of the economy and politics (72). Their position in the government, possession of military structures, the presence of money, and the availability of resources are some of the reasons why the Burmans are capable of pursuing their goals. The efforts by the minorities have remained less significant or incapable of supporting a meaningful change in the country. The United Nations (UN) and other international organizations need to remain involved and ensure that justice and fairness are served to promote coexistence among all ethnic groups in the country.
Conclusion
The issues recorded in Myanmar are reflective of the political and ethnic struggles that have existed in the country for many years. The government’s failure to support and include ethnic minorities in nation-building efforts is a gap that has resulted in increased warfare. The process of Burmanization is an ideology pursued within the lens of racial oppression. This reality means that the country has failed to focus on the opportunities associated with cultural inclusivity, thereby resulting in increased abuse of human rights. The involvement of key global partners and agencies is crucial if this country is to start including all minorities in nation-building efforts.
Works Cited
Smith, Martin. Ethnic Groups in Burma Development, Democracy and Human Rights. London: Anti-Slavery International.
Chaturvedi, Medha. Myanmar’s Ethnic Divide: The Parallel Struggle. New Delhi: Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies.