Burman, Burmanisation and Betrayal

Abstract

The root cause of the decades-old political crisis in Burma has been neither the issue of political prisoners nor the political confrontation between the opposition group (NLD) and the brutal military junta (SPDC) but Burmanisation policy, apparently suggesting that successive Burman leaders continue to deny equal rights to all citizens and greater autonomy to ethnic groups who make up 40 per cent of the entire population of the country. In order to restore permanent peace, political stability and economic prosperity in Burma, the Burman-dominated regime must thus give rights of equality to all citizens, greater autonomy to ethnic groups and religious freedom to all religious groups. It is certain that as long as the ethnic groups are denied religious freedom, ethnic equality, greater autonomy, innate rights, a federal system and self-determination, there will be no peace, stability or prosperity in the country.