Race relations and ethnic minorities in contemporary Myanmar

Abstract

The chapter looks at race relations and ethnicity in contemporary Myanmar. The chapter argues that problematic race relations in present day Myanmar should not be seen in isolation but should be seen as a part of a historical continuum. British colonial policies such as divide and rule before 1948, politicians and their obsession with Buddhism and attempts at trying to make Buddhism the state religion after 1948, and the xenophobic tendencies of military generals after 1962 have all collectively strained relations between the ethnic majority residing in the center and the ethnic minorities residing in the periphery. The chapter pays special attention to the plight of the Karen, Kachin, Chin and Rohingya ethnic groups. To ease the tension in the peripheral parts of the country, where there have been outbursts of ethnic conflict, the government would need to take a more federally minded approach and incorporate the voices of minority groups in the decision making process.