11. 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. [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. But against a backdrop of longstanding essentialist ideas about ethnic identity, and due to the fact that larger minorities are accorded greater rights than smaller ones, the system has reinforced a competitive, zero-sum dynamic among minority groups. [50][51], In January 2020, Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Nay Pyi Taw. 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. Olympic Solidarity redistributes the share of the broadcast rights from the Olympic Games through programmes offered to all 206 National Olympic Committees. Support our independent journalism and get exclusive behind-the-scenes content and analysis. Public Health Situation Analysis Myanmar SEAR/WHO (15 November 2022), COVID-19 Case Management Guideline for Home-based Care in Myanmar (11 October 2021), WHO Myanmar, - ( ) (), Curriculum on COVID-19 Response for Myanmar Community Health Volunteers, - , AMR-SORT IT 2021 Annual Report: Progress, Achievements, Challenges (15 February 2022), Read more on Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Crisis Group telephone interview, Kachin researcher, July 2020. 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. These changes would help reduce the centrality of ethnicity in public life, ensure that all in Myanmar have access to citizenship and basic rights, mitigate discrimination against minorities, and begin creating a more inclusive national identity. [fn]Crisis Group Report, Fire and Ice, op. 72, no. 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. See Red Shan rally for ethnic state, Myanmar Times, 10 October 2016; and Thousands of Red Shans demand self-rule, Shan Herald Agency for News, 19 October 2016.Hide Footnote. This linkage is particularly pernicious given that the constitutional bill of rights is mostly limited to citizens (see Section II.C above). Ibid. See also Ne Win, Union Day Address to the Nation, 12 February 1964, cited in Cheesman, op. Diverse communities have merged, intermarried, conquered and been subjugated. 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. 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. International Anti-Corruption Day. Of the 47 parties that applied for registration, almost two thirds were directly tied to particular ethnic minority communities. [12], On 21 December, Zhou Enlai replied that after Burma's government broke off relations with Kuomintang government, PRC central people government is willing to establish diplomatic relations between PRC and the Union of Burma on the basis of equality, mutual benefit, mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and hope Burma's government dispatch a negotiator to Beijing. 47, no. On 20 February 2020, a Tatmadaw patrol discovered a large cache of methamphetamine pills (yaba) in a forested area in the militias territory. They were later jailed for a year. This section looks at three case studies that depict how ethnic-based armed groups or militias emerge and evolve, and why they have become such an enduring and dangerous feature of Myanmars conflict landscape. They set up sub-associations based around specific minority groups, such as the Kachin Entrepreneurs Association. In addition to the Burman majority, the seven major groups identified in the law (each now having their own states) are: Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Mon, Rakhine and Shan. 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. 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 ; Ethnicity without Meaning, op. Nepal: September 20: 2021- 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. These notions also exclude those deemed to be insufficiently indigenous from full participation in politics and state institutions and from full protection under the constitutional bill of rights. Before the SNA came back to Homalin, Shanni people here lived in fear of the Tatmadaw and other ethnic armed groups. National Chocolate Day National First Responders Day National Immigrants Day. The one and only Dame Judi Denchs birthday (1934) Inform me. [17][20] There have been protest against Chinese oil projects. The 1931 census conflates language and race throughout its findings, sometimes viewing them as distinct, sometimes as the same thing. In the eyes of many Shanni, the formation of the Shanni Nationalities Army is thus important politically because they believe it means the government can no longer ignore their voice. Latest panel: Invest In Our Planet: Community and Youth Activism. Ethno-nationalism is at the core of all these groups, a characteristic that often sets them against their neighbours. BANGKOK (AP) Myanmars military-controlled government announced Thursday it was releasing and deporting an Australian academic, a Japanese filmmaker, an ex-British diplomat and an American as part of a broad prisoner amnesty to mark the countrys National Victory Day. [fn]See Ethnic Shanni reject move to grow Naga territory in NW Myanmar, The Irrawaddy, 17 February 2020.Hide Footnote. See also Ashley South, Ethnic Politics in Burma: States of Conflict (London, 2008). For colonial administrators tasked with conducting censuses, finding a systematic basis for ethnic categorisation was more difficult. The new political system introduced through the 2008 constitution, which came into force in 2011, has some features that acknowledge Myanmars ethnic diversity, such as ethnic affairs ministers and self-administered areas. Every place where the water got the crops perished. The diversity is the result of successive waves of migration from ancient times of Austronesian, Mon-Khmer and Tibeto-Burman peoples, among others, as well as more recent migration during the colonial period (1886-1948) and since independence (in 1948). Militia units have provided Shanni communities with important protection from Kachin armed groups, particularly the KIO. [fn]See Mary Callahan, Political Authority in Burmas Ethnic Minority States: Devolution, Occupation and Coexistence (Washington, 2007). 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. National Cabinet meeting held virtually. Sign up for our Frontier Fridays newsletter. The current government has resisted changes to that clause and has invoked it to appoint minority National League for Democracy governments in Shan and Rakhine states (the only places where the League failed to win local parliament majorities in 2015).Hide Footnote This frustration has driven support for ethnic armed groups because many ethnic peoples now view insurgency as the only effective means of achieving political goals such as enhanced autonomy and equitable access to resources. [fn]In the future the Tatmadaw will clearly carry out such kinds of events [as the disarming of the Kaungkha Militia] in accord with the existing laws. Ethnicity can also be a powerful force for building social cohesion and strengthening bonds within communities, and it could be harnessed for much good. [fn]Ferguson, op. On this day two years ago, the 2020 general election was held on November 8 with more than 27 million votes cast. Crisis Group telephone interview, SNA senior commander, June 2020. Crisis Group visit to Kaungkha, November 2018; and Crisis Group interviews, well-placed local sources, Lashio and Kutkai, November 2018. Military.com helps millions of military-connected Americans access military and veteran benefits and news, find jobs and enjoy military discounts. They illustrate different stages of armed group development, from the once-powerful Kaungkha Militia in Kutkai to the newly formed Shanni Nationalities Army of northern Sagaing Region, and the desire of some Mro and Khumi in Rakhine and Chin states to form a militia to protect their people from other armed groups. The Kayin State Border Guard Force has come under intense pressure from the Tatmadaw over its extensive, controversial business interests and theres concern the ultimatum could trigger fresh hostilities in one of the countrys most war-torn areas. 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). [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. U.S. The group has found willing volunteers among the Shanni youth of Sagaing Region, both men and women. This point has also been made by David I. Steinberg, Burma/Myanmar: What Everyone Needs to Know (Oxford, 2010), p. 20. 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). Get on it. This demand harks back to Arakans centuries-long history as an independent kingdom. Rather, in the absence of any serious attempt to reframe the essentialist and exclusionary narrative surrounding race and identity, and in an environment of newfound freedoms and a political system that fails to reflect the countrys complex ethnic landscape, as discussed below, liberalisation has led to strengthened ethno-nationalism. Watch breaking news videos, viral videos and original video clips on CNN.com. The 1931 census conflates language and race throughout its findings, sometimes viewing them as distinct, sometimes as the same thing. Tonight, or any night. More than 70% of China's production quota (35.5 t) is sourced from Myanmar (2020). 11. China is the second largest investor in Myanmar. Legal and policy reforms will likely be needed in three key areas: citizenship, the countrys administrative structure and the peace process. [fn]See, for example, Naga zone expansion plan sparks protests, petitions, Myanmar Times, 2 February 2015; Mon push for regional minister in Tanintharyi government, Myanmar Times, 9 February 2015; and Shan in Karen State have someone to help them, The Irrawaddy, 8 July 2019.Hide Footnote. Government officials frequently speak of the need for all national races to work with unity in an attempt to recapture the Union Spirit or Panglong Spirit of the countrys independence leaders. Press Statement. This map is reproduced with permission of The Asia Foundation. Olympic Solidarity redistributes the share of the broadcast rights from the Olympic Games through programmes offered to all 206 National Olympic Committees. Sagaing locals demand Tatmadaw, Shanni Army cease fighting, Network Media Group, 25 April 2020. See The drug menace and the Tatmadaws mission, op. Note that the data are from 2016, so this map does not represent the current situation on the ground. The most obvious example is the 2014 census, which was the countrys first in more than 30 years. If I kept staying there, they would have killed me one day Im sure of it. He was convicted last month by the prison court of incitement for participating in the protest and other charges and sentenced to 10 years in prison. Once-taboo language lives again in rural Myanmar, Nikkei Asian Review, 30 July 2018. Kyaw Htay Oo, a naturalized American, returned to Myanmar, the country of his birth, in 2017, according to media reports. The arbitrary distinction between languages and dialects is taken as truistic in academic linguistics (captured in the famous quip by linguist Max Weinreich that a language is a dialect with an army and navy), and the same problem arises with distinguishing dialects. Because according to Myanmar law and custom larger groups enjoy greater rights, and because exclusive authority over territory inevitably disadvantages other, smaller groups living there, ethnic rights are seen as zero-sum: more rights for one group almost inevitably implies fewer rights for another. Features include 52 Places and The World Through a Lens. Get on it. Now book yourself a great hotel, with LateRooms.com. Any junta election can be expected to name Min Aung Hlaing as president. The Shan State militia of the same name recruits from this community. Ming loyalists escaped to Burma during the Manchu invasion of China. 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. 38, no. Together, the 27 Members of the College are the Commission's political leadership during a 5-year term. [fn]See Crisis Group Report,An Avoidable War, op. [fn]Crisis Group interview, Shanni activist, June 2020. Myanmar Full Moon of Thadingyut. [4] The Chinese-backed militia also threatened northern Myanmar residents from expressing their religious beliefs, even inside their homes. Robert Taylor, The State in Myanmar (London, 2009), p. 198; Thant Myint-U, op. Shanni militia units have fought alongside the Tatmadaw against the KIO and taken part in other security activities. Although it will not be easy, the opportunity exists for Myanmars leaders to reframe how ethnicity is understood. Join millions of travelers who already use Travelzoo! Countless Billions of Earth Day Participants Everywhere. Ferguson, op. [9][17] The relationship with China was under the spirit of the term "pauk-phaw", meaning kinship in Burmese. cit. The town-based Kutkai Militia was long controlled by T Khun Myat, who is now speaker of the national parliament. Squiz The Day. 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. 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. Ethnic minority grievances toward the state have perpetuated some of the worlds longest-running armed conflicts. 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). Climate Change & Health with Covid19 update, 10 September 2020. Since independence in 1948, Myanmar has struggled to forge a national identity that is reflective of its ethnic diversity and to deliver on the aspirations of the many peoples within its borders. Lumyo in the 2014 Myanmar Population and Housing Census. The US, UK, China and fellow ASEAN members congratulated National League for Democracy leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. See Stephen Cornell and Douglas Hartmann, Ethnicity and Race: Making Identities in a Changing World, 2nd edition (Thousand Oaks, 2007).Hide Footnote ) Adding confusion, the Burmese words for race/ethnicity do not map easily onto their English counterparts. Yao Zhongming, China's first Ambassador to Rangoon arrived in Rangoon on 28 August and presented his credentials on 5 September 1950. Ideally, ethnic states would not be identified with or named after particular ethnic groups. [38] Beijing also funds road construction linking Yangon and Sittwe, providing the shortest route to the Indian Ocean from southern China. Tens of thousands joined demonstrations in Sagaing Region the following month and in Kachin State in October 2016. 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. [fn]Crisis Group visit to Kaungkha, November 2018; Crisis Group interviews, well-placed local sources, Lashio and Kutkai, November 2018; Buchanan, Militias in Myanmar, op. 80. days. For more on the importance of group size, see Clarke et al., op. Myanmar dress changed slightly at the end of the British era in the country. [fn]Of the 498 elected seats in the national legislature, ethnic parties won only 74 in 2010 and just 57 in 2015. Such a change would be immensely contentious and would have to take place as part of a negotiated political solution to minority grievances. [34], There have been reports of over 7000 Burmese women and girls being sold for sexual slavery in China, where they are sold as "brides". [fn]Crisis Group telephone interviews, Chin and Khumi activists, June 2020.Hide Footnote Nevertheless, these interviewees feel strongly that their communities need protection and that arming themselves is the only realistic option. Youll find some of the cheapest deals available on Kubota, 26, was detained in July near an anti-junta rally in Yangon along with two Myanmar citizens and jailed for 10 years. National Museum of American Diplomacy Art in Embassies Administrative. Inter-ethnic relations have become dominated by zero-sum thinking that hardens ethnic divides and drives the proliferation of armed groups, with deadly consequences. After initially fighting alongside the KIO in Kachin State, its forces began infiltrating Rakhine around 2014. Petty, Martin; Blanchard, Ben (1 September 2009). The drug menace and the Tatmadaws mission, op. 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. Active Sanctions Programs: Program Last Updated: Afghanistan-Related Sanctions 02/25/2022 Many ethnic communities do not have an armed group, and hence feel sidelined in the discussion. By AFP. CNN 10 is an on-demand digital news show ideal for explanation seekers on the go or in the classroom. Locals help both the Tatmadaw and Arakan Army when they come to their village, said one village administrator. [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. Sponsor a child. Red Shan form armed organisation after demand for new state, Shan Herald Agency for News, 25 January 2016. taingyintha () historically translated as indigenous race or national race, now often as ethnic nationality or ethnic group, but as with lumyo, conceived in an essentialist way that is closer to the English race. Its going to be a great night. See also Ne Win, Union Day Address to the Nation, 12 February 1964, cited in Cheesman, op. / The Irrawaddy, Copyright 2016 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. Village defence forces, known as ka kwe ye () in Burmese, were Tatmadaw-controlled militias active from the early 1960s until 1973.Hide Footnote This list includes only the major groups; there are numerous other smaller militias based in villages or in Kutkai town. Ibid. 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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. The Kachin population of Kaungkha feels vulnerable to attack and does not believe the Tatmadaw can ensure their security. Xi promoted the practical cooperation under the framework of the One Belt One Road to achieve results at an early date and benefit Myanmar's people. A Hubbard Broadcasting Company, sentenced in September to three years in prison, Closed Captioning Information for WHEC-TV. When the military regime dispensed with socialism in 1988, it focused on securing and maintaining economic rents and building networks of patronage. 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). Myawaddy is the official daily newspaper of the Tatmadaw. [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. [fn]See Thant Myint-U, A resurgent nationalism is shaping Myanmar politics, Nikkei Asian Review, 19 October 2017.Hide Footnote This ethno-nationalist sentiment has affected the countrys electoral dynamics, its economy and activities such as the 2014 nationwide census. Three of them were sentenced to three years each eight months ago, she said. Ferguson, op. Together, the 27 Members of the College are the Commission's political leadership during a 5-year term. [fn]Crisis Group interview, Mro village leaders from Buthidaung, February 2019.Hide Footnote, Administrators of non-Rakhine minority villages are often left in the difficult and dangerous position of placating both the Tatmadaw and Arakan Army in an effort to protect their communities. By siding with the Tatmadaw, the Shanni also have less to fear from government forces. State Law and Order Restoration Council Chairman Commander in Chief of the Defence Services General Saw Maungs Addresses and Discussions in Interview with Foreign Correspondents, Yangon, Ministry of Information, 1989, pp. Major C.M. [fn]Shan Ethnic Entrepreneurs Association in Sagaing Region issues statement asking Union government to reduce area granted to PanAust to explore for gold and copper, Daily Eleven, 8 June 2020.Hide Footnote. By Hein Htoo Zan 16 November 2022 . ; Nick Cheesman, How in Myanmar National Races Came to Surpass Citizenship and Exclude Rohingya, Journal of Contemporary Asia, vol. But if Myanmar is to resolve its decades-old armed conflicts, which are all now structured along ethnic lines, its national leaders will need to take bold, visionary steps to shake off the divisive legacies of the past and shape a new and inclusive vision for the country. [24] China's government is stating Myanmar will get US$54 billion in tax revenue, shared profits, free electricity. Reuters.com is your online source for the latest Asia news stories and current events, ensuring our readers up to date with any breaking news developments See Crisis Group Asia Report N174. cit. Instead, they hold only ethnic affairs minister posts in the Kachin and Sagaing governments that represent all Shan peoples in those states and regions. [fn]Thus, while equal rights before the law are unqualified, most rights such as non-discrimination, equal opportunity and freedom of expression are reserved for (full) citizens only. [52], In February 2021, the Myanmar coup d'tat removed a number of democratically elected members of parliament from power, including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. Within a 30km radius of Kaungkha, numerous other armed entities control territory: the Tatmadaw, which operates some fixed bases in the area, particularly close to Kutkai town and the main highway; the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, an ethnic Kokang Chinese insurgent group; the Panthay Militia, which recruits from and is named after a Chinese Muslim minority; the Tarmoenye Militia, a former village defence force that has expanded into a powerful armed entity; the 8th Battalion of the Kachin Independence Organisation; and the Taang National Liberation Army, another insurgent group. We have a bitter experience because we didnt have an armed group, added the ethnic Mro former village administrator. He and Suu Kyi were convicted in September by a closed junta court of breaching the official secrets act and jailed for three years each. These groups were in turn classified as martial races and non-martial races for the purposes of recruitment into the colonial army, which prioritised the former; the majority Burmans were almost completely excluded from the military. For example, they can be pulled up to be used as the raincoat, the UV sun shirt, or Burmese women can enroll it to make a stable substrate to carry commodities (fruits, rice bags, foods) without holding hands. cit. The Mandarin-speaking Kokang are one of the 135 recognised minority groups, descended from Han Chinese people who fled to Myanmar in the 18th century. Crisis Group telephone interviews, Shanni politician and Shanni resident of Mohnyin, June 2020. 5 (2000). TB problem in Yangon is huge, serious and very complex. See David I. Steinberg, The magic in Myanmars numbers. Access to citizenship by birth should not be restricted to members of recognised ethnic groups. Large numbers of Panthays from China also settled in Myanmar.[7][8]. The strength of the Arakan Army, which has inflicted severe damage on the military, is built on its ability to harness the Rakhine peoples ethno-nationalism and capitalise on their legitimate grievances over the failures of electoral democracy and against state institutions they perceive as representing only the majority Burmans. [fn]The misrule of Inle Lake, Frontier Myanmar, 20 December 2018.Hide Footnote The leading role of larger ethnic groups in the economy fuels a sense that at least some minorities are missing out on the benefits of economic reforms and reinforces the competitive dynamic among ethnic groups. The traditional dress of Burmese people is said to be date back to the 1750s where it was first designed with stunning jewelry by those who held positions of power. Hide Footnote One of the movements young leaders was Aung San, father of Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmars current de facto leader. For full details on the regions history, including its armed movements, see Martin Smith, Arakan (Rakhine) State: A Land in Conflict on Myanmars Western Frontier, Transnational Institute, December 2019. World Health Organization South-East Asia provides leadership on health matters, articulates evidence-based policy options, provides technical support to countries and monitors health trends. All Olympic Solidaritys programmes are aimed at developing and promoting sport worldwide, and encouraging athletes participation in the Olympic Games. [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. 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 interview, SNA senior commander, June 2020. Crisis Group visit to Kaungkha, November 2018. [fn]Ibid.Hide Footnote, Smaller ethnic groups in Rakhine and southern Chin, including the Rohingya, Mro, Khami/Khumi, Thet, Daingnet and Maramagyi, have been caught between the Arakan Army and Tatmadaw. Areas that the Shanni once dominated were depopulated, and gradually Kachin settlers moved in. When visitors take Myanmar vacation, they can see that Burmese women rarely wear makeup even in the special occasion in their country. By The Irrawaddy 8 November 2022 . [2] In February 2019, Myanmar pursued more Chinese-sponsored loans and programs. READ MORE. Conflict and instability have been ever present; the range of armed movements over the decades have included White and Red Flag communists, mujahid groups and, in particular, an assortment of ethnic armed groups, such as the Mizo National Front and the Arakan Liberation Party. [fn]Crisis Group interviews, conflict researchers, June 2020; Kachin activist, July 2020. It needed about 20 percent more of the parliamentary seats to form a government with the 25 percent of MPs who are military-appointees, as guaranteed under the junta-drafted 2008 Constitution. Thirdly, the structure and style of Burmese traditional costumes are very simple; therefore, they are easy to put on and take off when needed in daily life. [9][17][21] China has developed a deep-water port on Kyaukpyu in the Bay of Bengal. cit.Hide Footnote It also puts these troops close to various insurgent forces, increasing the likelihood of clashes. The incentives for groups to do so are considerable and involve interlinked ethno-nationalist and economic imperatives: without an armed group to protect it, a community can be vulnerable to predation from its non-co-ethnic neighbours; conversely, armed groups are well positioned to profit from the illicit economy that has developed over decades in these areas, which produces the revenues necessary for arming and operating a powerful militia. Therefore, tourists will certainly have the feeling that everything is so simple, peaceful and they are always welcomed by friendly and sincere Myanmar people. The vaccines were previously approved by the WHO and represent a significant step to protect all citizens of Myanmar from the deadly disease. See Shanni nationals demand official recognition, The Nation, 19 September 2016. International Anti-Corruption Day. Military.com helps millions of military-connected Americans access military and veteran benefits and news, find jobs and enjoy military discounts. State authorities often referred to the major groups that had their own eponymous states, along with unspecified others.[fn]Ibid. Hide Footnote In public, the Tatmadaw has indicated that the disarming is permanent and that it will actively support the militia to conduct legal business activities, including livestock breeding and mining. See 2008 Constitution, Sections 21, 34, 38, 347-360, 364-376 and 380-381. This uncharacteristically decisive and risky action by the Tatmadaw against an allied armed force brought to an end the ethnic Kachin groups decades-long control of the territory. Enriquez, Races of Burma (Delhi, 1924). [fn]Crisis Group telephone interview, Mro village administrator, June 2020.Hide Footnote A Mro activist originally from Buthidaung commented, We live mostly in the mountains, but we have to go to town sometimes. See fn 36 for details on the Panthay community. The announcement coincided with Aung San Suu Kyi's meeting with Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing. [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. Closely related to elephants, the national animal of Papua New Guinea looks much more like its other kin, the manatee. Of the villages nothing remains but temples and pagodas; clumps of fruit trees, cotton plants and gardens run wild. Department Reports and Publications Agency Financial Reports Human Rights Day Antony J. Blinken December 9, 2022. OFAC administers a number of different sanctions programs. James George Scott, Gazetteer of Upper Burma and the Shan States, part 1, vol. Olympic Solidarity redistributes the share of the broadcast rights from the Olympic Games through programmes offered to all 206 National Olympic Committees. 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. Crisis Group telephone interviews, Mohnyin resident and Shanni politician, June 2020. Basically, Burmese people often mix Longyi with other items of clothing, from T-shirts, shirts, jackets, to vests. This dynamic causes armed groups to proliferate along ethnic lines, as happened in Shan State (see previous section), which ultimately results in greater militarisation. The government, too, tends to convey its perspective on the countrys diversity unhelpfully, defining 135 distinct ethnic groups living in the country since ancient times and united through weal and woe throughout the ages, divided only as a result of colonialism. Reuters.com is your online source for the latest Asia news stories and current events, ensuring our readers up to date with any breaking news developments 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. See Taylor, The State in Myanmar, op. people with rare diseases. (For discussion, see Sai Wansai, Bridging Conceptual Differences Vital to End Ethnic Conflict, Transnational Institute, 4 April 2016.) Building on the legacy of the colonial period, national leaders have perpetuated dangerous notions of ethnic identity that divide rather than unify its national races. Former British envoy Vicky Bowman, Australian economics adviser Sean Turnell and Japanese journalist Toru Kubota were today freed by Myanmars military regime. Tonight, or any night. Military.com helps millions of military-connected Americans access military and veteran benefits and news, find jobs and enjoy military discounts. Additionally, at least 2,465 civilians have been killed by security forces in the same period, the group says, though the number is thought to be far higher. See also Ethnicity without Meaning, Data without Context: The 2014 Census, Identity and Citizenship in Burma/Myanmar, Transnational Institute, February 2014. From 1886 until 1937, the country was ruled as a province of British India in ways that took no account of huge cultural differences with the sub-continent and a separate political identity. On this day two years ago, the 2020 general election was held on November 8 with more than 27 million votes cast. 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. The Tatmadaw has cultivated the Shanni as an ally and armed a militia force, a tactic it has employed widely in other parts of the country (see Section IV.A above). 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. 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. Features include 52 Places and The World Through a Lens. Their costumes are very simple, which reflect the friendly and unsophisticated in living style. Tamil News | Tamil Newspaper | Latest Tamil news - Dailythanthi cit. The Shan State militia of the same name recruits from this community. The winner-takes-all electoral system leaves minority parties with very little representation and hence limited electoral or political leverage. As the 2014 census demonstrated, this task is conflict-inducing as well as technically challenging. That question will vanish completely as soon as you enter the Burmeses normal life. Not only have these structures created an unhelpful competitive dynamic among minorities, but they have also been mostly ineffective at ensuring ethnic autonomy, due to the lack of meaningful decentralisation from Naypyitaw. people with rare diseases. [fn]For more detailed discussion of citizenship legislation and procedures, see Crisis Group Asia Report N261, Myanmar: The Politics of Rakhine State, 22 October 2014, Section III.C.Hide Footnote The constitution frames its bill of rights as applying primarily to citizens. As such, we will not be commenting further at this stage.. New laws, policies and technologies have enabled ethnic communities to celebrate their religion, culture and languages in ways that were impossible for decades. [fn]For a detailed account, see Buchanan, Militias in Myanmar, op. Crisis Group visit to Kaungkha, November 2018; Crisis Group interviews, well-placed local sources, Lashio and Kutkai, November 2018; Crisis Group telephone interviews, Kaungkha Militia leaders and members, June 2020; Crisis Group interview, analyst, Yangon, June 2020. A National Day is a day on which celebrations mark the nationhood of a nation or state. 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 Get on it. For Customers. Longyi (sewing pants and tight pants) is the name of the traditional clothes of the men, which is a perfect combination of the shirt or jacket called Taipon (traditional clothes). [29], In February 2018, about 800 villagers in Kachin State protested to the Chief Minister's office against environmental damage caused by Chinese companies planting tissue culture bananas. The advent of electoral democracy has exacerbated the ethnic dimension of conflict. [63] Anti-vaccine protesters considered it a sham, and distributed misinformation about Chinese vaccines on social media. Several men pointed to examples of being excluded from political or social activities because of their ethnicity, while a woman said she felt discriminated against because of her appearance and socio-economic status. All Olympic Solidaritys programmes are aimed at developing and promoting sport worldwide, and encouraging athletes participation in the Olympic Games. Moving the country toward a more constructive and inclusive conception of national identity and away from essentialist notions of ethnicity will be immensely challenging. These steps will be controversial, and they will require extensive consultation and explanation. Kyal Sin Longyi Shop at I-20, Ground Floor, Yuzana Plaza, Yangon is an ideal place for you to purchase Myanmar dress at high quality. [17][18], Like Sino-Burma political relations, the economic ties also shifted in 1954. [fn]1982 Myanmar Citizenship Law.Hide Footnote Only members of ethnic groups present in Myanmar prior to 1823 are eligible for citizenship by birth. Communities should be free to celebrate their ethnic heritage and cultural identity. Longyi, the national costume of Myanmar is also eye-catching on. [fn]Crisis Group telephone interviews, Khumi activist and Mro administrators, June 2020.Hide Footnote, Some, particularly among the Mro and Khumi, argue that the only way to protect their communities is to establish their own armed group. Watch breaking news videos, viral videos and original video clips on CNN.com. All three will be deported, the junta said without specifying a date. [fn]Crisis Group interview, historian, Yangon, July 2020. 3, no. Although considered a sub-group (or tribe, in the Myanmar government parlance) of the Shan of Shan State whom they refer to as the Tai Yai, or Big Tai the Shanni have their own script and culture and are officially recognised in Myanmar as a distinct ethnic group. [24] China Power Investment Corporation stated only five villages with a total of 2,146 needed to relocated. Crisis Group interview, Mro activist, Yangon, July 2020. 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. 32, no. 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). Grappling with historical legacies and charting a more tolerant and inclusive future for the country will not be easy. ; Ethnicity without Meaning, op. [64], Four Talk Records on the Establishment of China-Burma Relations, Archive of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of People's Republic of China, File No.105-00001-02 (1, Myanmar's Ministry of Commerce as of data in 2020 - 2021 Financial Year, Stokke, Kristian; Vakulchuk, Roman and Indra Overland (2018). cit. On 22 April 1954, China and Burma signed the first economic trade agreement which was valid for three years. 3 (2019). Our year-round series brings together experts, activists, and leaders to discuss a better world. The Western Pacific Region is home to almost 1.9 billion people across 37 countries and areas in the Asia Pacific. 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. WHO commits to support Myanmar with coordinated efforts of our partners to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic together and ensure access to healthcare services with finding the new and alternative solutions, even in the challenging situations. Access to Myanmar's ports and naval installations provide China with strategic influence in the Bay of 600+ events worldwide. Get the Squiz Today newsletter. Despite their population claims, the group has not been granted a self-administered zone in Myanmars political system, much less a state. The last Red Flag forces were defeated in the late 1970s, and the Communist Party of Arakan was finally dissolved in 2004. In January 2016, the Shanni Nationalities Army (SNA) set up a Facebook page, issued a statement and posted an image of soldiers in SNA uniforms. [fn]The drug menace and the Tatmadaws mission, op. [citation needed] The violence was started by a China-backed militia, rebelling against Myanmar. Lack of state investment in developing minority areas only strengthened this perception of exploitation. ; Nick Cheesman, How in Myanmar National Races Came to Surpass Citizenship and Exclude Rohingya, Journal of Contemporary Asia, vol. Reuters.com is your online source for the latest Asia news stories and current events, ensuring our readers up to date with any breaking news developments 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. Watch breaking news videos, viral videos and original video clips on CNN.com. We do not encourage viewing this site in this width. In total, the Shanni militia might comprise hundreds of soldiers, perhaps as many as 1,000. 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. The Question of 'china' in Burmese Chronicles. The future is therefore uncertain. In February 2019, the Shanni Nationalities Army changed its name to the Shanni Nationalities Front. See, for example, Naga zone expansion plan sparks protests, petitions. Our year-round series brings together experts, activists, and leaders to discuss a better world. There are 29 such seats. Hide Footnote It supported Kachin culture, building one of the largest Manau traditional festival grounds in the country. In early 2018, for example, leading entrepreneurs from a range of minorities established the Myanmar Ethnic Entrepreneurs Association to encourage ethnic entrepreneurs and sustainable development in their regions. Both countries had conflicting claims on the Chinese Shan states ever since the Toungoo Empire rose to power, though trade with Ming China was beneficial for the Toungoo Empire. Crisis Group telephone interviews, Mro village leaders and activists, June 2020. [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. Traditional costumes of Myanmar contain two sets, offered for both Burmese men and women. [fn]Well-connected ethnic affairs association lobbying to develop popular Yangon park, The Irrawaddy, 28 June 2018.Hide Footnote Another recent example underlines how ethnic identity has been harnessed to oppose foreign investment. 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). 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. See Bernard Comrie, Introduction, in The Worlds Major Languages, 3rd edition (New York, 2018). Latest panel: Invest In Our Planet: Community and Youth Activism. 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. 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. Hide Footnote Northern Sagaing Region has a significant illicit and grey economy due to its proximity to the Indian border and large deposits of natural resources, which could provide income for the group in the future. The Kaungkha Militia provides a good example of this ambiguity. Hide Footnote It has rarely had difficulty finding groups willing to play this proxy role. [fn]Representatives elected to these seats also serve as ethnic affairs ministers in their respective state/region governments. On this day two years ago, the 2020 general election was held on November 8 with more than 27 million votes cast. Sponsor a child. Bilateral relations between China and Myanmar, although much closer and warmer than those between China and its other Southeast Asian neighbor, Vietnam, also face difficulties due to the effects of alleged Chinese-sponsored debt-traps[1][2][3] and Chinese-backed rebels in northern Myanmar territories.[4][5][6]. READ MORE. Many of those residents, however, left during World War II or after independence. These colonial divide and rule approaches meant that at independence, the country already had deep divisions and inter-group tensions. to go. 182-183 (p. 247 in English translation); Our Union of Myanmar where 135 national races reside, Working Peoples Daily (Burmese edition), 26 September 1990.Hide Footnote Government officials have said the list was drawn up on the basis of old census records and expert advice. cit. Every community sees the need to have its own armed group, and armed groups need to be more powerful than those in adjacent or overlapping communities. The national animal of Belize is also the largest indigenous mammal in Central America. This clause gives the president the power to select the chief minister of each state and region regardless of the composition of the state or region parliament. Ethnicity is at the heart of the countrys armed conflict. 1 (1960). Together, the 27 Members of the College are the Commission's political leadership during a 5-year term. CNN 10 is an on-demand digital news show ideal for explanation seekers on the go or in the classroom. So China hoped that both sides immediately begun to negotiate the exchange of diplomatic envoys. READ MORE. Hide Footnote, Hide Footnote Respondents were eventually barred from self-identifying as Rohingya, with the result that most of this group was left unenumerated. Hide Footnote Thus, the last colonial census in 1931 identified approximately 135 different groups, determined mostly by language (see Appendix C for a colonial race map based on the results of this census). [fn]Crisis Group telephone interview, Kachin researcher, July 2020. Enriquez, Races of Burma (Delhi, 1924). Press Statement. cit.Hide Footnote. [fn]Ibid.Hide Footnote This move suggests that the top brass wished to prevent possible local relationships from impeding the operation. Ethnicity in Myanmar is inextricably linked to armed conflict. [fn]Ferguson, op. See also Myanmars military and its proxy armies, Bangkok Post, 7 February 2016. Myanmar is a hugely diverse country. Climate Change and Health, 10 September 2020 in Myanmar language The Qing dynasty fought the Sino-Burmese War. Not all applications to form ethnic parties were approved. These efforts have created an unworkably convoluted and ultimately meaningless classification system. Stay on top of Myanmar current affairs with our Daily Briefing and Media Monitor newsletters. Compare and book hotels online at great low prices. [fn]Ibid.Hide Footnote. 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