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. 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. What should be done? In the absence of an alternative vision from Myanmars leaders, however, longstanding notions of ethnicity as the key determinant of identity have actually grown stronger in this new era, becoming ever more central to politics, the economy, armed conflict and questions of citizenship and human rights. 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). Last but not least, it also becomes a multifunctional item in many cases. 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. See, for example, Naga zone expansion plan sparks protests, petitions. Moving the country toward a more constructive and inclusive conception of national identity and away from essentialist notions of ethnicity will be immensely challenging. 38, no. cit. Climate Change & Health with Covid19 update, 10 September 2020. Such a change would be immensely contentious and would have to take place as part of a negotiated political solution to minority grievances. The Dugong. [fn]Crisis Group telephone interviews, Kaungkha Militia leaders and members, June 2020.Hide Footnote. The origins of this militia group, and the reasons for its ultimate downfall, demonstrate the ways in which inter-ethnic tensions, insecurity and the illicit economy interact in Myanmars conflict zones. See fn 36 for details on the Panthay community. Tonight, or any night. WHO works with governments and partners across the Region to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable. Ethnic communities in Myanmar, especially the larger groups, prefer not to be described in English as ethnic minorities, instead favouring the term ethnic nationalities. [fn]Jane M. Ferguson, Whos Counting? ; Ethnicity without Meaning, op. cit.Hide Footnote. READ MORE. 3 (2019).Hide Footnote, Ethnic minority people thus tend to be defined by their ethnicity, seen as biologically fixed and expressed as a set of superficial cultural traits. Grant Peck in Bangkok, Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo and Rod McGuirk in Canberra, Australia, contributed to this story. Women wore floral head ornaments, uniquely decorated blouses, felt footwear, and a htamein, which you can see many women wearing today. 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. [fn]See, for example, Karen Ethnic Affairs Minister in Mon State Pushes for Karen Identity in Names, Karen Information Center, 8 June 2020. China is the most important supplier of military aid and maintains extensive strategic and military cooperation. Now book yourself a great hotel, with LateRooms.com. Thousands of people jailed since the coup in Myanmar have done nothing wrong.. If the people have no guns, we will not be safe. On 3 February, China and Russia blocked the United Nations Security Council from issuing a statement condemning the military for fear of additional economic sanctions. All Rights Reserved. So China hoped that both sides immediately begun to negotiate the exchange of diplomatic envoys. See also, Red Shan form armed organisation after demand for new state, Shan Herald Agency for News, 25 January 2016. [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. "China and Myanmar: Alternating between Brothers and Cousins.". cit. The National Farmers Day is an intrernational annual event that offers the much-deserved praise to the hard-working farmers across nations. 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. 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. Another inter-ethnic conflict brewing? When and Where Myanmar People Wear Traditional Clothes. [63] Anti-vaccine protesters considered it a sham, and distributed misinformation about Chinese vaccines on social media. Some of these groups have significant support and legitimacy in the communities they seek to represent; others do not. This rarely-seen primitive ancestor of rhinos and horses has changed very little in the last 35 million years. This dynamic is most vividly illustrated by the rise of the Arakan Army in Rakhine State and its strong popular support there. Sponsor a child. 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 removal of the perceived outsiders happened in stages. Widespread mobile internet access and the popularity of platforms such as Facebook have also enabled minorities to communicate in their own languages, connect with diasporas and share information not always reliable about their culture and history. The effect, though, has often been to reinforce longstanding ethnic divisions, both between recognised groups for example, the Shan and the Kachin and between the taingyintha and those perceived as others. [17][18], Like Sino-Burma political relations, the economic ties also shifted in 1954. See Ethnic Shanni reject move to grow Naga territory in NW Myanmar, The Irrawaddy, 17 February 2020. 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. A list of registered political parties is available on the Union Election Commission. From a policy perspective, a key reform should be to delink ethnicity from citizenship. [fn]1982 Myanmar Citizenship Law.Hide Footnote Only members of ethnic groups present in Myanmar prior to 1823 are eligible for citizenship by birth. 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. A National Day is a day on which celebrations mark the nationhood of a nation or state. U.S. U.S. citizens Nathan Maung and Danny Fenster, who worked for local publications, and freelancers Robert Bociaga of Poland and Yuki Kitazumi of Japan were eventually deported before having to serve full prison sentences. Press Statement. Large numbers of Panthays from China also settled in Myanmar.[7][8]. 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. Crisis Group telephone interview, Kachin researcher, July 2020. Ibid. There are some reasons: Firstly, the weather in this country is so hot as 40 degrees so the costumes material is suitable to make people feel comfortable. 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. to go. Shanni political aspirations, however, have gone largely unfulfilled. [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. 43, no. [fn]Ibid.Hide Footnote The group also worries that the local Kachin population is left without protection, with one leader saying: Our local peoples lives have no value anymore; they could be killed at any time. As such, we will not be commenting further at this stage.. E.R. [fn]Ibid.Hide Footnote According to a Tatmadaw news outlet, this operation was ordered by Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing, who dispatched a senior military officer from Naypyitaw to the North-Eastern Regional Command in Lashio the nearest large town to Kaungkha to take charge of ground operations, instead of the regional commander who would normally do so. The Yuan dynasty saw the First Mongol invasion of Burma and Second Mongol invasion of Burma. 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. Traditional costumes of Myanmar contain two sets, offered for both Burmese men and women. Therefore, [armed groups] were urged to operate legal businesses. Militia forces are generally accorded little if any role in the peace process. The National Farmers Day is an intrernational annual event that offers the much-deserved praise to the hard-working farmers across nations. 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. International Anti-Corruption Day. Fierce fighting between the Tatmadaw and Arakan Army in Rakhine and southern Chin States since late 2018 has had a significant impact on civilians, with non-government sources estimating up to 200,000 displaced and hundreds killed. [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. [37][21] It has also built an 85-metre jetty, naval facilities and major reconnaissance and electronic intelligence systems on the Great Coco Island,[17][38] located 18 kilometres from India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands, giving China capabilities to monitor India's military activities, including missile tests. 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. Crisis Group telephone interview, Kaungkha Militia leader, June 2020. Any junta election can be expected to name Min Aung Hlaing as president. [fn]See Crisis Group Asia Briefing N140, A Tentative Peace in Myanmars Kachin Conflict, 12 June 2013.Hide Footnote In 1991, feeling that its military position was becoming increasingly untenable, the 4th Brigade split from the Kachin insurgency, signed a ceasefire with the Tatmadaw and renamed itself the Kachin Defence Army. [fn]Crisis Group telephone interviews, Shanni politician and Shanni resident of Mohnyin, June 2020.Hide Footnote. Economic reforms since 2011, coupled with political liberalisation, have also turned the economy into a forum for asserting ethnic minority 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. 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 A source at Japans embassy in Myanmar said they had been informed that Mr. Kubota will be released today by junta authorities. See also Myanmars military and its proxy armies, Bangkok Post, 7 February 2016. 47, no. 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 Mro and Khami, for example, are recognised as Rakhine sub-groups, and the Khumi are considered Chin. The Myanmar Ethnic Entrepreneurs Association has also lobbied for a bank licence and for land in prominent locations in Yangon. A National Day is a day on which celebrations mark the nationhood of a nation or state. cit. 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. [24], Myanmar is China's key supplier not only for copper but also for rare earth metals required for high tech devices. 28 February is Rare Disease Day . In recent years, the relations between China and Myanmar have faced some problems due to ongoing clashes between ethnic Chinese rebels and the Myanmar military near the ChinaMyanmar border. Youll find some of the cheapest deals available on Tensions between the Rakhine and Rohingya have erupted into communal violence, particularly in 2012. [fn]Crisis Group interview, Mro activist, Yangon, July 2020.Hide Footnote The example illustrates the futility of trying to construct a logical classification system of fixed identities in such an ethnically diverse region, as well as how ethnicity and claims to territory are closely intertwined. Watch breaking news videos, viral videos and original video clips on CNN.com. Domestic and international observers, however, agreed that the results were representative of the public will. 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). 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. Amnesty International Australias Tim OConnor welcomed the decision to release Turnell, saying like many others, he should never have been arrested or jailed. [19] China is providing extensive aid and helping to develop industries and infrastructure in Myanmar and aims to be the chief beneficiary from cultivating Myanmar's extensive oil and natural gas reserves. Twenty-three Border Guard Forces, made up of ex-insurgents or militias from particular ethnic communities, who have been brought more formally under Tatmadaw control and operate in areas close to Myanmars international borders. For Customers. Ethnicity without Meaning, Data without Context, op. When and Where Myanmar People Wear Traditional Clothes. This dynamic is evident along the Bhamo-Myitkyina road, where there are deserted, overgrown Kachin villages interspersed with thriving but heavily guarded Shanni settlements. [28], In November 2012, peaceful villagers protesting against the Letpadaung Copper Mine were attacked by police and Chinese workers. Worryingly, such sentiments appear to be stronger than ever today, and are likely to drive greater tribalism, division and conflict, undermining long-term prospects for peace and the stability of the country. Any property and fund of China in Burma will be transferred to the recognized government.[13], Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Zhang Hanfu replied on 19 May 1950 that China's government discussed Burma's reply on 12 May, and was satisfied with it. Our year-round series brings together experts, activists, and leaders to discuss a better world. Military.com helps millions of military-connected Americans access military and veteran benefits and news, find jobs and enjoy military discounts. 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. 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. Crisis Group telephone interview, Mohnyin resident, June 2020. WHEC-TV, LLC [fn]Ibid.Hide Footnote This move suggests that the top brass wished to prevent possible local relationships from impeding the operation. The one and only Dame Judi Denchs birthday (1934) Inform me. Journey of TB preventive treatment (TPT) provision in Myanmar. 9 December 2022. A high-resolution version of this map is available at the website of the Myanmar Information Management Unit.Hide Footnote. In the modern age, it is said that today fashions have brought about changes in Longyis as they create slits at the sides, front or maybe back. cit. CNN 10 is an on-demand digital news show ideal for explanation seekers on the go or in the classroom. [fn]Buchanan, Militias of Myanmar, op. By Hein Htoo Zan 16 November 2022 . In 2015, she led her National League for Democracy (NLD) to victory in Myanmar's first openly contested election in 25 years. 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. Nepal: September 20: 2021- Travel deals on hotels, flights, vacation packages, cruises and local & entertainment deals too. Find top hotel deals for all occasions. This rarely-seen primitive ancestor of rhinos and horses has changed very little in the last 35 million years. Press Statement. / The Irrawaddy, Copyright 2016 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. We cannot protect our area, a retired Shanni soldier was quoted as saying shortly after the group emerged. Instead, the opposite happened. cit.Hide Footnote, The Tatmadaw has faced numerous long-term insurgencies across a significant proportion of the country, in areas inhabited by minority communities that view it as an occupying enemy force. [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. [9][17] The relationship with China was under the spirit of the term "pauk-phaw", meaning kinship in Burmese. The Tatmadaw gave the group control over territory designated at the time as Northern Shan State Special Region 5.Hide Footnote In 2010, the Tatmadaw pressured the group to come more directly under the authority of the national army, and it was re-formed as the Kaungkha Militia, under the same leadership and still with de facto autonomy and control over its territory. The Commission is composed of the College of Commissioners from 27 EU countries. 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. cit.Hide Footnote Identifying who did not belong conversely required some coherent definition of who did but enumerating the indigenous races was a virtually impossible task, as the British had discovered. Appendix C: Racial Map of Myanmar from the 1931 Census, Appendix D: Main Spoken Languages of Myanmar. See Thant Myint-U, A resurgent nationalism is shaping Myanmar politics. According to the agreement, China exported coal, silk, silk fabrics, cotton fabrics, paper, agricultural implements, light industry product, handicraft, porcelain enamel, porcelain, can food, tea, and cigarette to Burma. In 1976, Shanni militia members massacred dozens of Kachin residents in the majority Shanni town of Mohnyin, and many of the remaining Kachin residents fled to Myitkyina. [fn]Ferguson, op. The ethnicity results have still not been released because they are so contentious, given the links between ethnic population size and rights. Military.com helps millions of military-connected Americans access military and veteran benefits and news, find jobs and enjoy military discounts. 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. On 3 November 1954, both signed goods exchange protocol of Burmese rice and Chinese commodities, and the contract that China bought 150,000 long tons Burmese rice. 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 They say the Tatmadaw told them that they were being disarmed temporarily, for a period of six months, but they doubt that their weapons will be returned or that they will be allowed to rearm. 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. Kubota would leave for Japan today, they said. [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. Militias are generally formed by, or allied with, the Myanmar military (the Tatmadaw) and are nominally under its command although the degree of actual Tatmadaw authority over these groups varies. Shanni activists have created and circulated widely on Facebook a map of a proposed Shanni State that encompasses large areas of Sagaing Region and Kachin State, as well as parts of Mandalay Region and Shan State. Raising awareness and generating change for the 300 million people worldwide living with a rare disease, their families and carers. 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. Before, he was a USDP supporter. Arakan Army soldiers and many ethnic Rakhine civilians are also deeply suspicious of non-Rakhine minorities, who they believe provide information and supplies to the Tatmadaw. 3, no. Longyi and Thummy are sold in many stores across the country. Share your colours Download materials. 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. Crisis Group telephone interviews, Shanni politician and Mohnyin resident, June 2020. 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. [fn]Crisis Group telephone interviews, Shanni politician and Mohnyin resident, June 2020. 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. 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. This is another reason why mapping ethnicity is impractical.Hide Footnote, These aspects of the political system, although not uncommon in other ethnically diverse countries, have a toxic effect in Myanmar because they create a hierarchy of power between different ethnic groups. It is a fashionable wear for foreigners. [fn]For Crisis Group reporting on Myanmar since the 2015 elections, see Asia Reports Ns 308, Rebooting Myanmars Stalled Peace Process, 19 June 2020; 307, An Avoidable War: Politics and Armed Conflict in Myanmars Rakhine State, 9 June 2020; 305, Commerce and Conflict: Navigating Myanmars China Relationship, 30 March 2020; 303, A Sustainable Policy for Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh, 27 December 2019; 299, Fire and Ice: Conflict and Drugs in Myanmars Shan State, 8 January 2019; 296, The Long Haul Ahead for Myanmars Rohingya Refugee Crisis, 16 May 2018; 292, Myanmars Rohingya Crisis Enters a Dangerous New Phase, 7 December 2017; 290, Buddhism and State Power in Myanmar, 5 September 2017; 287, Building Critical Mass for Peace in Myanmar, 29 June 2017; 283, Myanmar: A New Muslim Insurgency in Rakhine State, 15 December 2016; and 282, Myanmars New Government: Finding Its Feet?, 29 July 2016; Asia Briefings Ns 161, Conflict, Health Cooperation and COVID-19 in Myanmar, 19 May 2020; 158, Myanmar: A Violent Push to Shake Up Ceasefire Negotiations, 24 September 2019; 157, Peace and Electoral Democracy in Myanmar, 6 August 2019; 155, Building a Better Future for Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh, 25 April 2019; 154, A New Dimension of Violence in Myanmars Rakhine State, 24 January 2019; 153, Bangladesh-Myanmar: The Danger of Forced Rohingya Repatriation, 12 November 2018; 151, Myanmars Stalled Transition, 28 August 2018; 149, Myanmars Peace Process: Getting to a Political Dialogue, 19 October 2016; and 147, The Myanmar Elections: Results and Implications, 9 December 2015; and Richard Horsey, Myanmar at the International Court of Justice, Crisis Group Commentary, 10 December 2019.Hide Footnote Following independence from the British in 1948, many of the conflicts were ideological in nature with a number of political factions taking up arms on behalf of different socialist and communist visions for the countrys future. Instead, they hold only ethnic affairs minister posts in the Kachin and Sagaing governments that represent all Shan peoples in those states and regions. The US, UK, China and fellow ASEAN members congratulated National League for Democracy leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Areas that the Shanni once dominated were depopulated, and gradually Kachin settlers moved in. Crisis Group telephone interview, Mro village administrator, June 2020. 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. As the noted anthropologist Edmund Leach observed of Burma 30 years later, ethnic categories are fluid. He thanked the Australian government, activists and Turnells friends and colleagues who had lobbied for his release and said he was looking forward to him returning home to Sydney. Kristian Stokke, Political Representation by Ethnic Parties? [fn]Crisis Group interviews, conflict researchers, June 2020; Kachin activist, July 2020. The drug menace and the Tatmadaws mission, Myawaddy in English, 24 May 2020. In particular, the Arakan Army has greatly expanded its presence in Rakhine State. 47, no. The aim should not be to erase ethnic identity and limit social and cultural expression. For a detailed assessment of militias, see John Buchanan, Militias in Myanmar, The Asia Foundation, July 2016. When you sponsor a child for $39 a month, youll help empower that boy or girl and children in their community to overcome poverty for good.Youll show Gods love and meet practical needs by helping their community get sustainable access to essentials like clean water, food, education, healthcare, and more.Youll foster hope in seemingly hopeless situations. Any individual can start as a member of one category and end up in another.[fn]E.R. The Commission is composed of the College of Commissioners from 27 EU countries. Youll find some of the cheapest deals available on It is obvious that the way Burmese people wearing traditional costumes is not euphuistic and also the same as the lifestyle of Myanmar people. National Cabinet meeting held virtually. OFAC administers a number of different sanctions programs. [fn]Crisis Group visit to Kaungkha, November 2018; Crisis Group interviews, well-placed local sources, Lashio and Kutkai, November 2018.Hide Footnote Militia leaders claim that businessmen who rented land in their area were responsible for drug production, not the militia itself although they concede that some members might have been involved in their individual capacities. Why does it matter? 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. [2] In February 2019, Myanmar pursued more Chinese-sponsored loans and programs. 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. Many are also key actors in the illicit economy. By Hein Htoo Zan 16 November 2022 . Note that the data are from 2016, so this map does not represent the current situation on the ground. 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. 3 (2019). ; Ethnicity without Meaning, op. 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). Get information on latest national and international events & more. Its a great relief to his wonderful wife Ha, his sister and father and all the family, Harcourt said. See also Ne Win, Union Day Address to the Nation, 12 February 1964, cited in Cheesman, op. 300M. Many people in Myanmar take numerology seriously, and successive government leaders have believed particular numbers to be auspicious for Ne Win and some of his successors, it was nine, something he took to extremes when he issued currency notes in denominations of 45 and 90. An essentialist conception of ethnicity is deeply embedded in Myanmars national psyche and central to its politics, conflict and society. China has not supported military rule in Myanmar and attempts to resolve the conflict peacefully without foreign interference. By AFP. These positions provided part of the rationale for the 2014 census to attempt a controversial count of ethnic populations, sparking deadly clashes (see below). All three will be deported, the junta said without specifying a date. By The Irrawaddy 8 November 2022 . Likewise, at present, the peace process gives more negotiating power to around twenty ethnic groups represented by an armed organisation, driving those without an ethnic army to build one. Crisis Group visit to Kaungkha, November 2018; Crisis Group interviews, well-placed local sources, Lashio and Kutkai, November 2018. [9] Since 1989, China has supplied Myanmar with jet fighters, armored vehicles and naval vessels and has trained Burmese army, air force and naval personnel. Chin political party warns against labelling of Khumi as ethnic Rakhine, Khonumthung News, 30 January 2020. Kyaw Htay Oo, a naturalized American, returned to Myanmar, the country of his birth, in 2017, according to media reports. Crisis Group telephone interview, SNA official, June 2020. 106. countries involved. Crisis Group interview, historian, Yangon, July 2020. One reason is that the Arakan Army has been declared an unlawful association, so they could be arrested for contacts with the group. ; Nick Cheesman, How in Myanmar National Races Came to Surpass Citizenship and Exclude Rohingya, Journal of Contemporary Asia, vol. It will require a national debate and process of reflection that has yet to begin. Claiming such a legacy may be an attempt to get around government policy that no new armed group should be admitted to the peace process (see below). Its quite flexible in size, shapes for matching with the mans body. Its going to be a great night. See, for example, Burma Army Soldiers Rape Teenager in Kachin State as Attacks Continue, Free Burma Rangers, 29 December 2018; and Burma Army Soldiers Murder Kachin Man and Continue Attacks in Northern Burma, Free Burma Rangers, 27 March 2018. FILE - Myanmar citizens living in India protest the military coup in Myanmar and demand recognition of the National Unity Government of Myanmar, in New Delhi, Feb. 22, 2022. Amnesty continues to call for the release of all those arbitrarily detained for peacefully exercising their human rights, he said. Crisis Group telephone interview, Shanni resident of Mohnyin, June 2020. Crisis Group telephone interview, SNA senior official, June 2020. 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. (Social scientists generally use the term race to refer to a set of physical attributes that are taken to be heritable, and ethnicity to refer to characteristics of shared culture and language. Kubota was the fifth foreign journalist detained in Myanmar after the military seized power. The sanctions can be either comprehensive or selective, using the blocking of assets and trade restrictions to accomplish foreign policy and national security goals. National Caroline Day. [fn]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. 9 December 2022. 28 February is Rare Disease Day . According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a rights monitoring organization, 16,232 people have been detained on political charges in Myanmar since the army ousted the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February last year. 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. [fn]Crisis Group visit to Kaungkha, November 2018. 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. Shanni now have political parties and media outlets, and are reviving use of the Shanni language, which had almost fallen out of use. 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. Contact: 1-888-742-5877 International: 1-866-782-7892 Crisis Group telephone interviews, Chin and Khumi activists, June 2020. [fn]Red Shan protest forced recruitment by KIA, The Irrawaddy, 20 December 2013; and Red Shan presumed still in KIA camps, Democratic Voice of Burma, 8 January 2014.Hide Footnote Shanni interviewees also accused KIO soldiers of confiscating food and beating civilians, and blamed the group for a wide range of other ills in Shanni communities, including widespread use of illicit drugs, environmental destruction from mining and logging, and reduced access to forest resources because of landmines. At least 170 journalists have been arrested since the coup according to UNESCO, with nearly 70 still in detention. Turnell was working as an adviser to Myanmars civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi when he was detained shortly after the coup in February 2021. 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]. 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. [fn]See fn 36 for details on the Panthay community. 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. [fn]Troops from two Light Infantry Divisions (the 88th and 99th) take alternate rotations in the area. [29][30], In 2015, Amnesty International discovered that a waste leak from the Letpadaung Copper Mine had run into nearby fields, severely contaminating it. 1 (2013).Hide Footnote. Crisis Group telephone interview, SNA official, June 2020. In 1962, General Ne Win took power in a coup and set about a radical, quasi-socialist transformation of the country and its economy. For Crisis Group reporting on Myanmar since the 2015 elections, see Asia Reports Ns 308, Rebooting Myanmars Stalled Peace Process, 19 June 2020; 307, An Avoidable War: Politics and Armed Conflict in Myanmars Rakhine State, 9 June 2020; 305, Commerce and Conflict: Navigating Myanmars China Relationship, 30 March 2020; 303, A Sustainable Policy for Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh, 27 December 2019; 299, Fire and Ice: Conflict and Drugs in Myanmars Shan State, 8 January 2019; 296, The Long Haul Ahead for Myanmars Rohingya Refugee Crisis, 16 May 2018; 292, Myanmars Rohingya Crisis Enters a Dangerous New Phase, 7 December 2017; 290, Buddhism and State Power in Myanmar, 5 September 2017; 287, Building Critical Mass for Peace in Myanmar, 29 June 2017; 283, Myanmar: A New Muslim Insurgency in Rakhine State, 15 December 2016; and 282, Myanmars New Government: Finding Its Feet?, 29 July 2016; Asia Briefings Ns 161, Conflict, Health Cooperation and COVID-19 in Myanmar, 19 May 2020; 158, Myanmar: A Violent Push to Shake Up Ceasefire Negotiations, 24 September 2019; 157, Peace and Electoral Democracy in Myanmar, 6 August 2019; 155, Building a Better Future for Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh, 25 April 2019; 154, A New Dimension of Violence in Myanmars Rakhine State, 24 January 2019; 153, Bangladesh-Myanmar: The Danger of Forced Rohingya Repatriation, 12 November 2018; 151, Myanmars Stalled Transition, 28 August 2018; 149, Myanmars Peace Process: Getting to a Political Dialogue, 19 October 2016; and 147, The Myanmar Elections: Results and Implications, 9 December 2015; and Richard Horsey, Myanmar at the International Court of Justice, Crisis Group Commentary, 10 December 2019. [4], In August 2018, various international organizations found a staggering rise in Chinese projects in Myanmar, which may cause debt traps against Myanmar, the same way it was perceived as causing a debt-trap against Sri Lanka. CNN 10 is an on-demand digital news show ideal for explanation seekers on the go or in the classroom. [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". 47, no. cit. We have a bitter experience because we didnt have an armed group, added the ethnic Mro former village administrator. Japans top government spokesperson, Hirokazu Matsuno, told reporters Kubota was due to leave Myanmar on a flight Thursday night and could be in Japan as soon as Friday. 171, no. 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. 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. The advent of electoral democracy has exacerbated the ethnic dimension of conflict. Despite their population claims, the group has not been granted a self-administered zone in Myanmars political system, much less a state. Seans heart was with the people of Myanmar to help lift them about of poverty and help Myanmar reach its economic potential. [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. 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. Access to Myanmar's ports and naval installations provide China with strategic influence in the Bay of The SNA now claims to have four armed brigades, based at Homalin, Khamti and Kale in Sagaing Region and Bhamo in Kachin State, each with 300 soldiers. In 2015, she led her National League for Democracy (NLD) to victory in Myanmar's first openly contested election in 25 years. Burmese womens traditional clothes are Thummy. Since the Tatmadaw was undoubtedly aware of the Kaungkha Militias drug production activities for some time, questions remain about why it decided to act now. 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.Hide Footnote. Jane M. Ferguson, Whos Counting? 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. worn in the Konbaung court. [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. Many other minority groups live in or near Kaungkha, including Shan, Ta-ang, Kokang and Pansay people. [fn]Crisis Group telephone interview, Kaungkha Militia leader, June 2020. Leach, The Frontiers of Burma, Comparative Studies in Society and History, vol. On 29 April 5 May, and 12 May 1950, Zhang Hanfu, China's Vice-Foreign Minister, held three negotiations with U Phy. Get the Squiz Today newsletter. Crisis Group telephone interviews, Kaungkha Militia leaders and members, June 2020. (For discussion, see Sai Wansai, Bridging Conceptual Differences Vital to End Ethnic Conflict, Transnational Institute, 4 April 2016.) The independence constitution emphasised indigenous races in its definition of citizenship but also allowed that some long-term residents from other parts of the British Empire could be citizens. First the crops wilted and then died." 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. 300M. This report, however, continues to use the former name, which is more widely recognised. The move upset the balance of power in the area, which could be destabilising in the medium term. 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. [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. This report, however, continues to use the former name, which is more widely recognised.Hide Footnote If the tiger has no fangs, the animals will not be afraid of it. Take a pledge. National Caroline Day. The Western Pacific Region is home to almost 1.9 billion people across 37 countries and areas in the Asia Pacific. There are 29 such seats. Get on it. Quick, agenda-free news that doesn't take itself too seriously. They were later jailed for a year. [24] China's government is stating Myanmar will get US$54 billion in tax revenue, shared profits, free electricity. This map is reproduced with permission of The Asia Foundation. Non-Rakhine minorities in Rakhine State have found themselves caught between two warring groups, neither of which they can rely on for protection. [9] According to Panikkar's memoir, India's ambassador to China from 1948 to 1952, Indian government's recognition of the new Government of China should be conveyed to Peking by the end of the year. cit.Hide Footnote. Squiz The Day. [fn]Ibid.Hide Footnote. The Kaungkha Militia provides a good example of this ambiguity. Watch breaking news videos, viral videos and original video clips on CNN.com. Voters who were expecting more NLD reforms saw the country being taken back to military rule. The 1931 census conflates language and race throughout its findings, sometimes viewing them as distinct, sometimes as the same thing. 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. 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. [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. cit. This dynamic causes armed groups to proliferate along ethnic lines, as happened in Shan State (see previous section), which ultimately results in greater militarisation. ; Matthew J. Walton, The Wages of Burman-ness: Ethnicity and Burman Privilege in Contemporary Myanmar, Journal of Contemporary Asia, vol. 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. Before the SNA came back to Homalin, Shanni people here lived in fear of the Tatmadaw and other ethnic armed groups. Tonight, or any night. Migration, conquest, trade and proselytisation have added religious complexity. World Health Organization South-East Asia is working with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, A farmer interviewed by Amnesty International describing the effects said "Every crop perished. 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. 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. The alternative possibility is that the operation against Kaungkha heralds the start of a new approach whereby the Tatmadaw no longer tolerates flagrant and large-scale criminal activities. If I kept staying there, they would have killed me one day Im sure of it. By siding with the Tatmadaw, the Shanni also have less to fear from government forces. 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