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ISSN 1010-9536 POTENTIAL OF NEW BUSINESS CORRIDORS 227 State, Nationality and Political Elites: The Politics of Nationalism in Myanmar Abu Salah Md. Yousuf D. Purushothaman 249 Changing Nature and the Role of Actors in Confronting Terrorism Md. Jahan Shoieb Lam-ya Mostaque 269 Maritime Security Challenges for Bangladesh: Response Options Moutusi Islam 291 Sub-regional Cooperation in South Asia: Issues, Challenges and Policy Implications Saddam Hosen 311 The United States, Iran and the New Conundrum in the Middle East A.K.M. Anisur Rahman Volume 40 Number 3 2019 I BIISS JOURNAL, VOL. 40, NO. 3, JULY 2019 Contacts Designation Telephone (Office) E-mail Chairman 88-02-9347914 [email protected] Director General 88-02-8312609 [email protected] Research Director-1 88-02-9331977 [email protected] Research Director-2 88-02-9347984 [email protected] VOLUME 40 NUMBER 3 JULY 2019 Disclaimer This is a double-blind peer reviewed journal. 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Purushothaman State, Nationality and Political Elites: The Politics of Nationalism in Myanmar 227 Md. Jahan Shoieb Lam-ya Mostaque Changing Nature and the Role of Actors in Confronting Terrorism 249 Moutusi Islam Maritime Security Challenges for Bangladesh: Response Options 269 Saddam Hosen Sub-regional Cooperation in South Asia: Issues, Challenges and Policy Implications 291 A.K.M. Anisur Rahman The United States, Iran and the New Conundrum in the Middle East 311 CONTENTS VOLUME 40 NUMBER 3 JULY 2019 Abu Salah Md. Yousuf D. Purushothaman State, Nationality and Political Elites: The Politics of Nationalism in Myanmar 227 Md. Jahan Shoieb Lam-ya Mostaque Changing Nature and the Role of Actors in Confronting Terrorism 249 Moutusi Islam Maritime Security Challenges for Bangladesh: Response Options 269 Saddam Hosen Sub-regional Cooperation in South Asia: Issues, Challenges and Policy Implications 291 A.K.M. Anisur Rahman The United States, Iran and the New Conundrum in the Middle East 311 BIISS JOURNAL, VOL. 40, NO. 3, JULY 2019: 227-248 Abu Salah Md. Yousuf D. Purushothaman STATE, NATIONALITY AND POLITICAL ELITES: THE POLITICS OF NATIONALISM IN MYANMAR Abstract The unresolved tension between the state and nationality prevented resolution of nationalism debate in Myanmar since its independence and it embroiled the country into a long-term conflict between the dominant Bamar people and ethnic minorities. Theoretically, the state identity is based on a geographical boundary whereas national identity is a conscience of commonness on certain issues among the inhabitants of a state. Historically, in the post-colonial countries, political elites play a pivotal role to resolve the tension between these two identities for the formation of nationalism. In the context of Myanmar, as a multi-ethnic country, it was a challenge for political elites to accommodate all ethnic communities in same national identity, because the ‘divide and rule’ policy of the British colonials instigated tension between different races. However, under the leadership of General Aung San, almost all the ethnic communities signed the Panglong Agreement in 1947, where the right of ethnic minorities was recognised. But, following the assassination of Aung San, the initiative to accommodate minorities was reversed and the military takeover of 1962 led the country towards a long-term ethnic conflict. In this backdrop, present paper argues that instead of resolving tension between the state and nationality, the power elites of Myanmar have instigated tension between the two for securing dominant position in the country in different phases of the political history of independent Myanmar. The policies of power elites affected the formation of nationalism of Myanmar and still remains a challenge for the integration of the country. Keywords: Myanmar, The State, Nationality, Power Elites, Nationalism 1. Introduction The tension between the state and nationality is intrinsically connected with the formation of nationalism of a country. The state is a sovereign identity within a geographical territory and nationality is membership of an individual in a state. The nationality is developed based on a feeling of commonness among the people Abu Salah Md. Yousuf is Senior Research Fellow