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Democratization and Ethnic Conflicts Interlinked? the Case of Burma Alena Fričová

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Democratization and Ethnic Conflicts Interlinked? the Case of Burma Alena Fričová Democratization and Ethnic Conflicts interlinked? The Case of Burma Alena Fričová Introduction liberalization is threatened. The previous Burma1 is one of the most diverse states in assumption that the move towards the world. With ethnic minorities democracy would be the solution to all of constituting more than one third of the the country’s problems has to be reassessed population, it became very vulnerable to as it seems like the two processes, violent clashes between different ethnic democratization and the spread of internal groups. Before gaining its independence in violence, are interlinked. 1948, ethnic confrontations were often used by the British colonial forces to divide, The aim of this policy paper is to analyse weaken and rule the country. Since then, the relationship between the two ongoing Burma has been almost constantly processes in Burma: the liberalization of destabilized by conflicts between the Burmese society and rising tensions Burmese majority and the country’s ethnic between various ethnic groups leading to minorities. After a military junta violent clashes and destabilization of the consolidated its power and established a country. I claim that there are three ways in dictatorship, the situation stabilized and which ongoing reforms can lead to many ceasefires were set. Most of these destabilization of the country. Firstly, agreements were reached in exchange for relatively fast liberalization of the Burmese promises of greater independence. society is not accompanied by the same However, few of those promises were kept progress in democratization of political in a long run. As a result, with a new institutions. Secondly, liberalization has direction towards democratization, old unleashed a deeply rooted hatred and grievances came to the surface and mistrust that has existed between different unsatisfied ethnic groups gained new tools ethnic groups for almost a century. Thirdly, to fight for their rights. the military junta has an interest in obstructing the democratization process The developments of the last few years have with the use of ethnic conflict, and therefore set new challenges for the leaders of the might be actively involved in it. country. As ethnic turmoil spreads throughout Burma, the process of 1 The official name of the country is Republic of the others, including the UN, use the name “Myanmar”. Union of Myanmar, however, many countries, While the EU adopted a compromise, including the US and the UK decided not to accept “Burma/Myanmar”, in this position paper I chose to the name “Myanmar”, which was given to the use name “Burma”. This decision was made for the country by the autocratic military regime and sake of consistency, not as an expression of my continue using the name “Burma” instead. Many political position. 1 IAS Policy Paper 2015 In the first section, the policy paper will (see G1), relaxed the censorship, legalized describe the progress made in the area of demonstrations, and put lots of effort into democratization in the last decade. The the peace-making process with ethnic second part will deal with recent minority insurgents. Prior to this, Daw developments in the relationships between Aung San Suu Kyi, the NLD party’s long- different ethnic groups. The last chapter time leader, was released from her house will try to find possible links between these arrest, commencing a dialogue with the two phenomena in order to address them government and rebuilding her political and reach peaceful democratic reforms. party. In a 2012 by-election, the NLD and other opposition parties were finally Democratization progress allowed to contest the military in parliament The first small step towards and the issue of human rights was discussed democratization was initiated in 2003 when in the legislative body for the first time the State Peace and Development Council since independence. Thein Sein does (SPDC) launched its ‘roadmap to a everything he can to open up the Burmese democracy’. The aim was to slowly nation, lure foreign investment and gain introduce a ‘genuine and disciplined’ international recognition of the regime. democratic system with a new constitution and free and fair elections.2 However, the As we can see, in the case of Burma, new constitution introduced in 2008 was a democratization has been a state-controlled result of a highly fraudulent and and top-down process initiated by the undemocratic referendum, and it therefore military and, only later, by the president. failed to create a basis for fair democratic Although significant progress was made representation in the country. Subsequent towards democracy, the political system elections that took place in 2010 were also remains deeply flawed, mainly because the not considered fair as many opposition government is not willing to give up its parties, most notably the New League for power so quickly. For example, the junta Democracy (NLD) and representatives of included in the 2008 Constitution clauses the country’s ethnic minorities, were not that secure its power. Clause 109 states that allowed or decided not to take part. from the 440 seats in the Burmese House of Representatives, 25% will be held by A surprising breakthrough happened when “Defence Services personnel nominated by new president Thein Sein took over in 2011. the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence He freed thousands of political prisoners Services”.3 Proposed policies require 75% 2 Khin Maung Win, H-E. U. (2014). Myanmar http://burmatoday.net/burmatoday2003/2004/02/04 Roadmap to Democracy: The Way Forward. 0218_khinmgwin.htm. In: Burma Today News: Myanmar Institute of 3 Burmese Constitution, 2008 Strategic and International Studies. http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs5/Myanmar_Con stitution-2008-en.pdf. 2 IAS Policy Paper 2015 of parliament’s votes to become law, meaning that the military retains effective G1: Number of arrested/released political veto powers. Furthermore, the constitution prisoners provides for a legal “coup d ’état”: clause 413 affirms that if the nation is in a state of emergency, “the President shall declare the 100 0 transferring of legislative, executive and -100 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 judicial powers of the Union to the -200 Commander-in-Chief of the Defence -300 -400 4 Services”. Moreover, according to the -500 Assistance Association for Political -600 5 -700 Prisoners, 177 political prisoners still -800 6 remain behind bars, foreign investment is -900 Number of arrested… mainly in the hands of the wealthy elite with strong ties to the military, and rural areas Source: AAPP still remain largely untouched by the liberalization process. Development of ethnic tension Burma’s population of 51.4 million 9 is According to the Freedom House, Burma comprised of 135 ethnicities spread across underwent the strongest period of 7 states and 7 further sub-state divisions. In democratization between 2011 and 2013. the last 25 years, most of the ethnic groups The country’s score for political rights have signed ceasefire agreements with the dropped from 7 to 6, while the score for junta, but over a dozen groups still exist that 7 civil liberties dropped from 7 to 5. The continue to resist. These groups speak their country is still considered to be “not free”, own languages, have own cultural practices but there is an undeniable move in a new, and actively fight for self-determination. more democratic direction.8 4 Ibid. 7 Freedom House evaluates countries in the range 5 Anyone who is arrested, detained, or imprisoned from 1 to 7, while 1 signifies the best level of for political reasons under political charges or democracy and 7 signifies the worst. wrongfully under criminal and civil charges because 8 Freedom House. 2015. Freedom in the World of his or her perceived or known active role, Report. perceived or known supporting role, or in association https://freedomhouse.org/country/myanmar#.VQqw with activities promoting freedom, justice, equality, gY6G-AU human rights, and civil and political rights, including 9 Myanmar Population and Housing Census, ethnic rights, is defined as a political prisoner. Provisional Results, 2014, Census Report Volume (AAPP definition). 1, Department of Population Ministry of 6 Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. Immigration and Population. Current Political Prisoner List in Burma 2015 http://aappb.org/2015/02/currently-political- prisoners-list-and-in-burma/. 3 IAS Policy Paper 2015 natural resources, and a renewed offensive Since 1995, the number of casualties in by the Burmese army in the winter of 2012 battles between different ethnic groups and cast doubts on possibility of early peace. between them and the junta has rapidly The peace-making process has so far led decreased (see G2). The reasons are the fall only to an increase in violence. of the Communist Party of Burma, the army’s strict and repressive policies and the The second imminent internal threat arises launch of countless new ceasefire from the Rakhine state, where Rohingya agreements. Fewer causalities and greater Muslims are in a continuous struggle with internal security has led to a general Rakhine Buddhists. The region’s Buddhists improvement of living conditions of demand the expulsion of the Rohingya, who citizens from ethnic minorities.10 are considered to be illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. Bangladesh, however, does not In 2011, however, with the beginning of the consider them Bangladeshi citizens either. democratic transition and liberalization, The Rohingya lost their citizenship in 1982 Burma saw a revival of ethnically motivated and more recently laws have been passed to violence in several states. These have most cut their rights even more. President Thein notably occurred in the states of Kachin and Sein has responded to the anti-Muslim Rakhine, but there have been violent atmosphere by introducing four new laws clashes reported in Shan and Kayin states called the Protection of Race and Religion too. Bills. If passed by parliament, the new laws will interfere with interfaith marriages, The resurgence of the Kachin conflict in religious conversions and birth rates.
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