The IndonesianIKAT: The Indonesian Journal Journal of Southeast of Southeast Asian Asian SocialStudies Studies Vol. 3(1), 2019 Volume 03, Number 1, July 2019, pp.25-43 ISSN 2582-6580, E-ISSN 2597-9817 Secularism and Religiousg Na onalism: A Historical Studyy of Ethnic Con fl ict in Myanmar Ram Hlei Thang1 Chinb rid ge I ns tttute, M yanmar Abstract Myanmar, also known as Burma, has been plagued by ethnic confl ict and civil war for decades since its independence in 1948. Applying historical method, this study examines the rela onship between the issue of secularism and ethnic confl ict in the country by focusing on the rise of religious na onalisms. This study fi nds that the rise of Buddhist na onalism amonggjy, Burmese majority, as well as the rise of Chris an na onalism among minority ethnics-have challenged peaceful coexistence anda d vision s o of a secular secu a state as aspirated asp ated by b Burmese founding fathers. This study argues that this failure to adopt the principles of secularism was the root cause of ethnic confl ict that has raged the country for over six decades. decades Keywords:KdSecularismSliFdliEhi, Federalism , Ethnic Con fl ict, Religious Na onalism, Peaceful Coexistence Introduc on in RakhineRaKhine State that lead to rampant Since 2011 Myanmar has seen human rights viola ons and the fl eeing ademocratictransitionfromana democratic transition from an of hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas authoritarian rule with the restora on of a to Bangladesh and neighboring countries quasi-civilian government led by President (Velath & Chopra, 2018, p. 75). The Thein Sein. However, ethnic con fl ict s ll conflict has been further intensified continues and religious discrimination and complicated by the imprisonment remains prevalent across the country. The of a prominent RaKhine nationalist peace process, popularly known as ‘21th leader, U Aye Maung, and the clash Century Panglong Conference, ’ which was between the Arakan Army (an Arakan ini ated in 2011, has also come to a halt ethnic armed organiza on who demand on account of the non -secession issue and for autonomy) and the Tatmadaw (the the reloca on of ethnic armed groups in government’s armed forces). During the confl ict zone . this me, scholars, poli cians and the Myanmar has drawn interna onal interna onal community were le to attention due to the violent conflict question why and how Myanmar , a 1Corresponding e-mail: ramhthang@gmail .com 25 Ram Hlei Thang predominantly Buddhist country, fell confl ict resolu on in Myanmar, which bacK into violent confl ict. has been sidestepped by contemporary Recent studies on Myanmar scholars. This paper iden fi es the root (Anderson, 2014; Biver, 2014; Walton cause of ethnic confl ict in Myanmar by & Heyward, 2014; Schissler et al., 2015 exploring the relations between the to name a few) focus on analyzing the issue of secularism and ethnic confl ict problem based on the recent confl ict in Myanmar. To answer this puzzle, and only cursorily question the root this study employs a historical analysis cause of such conflict. Furthermore, method to analyze historical accounts popular perception towards ethnic of textual documents. conflict resolution is dominated by the notion of democratization and Literature Review federalism ( SaKhong, 2014; Dapice & The word secularism has found Vallely, 2013; Sen, 2002; Yawnghwe, diff erent meanings in diff erent periods 2002). As an insider researcher, the of me and in diff erent places. Whereas author strongly believes that religious in countries such as the Netherlands, ma ers are the prime Key factor sparKing secularism means neutrality towards ethnic confl ict in Myanmar around the religious groups (Beaufort & Schie, 2012), 1950s and 1960s and argues that ethnic in countries liKe TurKey it taKes the confl ict in Myanmar should be studied form of the seculariza on of public life within the frameworK of secularism. (Daver, 1988). Yet, this study holds the The author would also liKe to shed French Laicite and American Church-State light on the importance of secularism Separa on as more defi ning examples in state-building in a multi-cultural, of secularism. Barbier (2005) sought to mul -ethnic and mul -religious society provide the actual meaning of French like Myanmar. Laicite by being critical to attempts to The puzzle remains of why despite defi ne secularism in terms of tolerance, being envisioned as a secular state, pluralism and that of democracy. Myanmar has instead been afflicted To him, such attempts often lead to by religious tensions and ethnic misinterpreta on and the transforma on confl ict. This paper a empts to explore of its meaning or even to surrep ously secularism in their approach to ethnic discarding it. Liogier (2009), Calhoun 26 IKAT: The Indonesian Journal of Southeast Asian Social Studies Vol. 3(1), 2019 (2010), Nirenberg (2012) also postulate The development of seculariza on Laicite as having a nega ve connota on project in Europe and America was (exclusion of religion from state or religious also done by Shoji Ippei (2007). To instruc on in public schools) introduced him, secularism does not entail the to confront the clerical infl uence in state seculariza on of human life, but rather aff airs. a political principle that tacKles the Secularism, on the other hand, encroachments of religion in the state’s finds different form in America. spheres and vice versa. Secularism does McClay (2007) argues that the U.S. not mean seculariza on of human life Cons tu on and the First Amendment or belief, nor does it mean denying the to the Cons tu on were not intended importance of religious teachings for to create a purely secular government, morality. The idea is that the Church neutral or indifferent to religion as should not exploit the state for its own opposed to irreligion. Greenawalt good, liKewise, the state should not (2009) also agrees with McClay’s exploit the church for its own poli cal argument. The U.S cons tu on does means. In Myanmar, secularism found not only protect the Church from state a diff erent meaning from the French manipula on and infl uence, but it also Laicite and the American secularism protects the state from the infl uence outlined here. of the Church. At the same me, the Notwithstanding, secularism in Constitution guarantees freedom of Myanmar as envisioned by its founding religion and freedom of conscience. fathers was not a stance against religion. Secularism, thus is not a philosophy of It was neutrality of the state regarding life but rather is a poli cal mechanism religious ma ers. The Aung San’ Dra which tries to se le the encroachment of the 1947 Cons tu on provisioned of religion into the spheres of state and that “the state shall Keep neutrality vice versa. Secularism as a philosophy in religious ma er” (cited in SaKhong, emphasises the importance of science 2005, p. 44). Regre ably, contemporary in the quest of truth, and places “service scholars rarely ques oned secularism to humanity” as the highest virtue and and the worKing of secularism in the greatest duty of human beings Myanmar. While Donald E. Smith (1965) (Holyoake, 2011). described how religion encroached in to 27 Ram Hlei Thang state aff airs in the 1950s and 1960s, he point for the masses. On the other asserted that Myanmar was a secular hand, Sakhong (2005), Kham (2016), and state in 1948 (Smith, 1965, p. 230). Mang (2016) provide how Chris anity However, he did not defi ne secularism cons tuted the founda on for na onal nor did he looK into how secular the iden ty. The other group of studies on country was. religion and poli cs in Myanmar focus Most scholars in their study of on the role by which regions played in religion and politics in Myanmar oppression and discrimina on of other emphasized the intertwinement of religious minority groups (Anderson, religion and nationalism, but rarely 2014; Biver, 2014; Schissler et al., analyzed this matter from the 2015). frameworK of secularism. Scholars While the above-listed works give such as Aung-Thawin (2009) explain account of church-state rela ons and the intertwinement of Buddhism in the role religion played in the socio- Burmese nationalism and argue that political life of the Burmese people, there is a direct rela onship between these works rarely ques on the issue purity of the Sangha (the Buddhist of secularism and its rela on to ethnic monas c order) and the strength of the confl ict. Therefore, this study will looK at state. However, he is in support of the the church-state rela ons from the lens military coup and the state interven on of secularism. The following sec on will in religious matter especially that of focus on presen ng literatures on the regula on of the Sangha. rela ons between religion and poli cs. Scholars also emphasized the role of religion in the social construction Secularism in the Formation of the of Burmese iden ty and development Union of Myanmar of the society. Schober (2006), Some scholars on Burma have Walton (2012), Aljunied (2010), Keyes confused readers to consider Union (2016), and James (2009) provide of Burma as a na on taken back from how Buddhism plays as the source of the British. These scholars treat the political philosophy and remains the history of the Union of Burma as if all socio-poli cal vanguard of the people the people of The Union of Burma were and serves as both unifying and rallying once under the successive Burman 28 IKAT: The Indonesian Journal of Southeast Asian Social Studies Vol. 3(1), 2019 kingdoms invaded by the Bri sh and When leaders of ethnic na onali es sca ered through their divide-and-rule talK about autonomy, it includes the policy (see Aung-Thwin & Aung-Thwin, freedom to prac ce one’s religion.