Myanmar is a multi-ethnic country. Different ethnic groups have differences in history, culture, religion, language and other aspects. These differences often lead to ethnic conflict. The ethnic policy of the Myanmar government is one of the reasons for the civil war.
Myanmar has approximately 677,000 square kilometers of land and a population of 54.58 million (approx.). It has a total of 135 ethnic groups and more than 100 languages. It is a federal country, but it practices Burmese nationalism. Northern Myanmar is mainly inhabited by ethnic minorities such as Kachin, Karen and Rakhine. These ethnic groups have been separated for a long time in history and have developed their own unique cultures and traditions.
The state cannot treat all ethnic groups equally, and state power is in the hands of the military government which is one of the causes of numerous conflicts between the national military government and local ethnic armed forces. There are as many as a dozen armed powerful groups in Myanmar. While the Myanmar government actually controls 7 provinces and 2 cities in the country, it cannot control the remaining 7 states where there are ethnic minorities because the Myanmar government does not give equal rights to ethnics. At the same time, there is a lack of adequate manpower to send troops to suppress them. And this is what has led Myanmar to its current state of fragmentation.
During British colonial rule, Myanmar's various ethnic groups were divided into different administrative regions, each with its own political, economic and cultural characteristics. This division leads to alienation and mistrust between ethnic groups. After independence, the Myanmar government tried to address these issues by enacting some ethnic policies, but these policies were often not well implemented and instead intensified ethnic conflicts.
One of the most famous racial policies is the policy of 'Greater Burmese'. The main idea behind this policy is to gradually integrate Myanmar's various ethnic groups into the larger cultural circle of Burma, thereby achieving the country's unity and stability. This policy was enforced through repression and discrimination against other ethnic groups in ways such as forced assimilation and cultural genocide. This policy aroused resentment and resistance from other ethnic groups, leading to civil war.
In addition, the Myanmar government has implemented some other ethnic policies, such as 'federalism' and 'multi-party system'. The main objective of these policies is to allow each ethnic group their own political rights and cultural freedom. However, the central government lacks enough sincerity to implement these policies in practice. Because the differences between different ethnic groups are huge. This makes it difficult to achieve true equality and freedom. Therefore, these policies intensified ethnic conflicts and confusion.
Among Myanmar's ethnic policies, the biggest problem is the government's forced assimilation policy for the Karen people. The government's policy of forced assimilation towards the Karen people manifests itself in many ways:
First, the government banned the Karen people from using their own language and script and tried to assimilate them into Burma.
Second, the government imposed restrictions on the Karen especially on the religious beliefs of the people. At the same time, the government also imposed restrictions on the cultural heritage of the Karen people. Banning them from inheriting their traditional culture and trying to assimilate them into Burmese culture.
However, the Karen are one of Myanmar's largest ethnic minorities. whose population is more than 1 million. Government restrictions on the language, religion and culture of the Karen people have forced the Karen people to behave unjustly. This has led to resentment and resistance among the Karen people.
Apart from the Karen, Myanmar's Shan, Kachin, Arakan, Rohingya and other ethnic minorities also face similar problems. They are trying many protests and armed resistance in an attempt to protect their rights and dignity.
The ethnic issue in Myanmar is not only a political issue, it is also a cultural and social issue. The government should respect the culture and traditions of every ethnic group and give them equal rights and opportunities. Only then can peace and stability be achieved in Myanmar.