Ethnicity, Fragmented Democracy and Development in Myanmar

Myanmar¿s population is known to be incredibly diverse, with hundreds of ethnic nationalities with distinct religions, languages and histories residing in the country. Ethnicity and religion are central identity markers in Myanmar. However, these identity markers have been politicized throughout Myanmar¿s contemporary history, particularly during the British colonial period, the early independence period, and the decades under military rule. In regard to the role of the crisis in Rakhine state, social divisions between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Muslim Rohingyas have been present in the area for decades, exacerbated by hate speech and anti-Rohingya rhetoric by hardliners that have influential members of the Buddhist monkhood. In 2016 and 2017, attacks on police outposts by the newly formed Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army prompted large scale crackdowns by the Tatmadaw on Rohingya communities in northern Rakhine state. The disproportionate nature of the crackdowns led to the exodus of over 700 000 refugees that fled to neighbouring Bangladesh, creating a massive human rights and humanitarian crisis.