Ethno religious Factors in the Myanmar Rohingya Crisis

Myanmar has a large ethnic diversity, over 130 recognized official ethnic groups, within which correlates with religion. Religion is a central conception of personal identity in Myanmar (Holiday, 111-128). The religious identity of an individual is basically related to one’s ethnic origins and has created major rifts in the many ethnic groups in the country. The ethno religious conception of identity has led to religious and ethnic tensions and a rise in communal conflicts. The communal violence is mostly directed to the minority groups such as the Rohingya who practice different religions other than the main Buddhism religion. The Rohingyas, as described by the United Nations, are a religious and ethnic minority group found in Western Myanmar, mostly in the Rakhine State.

They are a distinct ethnic group that has its own language, mostly a Bengali dialect and culture (Lee, 321-333). The Rohingya make up the majority of Muslims in Myanmar. It is debatable as to whether the Rohingya are natives in Rakhine or they are settlers who came in during the British colonial rule from Bangladesh. Myanmar’s ethnic groups and the correlation of ethnicity and religion have created an environment of communal mistrust. Several other attacks followed against the Muslims minorities in Myanmar. This led to a creation of religious tension beyond the borders causing Muslims majorities in neighboring countries such as Malaysia and Singapore to carry out attacks on Buddhists in their countries. Numerous bomb attacks on Myanmar’s embassies in neighboring Muslim majority countries have been foiled.

Such incidents create religious distrust and tensions that could destabilize the South Asian region (Kipgen, 298-310). The fears arising from the incidents are resulting in the violence experienced in Myanmar against the Rohingya Muslims. The “de facto” leader Aung San Suu Kyi has much greatly refused to recognize the group as ‘Rohingya’ (Lee, 321-333). The labeling of the group as ‘Muslim community in Rakhine’ and the Myanmar administration referring them as Bengalis has implied them as foreigners (Lee, 321-333) only helps escalate the ethno-religious tension. The government of Myanmar views religious freedom of some groups as a threat to national unity and freedom. It has placed many restrictions to select religious groups and closely monitors the activities of such groups. The administration has openly promoted Buddhism over other religions (Smith), mostly on the ethnic minorities.

The religious conflicts seem to be mostly escalating as there is an increase in the formation of Buddhist nationalists groups (Lee, 321-333). These groups are influencing the government’s decisions on matters of religious laws and political rights. Most countries in the region have refused to offer asylum to the Rohingya with many opting to remain in Myanmar and face their oppressors. The religious violence against the Rohingya Muslims and Christians is as a result of the successive Buddhist majority government. The destruction of minority religious groups’ places of worship by the military and expansion of the Buddhist infrastructure will keep on fueling the tensions in the region. There should be set laws to deal with those promoting religious and ethnic hatred.