Human Security, Conflict, and Peace-Building Challenges in Burma

Human Security, Conflict, and Peace-Building Challenges in Burma

Conflicts in Burma – Burma, or Myanmar, as it has been named by the military regime has been under the grip of internal conflicts since several decades. The democratically elected government was overthrown by the military regime in 1962. The military government is known as the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). However, democratic elections were held in Burma in 1990 in which the National League for Democracy (NLD) under the leadership of Aung San Suu Kyi emerged victorious. But, the military government never allowed NLD to come into power and jailed, murdered, and tortured its leaders[1]. There have been many insurgencies by various democratic groups against the government, which has used force to suppress these. Other major reasons for the ongoing conflicts in Burma include communist uprisings, ethnic conflicts, demands for separate states by particular ethnic groups, and economic turmoil.

To suppress the insurgents, the military government has inflicted gross human right violations on the protestors, which have included forced labor, summary executions, and mass displacement. These ongoing conflicts have caused thousands of deaths. Many Burmese people have fled from their states and relocated to other parts of the country.

The internal displacement in Burma has assumed critical proportions and is particularly grave along the border with Thailand. According to a survey published by the Thailand Burma Border Consortium, the number of internally displaced people in Burma was 526,000 in the east of the country as of October 2004. Of these, 365,000 people live in settlements and 84,000 people are hiding in forests or mountains, and 77,000 are in

relocation sites. Other estimates claim that nearly one million people are displaced from their homes in the entire country. People from nearly 2,500 villages have been forced to abandon their villages and flee to other parts of the country. The most prominent agent for forced evictions is the Burmese army followed by other militant groups. Villagers are ordered to leave their homes within a week; otherwise the army resorts to looting, arson, and violence to evict the villagers from their homes. The people are forced to live in ill-equipped or unequipped relocation camps with extremely poor or nonexistent facilities. People from urban areas like Rangoon have also been displaced to satellite towns to make way for development works[2].

            Religious groups are also targeted by various militant outfits. The Muslim community is increasingly becoming the victim of several attacks. Many people of the Rohingya group have been forced to flee from western Burma and Arakan state due to atrocities committed on them. They have sought asylum in neighboring Bangladesh where the asylum conditions are very strict. Due to the militant activities of the Karen National Union and Shan State Army, thousands of people belonging to Karen, Karenni, and Shan states have been forced to flee from their homes in 2004. In 2005, during an offensive by the Burmese army against the Shan State Army, entire villages were burned down, people were executed, and forced to relocate to other places2.

Many people have fled Burma and sought refuge in neighboring countries such as Thailand. Nearly 160,000 refugees live in Thailand and other neighboring countries[3]. Over 20,000 Shan refugees live unofficially in Thailand as they have not been given refugee status by the Thai government. An estimated 800,000 to 1.5 million illegal immigrants are living in Thailand, which has forcibly repatriated many immigrants several times.

For people living in jungles, the conditions are even worse. They have no access to food and water and are unable to even light a fire to cook food to avoid attracting the attention of the preying Burmese army. They are dependent on gathering food to survive and fall prey to diseases like malaria and anemia very often.

Prospects for peace in Burma – There is a long way to go before peace can be achieved in Burma. After the crackdown on the protestors by the military in September 2007, the military regime has tightened its stranglehold over the country. It has unleashed a massive crackdown to suppress the voice of the dissidents and has imprisoned many of the dissidents. An atmosphere of despair prevails amongst the pro-democracy supporters who feel the international community is not taking enough interest in Burmese affairs. However, many international friends of Burma have been providing quiet support to Burma. The European Special Envoy to Burma feels that democratic efforts in Burma should be at the top of the international community’s agenda. He feels that support of all Asian countries should be enlisted to facilitate a dialog between Burma’s military junta and the pro-democracy groups[4]. The European Union and USA have also urged the government to open a dialog with the democratic leaders. However, Aung San Suu Kyi continues to be held in “solitary confinement” with no access to any communication. The present military rulers, Soe Win and Than Shwe, have shown no inclination to renew a dialog with the democracy supporters.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Aung Zaw. Peace Still out of Reach in Burma. 30 January 2008, retrieved 16 May 2008, http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=2b663d8f66be3ec263c8be9109a3741b

Burmese Refugees in Thailand at Risk. 2000, retrieved 15 May 2008, http://www.hrw.org/press/2000/05/thaiback0506.htm

Jared Genser, Esq. Threat to the Peace: A Call for the UN Security Council to Act in Burma. ALTSEAN Burma. 20 September 2005, retrieved 15 May 2007, www.unscburma.org/Report.htm

Norwegian Refugee Council. Burma: displacement continues unabated in one of the world’s worst IDP situations. 27 June 2005.

Questions
Ques 1: How have the constant conflicts in Burma affected the common people?

Answer: The military government has inflicted gross human right violations on the pro-democracy protestors, which have included forced labor, summary executions, and mass displacement. The ongoing conflicts have caused thousands of deaths. Many Burmese people have fled from their states and relocated to other parts of the country. The internal displacement in Burma has assumed critical proportions and is particularly grave along the border with Thailand.

Ques 2: How many Burmese people have sought refuge in Thailand?

Answer: Nearly 160,000 refugees have taken refuge in Thailand. Over 20,000 Shan refugees live unofficially in Thailand as they have not been given refugee status by the Thai government. An estimated 800,000 to 1.5 million illegal immigrants are living in Thailand, which has forcibly repatriated many immigrants several times.

[1] Jared Genser, Esq. Threat to the Peace: A Call for the UN Security Council to Act in Burma. ALTSEAN Burma. 20 September 2005, retrieved 15 May 2007, www.unscburma.org/Report.htm

[2] Norwegian Refugee Council. Burma: displacement continues unabated in one of the world’s worst

IDP situations. 27 June 2005.
[3] Burmese Refugees in Thailand at Risk. 2000, retrieved 15 May 2008, http://www.hrw.org/press/2000/05/thaiback0506.htm
[4] Aung Zaw. Peace Still out of Reach in Burma. 30 January 2008, retrieved 16 May 2008, http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=2b663d8f66be3ec263c8be9109a3741b