Myanmar has suffered decades of repressive military rule, poverty due to years of isolationist economic policies, and civil wars with ethnic minority groups. The military presence has been a constant in the country’s history, from the takeover of General U Ne Win in 1962, till the dissolution of the military junta in 2011. The transitional period to democratization of the country, started with a general election in 2010, lasted only few years, during which religious contrasts were still very high: in 2017 hundreds of Muslim Rohingya villages were burned and destroyed, causing 7000 deaths and around 660,000 refugees to the nearby countries (BBC, 2020). The internal situation further collapsed in February 2021, when the Myanmar military overthrew the government and took over power. The humanitarian and political crisis has been constantly observed by human rights defenders and international political parties, nevertheless no action at the global level has been taken to intervene and protect civilians.
The origin of the internal conflict in Rakhine State between the Rohingya Muslim and Rakhine Buddhist has its roots in the British colonial period and World War II, during which the firsts were allied with the British, who promised them a Muslim state in return, and fought against local Rakhine Buddhists, allied with the Japanese. But from 1982 the Burmese government, a predominantly Buddhist legislation, denied them their citizenship, declaring the Rohingya community as illegal immigrants.
Since then, the Muslim community has been the target of both the government and nationalist Buddhists, considered by the UN as one of the world’s most persecuted ethnic groups. The humanitarian disaster the country is facing has led to the flee of Myanmar citizens into nearby countries: in particular, Bangladesh is currently hosting a million Rohingya in around 30 refugees.
Meanwhile on the international level, China has threatened to veto any resolution authorizing international action of the Security Council, and similarly has Russia done. Indeed, while publicly calling for peace, China continues economic and military engagements with the junta due to strategic interests: not only Myanmar’s natural reserve of gas is of significant importance for China, but more precisely Beijing is safeguarding its investments under the Belt and Road Initiative. Russia also has close connection with the military junta and major economic interests in making sure it remains in power: a CNN report (2023) affirmed that Myanmar’s ruling group has imported at least $1 billion in weapons and military-related equipment, half of which from Russia, the rest from China and Singapore. It is therefore clear the lack of intentions of ending the authoritarian rule and restore peace in the country, considering that both China and Russia are economically invested in it.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has also clearly failed in countering the Myanmar crisis, showing a weak and divided response, demonstrating their inability of directing diplomatic an peacekeeping forces, and their unwillingness to actually address the numerous human rights violations within Myanmar’s borders. After the coup d’etat, ASEAN took the symbolic action to ban Myanmar from their meetings, and proposed a “five-point consensus” to try to reach peace. However, the lack of enforcement mechanisms, makes ASEAN’s actions largely ineffective, not to consider the economic interests of some state’s members, like Singapore and Thailand, that therefore prefer to maintain the situation as it is.
Similarly, western economic sanctions also result in being ineffective: Australia, Canada, the UK, the EU and the US all imposed targeted impositions on senior military officials in response, placing also new restrictions on arms exports, technology and travels. But these have had limited impact due to continued trade with China and Russia. Also, Myanmar has managed to continue illegal trade also with some EU-based companies, which despite the ban they continued indirect business with the junta. Finally, despites these bans, the US and UK governments still continue to buy Myanmar’s natural gas, making the junta profiting from the sales and remaining largely untouched.
The peace process is therefore obstructed by the international community as a whole, that is failing in condemning Myanmar military violence and the crimes against humanity, merely for economic or geopolitical interests. Despite the culmination of large-scale human rights violations, mass killing, sexual violence, burning of full villages, and subsequently displacement of over 700,000 Rohingyas, China and Russia still sell arms and military equipment to the authoritarian military rule. ASEAN is unable to take decisive and targeted actions. Western countries also are showing a weak reaction, mostly interested in the natural resources of the country. While the military junta seems getting stronger and solid, while maintaining relations with major superpowers.
Resources:
- CNN (2020) Myanmar Rohingya: What you need to know about the crisis, published by CNN, available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-41566561
- Chen H. (2023) UN expert says Myanmar imported $1 billion in arms since coup, much of it from Russia and China, published by CNN, available at: https://edition.cnn.com/2023/05/18/world/un-myanmar-report-military-junta-deadly-arms-sales-russia-china-intl-hnk/index.html
By The European Institute for International Relations
