Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Pro-democracy groups point out that the much-hailed 'right to protest' law intro-
duced in 2012 is actually being used to arrest political activists as it only grants the
right to protest under strict conditions and with local authorities' permission.
Under the new law unauthorised gatherings of just two people are illegal.
Ethnic Conflicts
Potentially the most significant transformation within grasp of the current government is
the end to what has been described as the longest-running war in modern history. Fight-
ing between different ethnic groups within Myanmar began in 1948 after the nation's in-
dependence. 'It is not one war,' says historian Thant Myint-U, 'but a palimpsest of con-
flicts featuring a bewildering array of combatants, from Chinese-backed communist in-
surgents and ethnic minority armies battling for self-determination to opium warlords
and democratic revolutionaries.'
Clashes haven't entirely stopped but, remarkably, as we go to press, Myanmar is as
close as it has ever been to a meaningful ceasefire, including setting up joint monitoring
mechanisms, agreed codes of conduct and freedom of movement across front lines. At a
meeting in November 2013 facilitated by the government-backed Myanmar Peace
Centre, representatives of political parties and exiled ethnic rebel groups met for the first
time to build trust ahead of further peace discussions.
The stakes are high. Many of the most egregious human rights abuses levelled at My-
anmar, including massive displacement of people, rape, the use of forced labour and
child soldiers and torture, are inextricable from the conflicts between ethnic groups and
the army. At the same time there are entrenched interests in maintaining the status quo on
both sides, not least because of the billion-dollar black economy fuelled by smuggling
and drug running in the war-torn areas.
Where China Meets India - Burma and the New Crossroads of Asia by Thant Myint-U is
about the historic and current connections between the three countries.
Religious Conflicts
Since 2011, battles between religious groups in Myanmar have flared up, as witnessed
particularly in Rakhine State where the government's non-recognition of the Muslim Ro-
hingya minority is the flash point ( Click here ) .
Relations between the religions hasn't been helped by the fact that within government
Buddhists tend to attain higher rank more easily than non-Buddhists. There has also been
 
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