Multicultural society in Burma: How it failed to accommodate the Rohingya identity
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Abstract
The Rohingya ethnic and religious minority residing in Rakhine State became victimized due to their cultural differences in multi ethnic Burma. Moreover, they have experienced difficulties in obtaining citizenship since the enactment of the 1982 Citizenship Law. From the British colonial time, their separate identity was recognized and they had strong involvement in government before and after Burmese independence. In Burma, not only Rohingyas, but other ethnic minorities also have similar problems with the ethnic majority Burman-dominated Yangon-based central government. The Rohingya issue is more complicated. In the name of indigenous ethnic identity, Rohingyas became stateless in their ancestors' land.
This paper will present evidence of the Rohingyas' presence in their ancestors' land of Arakan from pre-colonial times to the present day nation state of Burma/Myanmar. However, it is not enough to claim indigenous ethnic identity under the 1982 law. In this context, this paper will explore the discussion on the basis of multiculturalism and how the multi-ethnic country of Burma failed to accommodate ethnic minorities in their national framework. The theoretical discussion of multiculturalism is helpful for understanding how the Rohingyas were victimized in Burma due to their ethnic and religious identity. Moreover, the paper will present documentary evidence to prove that the government enacted various laws simply to deny the Rohingyas a place in the multi-ethnic country Burma/ Myanmar.
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