Nathan Tanner Emily Burke Dylan Haller Aubrey LaVasseur Courtney Shutes

1. Internal Conflict in Burma  Nathan Tanner Emily Burke Dylan Haller Aubrey LaVasseur Courtney Shutes

2. Group Presentation Breakdown Here are some of the suggested topics that your group may answer/address: ●How and when did this conflict begin? ●How many lives have been lost?  How many have been injured?  How many have fled the area, gone missing and/or been displaced (and potentially emigrated to another nation)? ●Who are the different groups involved? ●What is the government’s role?  Specify the government’s “side” and its goals/purpose for involving the military.  ●Over what are the groups fighting? (Assuming there is a reason...) ●Is the conflict based on social/religious/ethnic/racial cleavages? ●What level of international involvement is there?  Are there groups from outside the nation that are playing a role?  If so, how are they involved?  (i.e. providing arms, serving in a peacekeeping role, assisting refugees, etc.) ●Who in the media is covering the conflict and how is this being represented.  You should find information from media outside the United States (see the requirement for international news source listed above) Nathan Tanner Emily Burke Dillon Haller Aubrey LaVasseur Courtney Shutes

3. How and When did this Conflict begin? • Began after WWII •  Given Sovereignty from Britain • Has had Dictator and Military rule •  Now has a new constitution • Still unsure if elections are free

4. How many lives have been lost? • Anti-government uprisings have led to over 7,000 people being killed since 2005.

5. Ethnic and Political Conflict in Burma • Ethnic  •   Human Rights Violated • Ethnic minority groups have little say in how things are run • "The military regime is accused of committing widespread and systematic human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings and summary executions, torture, rape, forced relocations, forced labor,confiscation of land and property, extortion, and the use of child soldiers." http://www.conflict-prevention.net/page.php?id=45&formid=72&action=show&articleid=678 • Political • Offensive of the Burmese Army against Karen National Union in the Karen State has led to displacement of many people because of the armed conflict. • Collapse of Communist Party in 1988 led to ethnic minority groups cease-fire agreements with the military regime. •  Military government vs. the Karen National Union, the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), the Shan State Army South (SSA South), and the Chin National Front (CNF).

6. Social, Racial, and Religious Conflict in Burma •  Racial •     Refugee Camps •   Ethnic minority groups feel discriminated against by ethnic Burmans • Religious •  Buddhism is a large practice in Burma •   Military regime is building a unitary state based on central Burman identity leads to discrimination of other religions besides Buddhism. • Religions such as Islam and Christianity are considered to be unaccepted in Burma.

7. Who are the different groups involved? 130 different ethnic groups who do not trust each other, Mistrust stems from propaganda fed from different ethnic groups. These ethnic groups are grouped into eight major ethnic races according to region: Bamar 68%, Shan 9%, Rakhine 3.5%, Chin 2.5%, Mon 2%, Kachin 1.5%, Kayah .75% A militia regime that governs through intimidation and oppression, and is responsible for economic mismanagement. A group of Buddhist monks have tried protesting the human rights abuses to the government and the public.

8. Over what are the groups fighting? • Communist rebels began to uprise • Worsened when buddhism was made official religion  •  1962: Ne Win came to power and human rights violations arose.  • 1988: Thousands of college students, monks, children, and doctors protested against the regime. (government) Authorities killed 350 people.  •  2011: Zwe Man Hein violent conflict response to "One Nation, One Army" and integration to the border guards.  • Military leadership  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_conflict_in_Burma http://www.wowmyanmar.com/internal-conflict-in-myanmar/

9. What is the government's role? • The government is the problem • Unfair and not Free • Military Rules • Former Members of Regime now in Power • They Want to Stay in Power

10. International Involvement  - USAID  - AUSAID  - Japan  - Burma Campaign: UK  - Increasing Aid 

11. Media Involvement • Wow Myanmar- News in Myanmar  • Books written "Internal Conflicts in Myanmar: Transitional Consequences" •  Fox News  • Mainly saying that the military leadership of Myanmar is bad, and the people wanting democracy are being supported.  http://www.wowmyanmar.com/internal-conflict-in-myanmar/ http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/10/12/myanmar-releases-dissidents-keeps-many-locked-up/ http://www.wowmyanmar.com/internal-conflict-in-myanmar/

12. Video War Refugee Video

13. Sources http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35910.htm http://www.usaid.gov/locations/asia/countries/burma/ http://www.ausaid.gov.au/country/burma/faq-burma.cfm http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20111119p2g00m0dm022000c.html http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/ http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=22317 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_conflict_in_Burma http://www.conflict-prevention.net/page.php?id=45&formid=72&action=show&articleid=678