Page 30 - ELITE PLUS MAGAZINE VOL8

According to the activist, the 2010 elections have brought more openness to Myanmar, and international influences and investment have been more welcome. This has benefited Buddhist extremists, the media, Yangon real estate and tourism, including the hotel and hospitality sector. However, the Muslim and ethnic minority groups, the poor and the underprivileged are still marginalized, and beyond the 2015 election it is still unlikely they will get the benefit or leverage they deserve.Until the 19th century, Myanmar was a monarchy ruled by various dynasties. From 1885 to 1948 it was a British colony. While the Bamar heartland was directly administered, far-flung ethnic regions were allowed some measure of self-rule similar to the princely states of India. This led to split loyalties among the various ethnic groups.The dominant Bamar make upapproximately 68 per cent of the population. During World War II, many volunteered to fight alongside the Japanese in hope of overthrowing the occupying British forces.Many other ethnic groups supported the Allied forces in combating the Japanese and Burman forces. This would come to be very significant in the aftermath of World War II, when Burma was granted indepen- dence in 1948. The outgoing British government gave the new ruler, Aung San, control over areas not traditionally controlled by the Bamar. This conglomeration of territories created a state home to over 20 minority ethnic groups.Since the signing of Burma’s constitution in 1948, some ethnic minorities have been denied rights, access to lands they traditionally controlled, and participation in the government. The minority groups have also suffered at the hands ofwarlords and regional ethnic alliances. Religion has also played a role in some of the conflicts, with Muslims, Hindus and Christians also living in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar.Hundreds of thousands of citizens have been displaced inside and outside of Myanmar. Many of the Karen, Karenni and Mon ethnic groups have sought asylum in neighbouring Thailand, where they have also been mistreated by an unsympathetic government. Possibly even worse off are some members of the Wa and Shan ethnic groups, who became internally displaced after being removed from their land by the military junta in 2000. There are reportedly some 600,000 internally displaced people living in Myanmar, trying to escape forced labour in the military or for one of the drug cartels. This displacement has led to human rights violations and exploitation of minorities by the government, the Karen National Union and the Mong Tai Army, among others.For decades journalists were forced to observe Myanmar’s developments from afar or through secondary sources, as few were allowed inSince the signing of Burma’s constitutionin 1948, some ethnic minorities have been denied rights, accessto lands they traditionally controlled, and participa- tion in the government28 Elite+