Federalism, Freedom and Fear-Mongering: Democratization and Violent Conflict in Rakhine State, Myanmar

This study examines how the implementation of a federal constitution and the process of democratization in Myanmar have led to increased violent conflict between two ethnic groups: the Rakhine Buddhists and the Rohingya Muslims. Electoral competition, new democratic freedoms and the opportunity to wrest power from the central government through taking control of state level parliaments has invigorated ethnic tensions. These new opportunities create incentives for Rakhine nationalist parties to propagate myths and stoke fears on violent Rohingya intentions, positioning themselves as the only entities capable of preserving the Rakhine race. The paper focuses on the period from June 2012- April 2017, examining electoral data, the evolution of political parties in Rakhine State, the impact of Rakhine civil society, the violent clashes of 2012, 2014 and 2016, and the measures taken by the government to restrict Rohingya rights. In highlighting the limitations and challenges of structural and systemic reform in mitigating inter-ethnic conflict, this paper emphasizes the importance of understanding context and cultivating institutions before transitioning to democracy.This research was made possible by the William Beattie Fund for Undergraduate Research in Peace and Conflict Studies through the Trudeau Center for Peace, Conflict and Justice at the Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto