Burma's civil war: A case of societal security

Abstract

In this article, Burma's civil war is explained with reference to societal security. It is argued that at the heart of the civil war lies the nation‐building approach of the dominant Burman ethnic group, which has sought to assimilate Burma's ethnic minorities. The minorities have resisted this assimilation, or Burmanisation, because they wish to protect their identities. A solution to the civil war is therefore dependent upon Burma's multiethnic composition being safeguarded in a multiethnic nation‐ building approach. Although in 2000 a peace dialogue began between the military regime and the opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), these talks have not only stalled, but also the Burmanisation approach has continued. The civil war, although reduced in its intensity, remains.