STUDIA ISLAMIKA
Vol 22, No 1 (2015): Studia Islamika

Citizenship Challenges in Myanmar’s Democratic Transition: Case Study of the Rohingya-Muslim

Ahmad Suaedy (Abdurrahman Wahid Centre - University of Indonesia, Jakarta)
Muhammad Hafiz (Abdurrahman Wahid Centre - University of Indonesia, Jakarta)



Article Info

Publish Date
09 Apr 2015

Abstract

As a part of the Myanmar transition to democracy, which began after the election in 2010, the census on March-April 2014 refused to count the Rohingya ethnic group. This was symbolic of the Myanmar government’s rejection of Rohingya people as citizens. The paradox is that democracy necessitates a guarantee of fundamental freedoms and recognition of all group identities. Through in depth interviews with a number of Rohingya political and social leaders at the end of March 2014, in Yangon, this research details the Rohingya struggle to secure their rights in the political process. A number of documents both from the Rohingya and from the Myanmar government justify why and how the process of exclusion and discrimination occurs. This research will conclude with a discussion of the challenges and recommended steps for the future to accommodate the Rohingya as Myanmar citizens, and of the need for international and regional support.DOI: 10.15408/sdi.v22i1.1387

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Journal Info

Abbrev

studia-islamika

Publisher

Subject

Religion Education

Description

STUDIA ISLAMIKA (ISSN 0215-0492; E-ISSN: 2355-6145) is a journal published by the Center for the Study of Islam and Society (PPIM) UIN Syarif Hidayatullah, Jakarta. It specializes in Indonesian Islamic studies in particular, and Southeast Asian Islamic studies in general, and is intended to ...