The "other" Karen in Myanmar : ethnic minorities and the struggle without arms / Ardeth Maung Thawnghmung.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Thawnghmung, Ardeth Maung.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Karen (Southeast Asian people)--Burma.

Karen (Southeast Asian people).

Ethnic conflict.

Minorities.

Ethnic relations.

Burma--Ethnic relations.

Burma.

Minorities--Burma.

Ethnic conflict--Burma.

Physical Description:

xxxii, 199 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Lanham : Lexington Books, [2011]

Summary:

"This book is the first study to an offer insight into non-armed, non-insurgent members of ethnic groups that are associated with well-known armed organizations. It analyzes the nature of the relationships between the "quiet" minorities and their "rebel" counterparts and assesses how these intra-ethnic differences and divisions affect the armed resistance movement, negotiation with state authorities, conflict resolution, and political reform. This field-based study of the Karen in Burma also provides theoretical and policy implications for other ethnically polarized countries."--Publisher's description.

Contents:

Chapter 1 Who are the "Other" or "Quiet" Minorities? 1

The Political Significance of the "Other" Minorities 3

Bringing the "Other" Minorities into the Study of Ethnic Politics 7

Chapter 2 The Emergence of the Karen Ethno-nationalistic Movement 19

The Construction of Karen Ethno-nationalist Identities 20

The "Martial Race" 31

The Myaungmya Incident 34

The Case for an Independent Karen State 37

The "Martial Race" Returns 42

Saw Ba U Gyi and the Insein Ceasefire Talks 46

KNU in Twenty-First Century Burma 53

Conclusion 58

Chapter 3 Kawthoolei Karen: A Fragmented Constituency 63

Government-Controlled zones 65

Rebel-Controlled and Contested Zones 74

The Refugees 80

The Diaspora 84

Conclusion 85

Chapter 4 The "Rebel" and the "Accommodator" 91

The Early Stages of the Armed Resistance Movement 93

Profile of Prominent Karen Political Leaders at KNU and KYO in 1945-1949 101

The Later Stages of the Armed Rebellion 105

Divide and Rule 107

Places of Residence 109

Competing Identities 116

Lack or Perceived Lack of Alternatives 117

Conclusion 121

Chapter 5 The "Other" Ethno-nationalities in Myanmar/Burma 127

A Changing Political Landscape in SPDC and Post-SPDC Periods 128

The "Other" Nationalities in Burma/Myanmar 130

Self-employed, Low-income Earners and Small-, Medium-, and Large-scale Enterprise Owners 131

Government and Public Sector Employees 132

Private Sector Employees 133

Professionals Working for International Organizations 133

Members of Local NGOs and Community-based Organizations 134

Members of Government-organized Nongovernmental Organizations (GONGOs) 135

Members of Pro-government Parties 135

Members of Opposition Parties 137

Civilians Under the Control of Armed Organizations in Ceasefire and Contested Areas 138

Three Patterns of Civilian Politics among Ethnic Minorities 139

Activities Supporting the Status Quo 139

Activities Transforming or Undermining the Status Quo 143

Promoting Ethnic Identity and Addressing Humanitarian Needs 147

Conclusion 153

Chapter 6 Conclusion: The "Other" Ethnonationalities in Comparative Perspective 161

Competing Identities 161

Divide-and-Rule Strategies 168

The Role of the "Other" Minorities in Ethnic Politics 172.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780739168523

0739168525

9780739171073

0739171070

OCLC:

749855639