BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES

SECURITIZATION AND ETHNIC VIOLENCE: MILITARY, MONKS AND ROHINGYA MINORITIES IN MYANMAR

Author: Abu Salah Md. Yousuf

DOI Link: https://www.doi.org/10.56888/BIISSj2020v41n2a1

ABSTRACT

While most of the studies used a top-down approach of the Copenhagen School to understand securitization process against the Rohingya community, this paper argues that there is a horizontal and bottom-up securitization active against ethnic and religious minorities in Myanmar. A nexus between the military and the radical monks helped to develop different securitization narratives identifying Rohingyas as a security threat to the national integrity, social harmony and economic stability of the country. In this respect, the paper explains the structure and motives of the alliance between the military and the radical monks as well as focuses on the consequences of the securitization measures against the Rohingya community. The paper finds that the longstanding securitization of ethnic minorities helped military regimes in Myanmar to legitimize their stronghold in the state power and concurrently it led the country towards adopting unscrupulous policy, which instigated an unending conflict with the ethnic minorities. Moreover, the development of a horizontal and bottom-up securitization process deepened the division in the society and complicated any reconciliation process among the conflicting groups in Myanmar.