Religious and ethnic tensions have bubbled to the surface in Myanmar. Since 2012, waves of deadly violence engulfed parts of the western Rakhine state. Since then deadly incidents in central Myanmar and most recently Mandalay show how the violence has spread.
Is the violence linked?
Myanmar has a long history of communal mistrust, which was allowed to simmer, and was at times exploited, under military rule. While there are not thought to be direct links between the outbreaks of communal unrest, the mistrust felt for decades is out in the open in a new climate of freedom.
What is the religious angle?
In Rakhine state, there have been particularly bitter tensions between the Rakhine people, who are Buddhist and make up the majority of the state’s population, and Muslims. Most of these Muslims identify themselves as Rohingya, a group that originated in part of Bengal, now called Bangladesh. In the towns bordering Bangladesh, where several clashes have taken place, the majority of the population is Muslim.
The blame game
Overseas-based Rohingya groups have said Rohingyas bear the brunt of the violence. Rakhine Buddhists said Rohingyas are to blame.
Who are the Rohingyas?
The UN describes Rohingya as a religious and linguistic minority from western Myanmar. It says the Rohingya are one of the most persecuted minorities in the world. But even the origins of the word Rohingya, and how they came to be in Myanmar, are controversial with some historians saying the group dates back centuries and others saying it only emerged as a campaigning force last century.
The Myanmar government says they are relatively recent migrants from the Indian subcontinent. As a result, the country’s constitution does not include them among indigenous groups qualifying for citizenship.
The Rakhine majority has resented the presence of Rohingyas, who they view as Muslim people from another country. There is widespread public hostility towards the Rohingya in Myanmar.
The Rohingya feel they are part of Myanmar and claim persecution by the state. Neighbouring Bangladesh already hosts several hundred thousand refugees from Myanmar and says it cannot take any more.
