Myanmar's National Building Research Since 1988

The Dissertation is concerned with three Major thesis:(1)to maintain "government decree and military order unification" as the main content of state-building handled by Myanmar’s central government.(2) to integrate multi-nationalities on its territory into a nation as the main content of nation-building pursed by Myanmar’s central government.(3) Interacting with Myanmar’s central government, national identity of the minority nationalities gradually increases, although they meet sharp contradictions and conflicts with the government. National politic theories are applied to analyze Myanmar’s nation-building since1988, to probe the reason of national identity of the minority nationalities gradually increases, to discuss the history, the status quo, the challenges, the prospects and the general trend of Myanmar’s nation-building.The dissertation consists of an introduction and five chapters, together with a con--clusion. The introduction deals with the theme of the subject matter, namely, the major conceptions, theories and methodologies applied in the dissertation, current studies on the subject, reference used to outline the framework, and the innovative reflections.Chapter One focuses on Aung San’s, U Nu’s, Ne Win’s theory and practice on nation-building. Firstly, it introduces Aung San’s theory and practice of Unity in Diver--sity on nation-building, which promoted the establishment of nation-state. Then it explores the U Nu’s. Ne Win’s theory and practice on nation-building. The dissertation argues that whether U Nu government adopted which policy that weaken the minority rights and strengthen the federal power aiming political integration, or using Theravada Buddhism as state religion and a unified national cultural policy, even Ne Win’s govern--ment adopted which policy that crackdown anti-government armed groups with strength, enhancing the centralization and Myanmarization. These Policies, because of overlooking primordial emotion of the minority nationalities and depriving minority national rights, thereby in the teeth of widespread opposition by the ethnic minorities, leading to their setting up their own ethnic armed against the central government, finally put Myanmar national-building into the lurch.Chapter Two draws on the actual statistical data in the form of tables of the changes of the minority nationalities to elucidate the national identity of the minority nation--alities getting enhancement. Statistics shows that New Military Regime came to power since1988, though their contradiction is not solved, even the armed conflicts between them, the ethnic armed groups or organizations don’t require of founding an independent state any longer, but to require high degree of autonomy including legal forces under the framework of national sovereignty.Chapter Three focuses on the reason of the enhancement of national identity of the minority nationalities. Since1988, Burma’s main ethnic minority groups have largely given up political demands of founding an independent state, most of them pursing highly national autonomy. According to the author, the inner power of such a shift is that the central government and the ethnic armed groups mainly considered actual benefit. External conditions are the international factors, especially neighbors’push. Internal impetus is that mainly ceasefires carried out by the new military government with ethnic armed groups in order to promote nation-building. The minority nation- -alities hope to get highly national autonomy including reserve forces through ceasefire. The external conditions are regional peace prevailed. Especially, neighboring countries such as China and Thailand abandoned the cold war consciousness, adjusting the policy to Burma’s ethnic armed groups. Almost giving up the way that interferes the internal affairs of Myanmar or buffer force using Burma’s ethnic armed groups.Chapter Four looks at the background and content of the2008constitution, and Border Guard Force in accordance with the constitution of military uniform, then em--phatically analyzed the constitution that gives Tatmadaw in the leadership position in the future nation-building and the constitution embodies the content of nation-building.Chapter Five firstly discusses the possible challenges during Myanmar’s nation--building, then to analyze its opportunities and the trend of nation-building. The dissertation argues that, though military junta retire backstage, they may challenge the nation-building if its interests cannot be guaranteed. NLD’s dominance makes the losers in the competition of state power may take more radical measures to garner votes, re--gardless of national unity. The ethnic minorities’high political demands may also affect the nation-building. Although Myanmar’s nation-building faces many challenges, there are also numerous opportunities such as Aung San Suu Kyi’s calling for on national reconciliation, the ethnic armed groups’ positively response to the government’s peace initiative, as well as the giant neighbors’supporting Myanmar’s national reconciliation. The dissertation argues that despite Myanmar’s nation-building will meet a lot of challenges and difficulties, but to complete integrating multi-ethnic groups into unfied nation is general trend for Myanmar.The conclusion offers a systematic summary and reflections on the salient features of Myanmar’s nation-building, the reason why Myanmar’s ethnic minorities’national identity increased, and the challenges and opportunities on Myanmar ’s nation-building.