The emergence of the concept of unarmed civilian protection (UCP) in recent years has generated an interest in documenting different case studies of civilian self-protection strategies. This research project focused on Myanmar. Decades after its independence, the country’s population still lives under constant threats of violence in the context of both state-sponsored conflict and inter-communal conflict. This project offers a glimpse into the nation’s experience by investigating the experiences of people in Rakhine state.
Different ethnic communities living in central and northern Rakhine have been exposed, to varying degrees, to diverse forms of violence. In the span of two decades, there were at least three crises that sparked violent incidents across the region: the 2012 sectarian conflict between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims in northern Rakhine; the 2016- 2017 violent campaign against the Rohingya; and the frequent armed tensions between Myanmar’s armed force, the Tatmadaw, and the Arakan Army (AA), the armed wing of an ethnic insurgency group, the United League of Arakan (ULA). These crises have never truly been reconciled but linger as the drivers to violence in the region. Different ethnic communities are exposed to violence in different ways.
Against this background, this project sought to understand the Rakhine people’s precarious journey of living in contexts of violence with different powerful actors. The project focused on three key areas of research: 1) civilian engagement with/disengagement from authorities, either military or ethnic armed groups; 2) civilian strategies for protection from violence; and 3) networks or infrastructures offering civilian protection.
RESEARCH TEAM
- Abellia Anggi Wardani, Knowledge-Hub Myanmar (Principal Investigator)
- Riyad Anwar, Knowledge-Hub Myanmar
- Florian Weigand, Centre on Armed Groups and London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
- Tony Neil, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
FURTHER INFORMATION
- Website: www.knowledgehub-mm.org
- Twitter / Instagram: @knowledgehub_mm
PROJECT OUTPUTS
Article in Journal of Global Security Studies
The project has published an article in the Journal of Global Security Studies, ‘Agency during Armed Conflict: Everyday Life under Competing Authorities in Myanmar’s Rakhine State’ (open access).
The article draws upon fieldwork in Myanmar’s Rakhine State to analyse the relationship between ordinary people and competing authorities during armed conflict. In particular, the paper investigates the sources of agency that enable civilians to engage with armed actors, for instance, to ensure their own protection.
