Systemic threat to the religious freedoms of Christian Chins in Burma/Myanmar
2
Issued Date
2024
Copyright Date
2019
Resource Type
Language
eng
File Type
application/pdf
No. of Pages/File Size
viii, 118 leaves : ill.
Access Rights
open access
Rights
ผลงานนี้เป็นลิขสิทธิ์ของมหาวิทยาลัยมหิดล ขอสงวนไว้สำหรับเพื่อการศึกษาเท่านั้น ต้องอ้างอิงแหล่งที่มา ห้ามดัดแปลงเนื้อหา และห้ามนำไปใช้เพื่อการค้า
Rights Holder(s)
Mahidol University
Bibliographic Citation
Thesis (M.A. (Human Rights))--Mahidol University, 2019
Suggested Citation
Sang, Hnin Lian, 1989- Systemic threat to the religious freedoms of Christian Chins in Burma/Myanmar. Thesis (M.A. (Human Rights))--Mahidol University, 2019. Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/92184
Title
Systemic threat to the religious freedoms of Christian Chins in Burma/Myanmar
Author(s)
Advisor(s)
Abstract
The biggest threat to religious freedom is religious extremism, which is sponsored by the State. In Burma/Myanmar, despite the reform and political liberalization that has taken place since 2010, there is a growing threat to religious minorities, including the Christians, Muslims, and other non-Buddhists who together constitute a sizeable chunk of the population and in some cases form a dominant group in certain parts of the country. The threat to religious freedom of the Christian Chin in Burma/Myanmar dates as far back as the 1960s when the military took over power from a civilian democratic government. Along with methods to "Burmanize" the Chin, as well as other ethnic and religious minorities, the successive Burmese governments have used different strategies to systematically convert them into Buddhist through coercion or any other possible means. Although there is now some form of local political autonomy after the reform, there remains serious threats to religious freedom due to a highly centralized political decision-making, which maintains past policy and practices that threaten fundamental freedoms including religious freedoms for the minorities. For instance, as late as January 2015, the Chin State Government forcibly ordered the removal of a 54-foot-high Christian cross, prompting thousands of local Christians to stage a peaceful protest. In this context, it seems that the democratic transition in Burma/Myanmar does not reach the remote areas like Chin State. This research tried to identify the threat that impacts their life and the struggle of Christian Chin's response and resistance against the threat to religious freedom through a qualitative approach that involved key informant interviews. Despite the state sponsored suppression and repression against ethnic and religious minorities, the Christian Chin people continue to struggle for the preservation and conservation of their belief or religion, culture, language, literature, and art. This has an immense significance for the Chin people in their struggle against the threat to religious freedom. The thesis recommends for Chin that the solution lies in a secular state with a genuine federal union, so that the Chin can fulfill their aspirations for self-determination which guarantees religious freedom
Description
Human Rights (Mahidol University 2019)
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Degree Level
Master's degree
Degree Department
Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies
Degree Discipline
Human Rights
Degree Grantor(s)
Mahidol University