Burma (Myanmar): Current information on the rights of ethnic Chinese in Burma
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 May 1992 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | BUR10881 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Burma (Myanmar): Current information on the rights of ethnic Chinese in Burma, 1 May 1992, BUR10881, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6acfe20.html [accessed 25 December 2015] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
According to Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1991, [p]eople of non-ethnic Burmese ancestry, primarily Indians and Chinese, are denied full citizenship and excluded from government positions. In addition, some have been denied national identity cards, especially in Arakan State. Indians and Chinese minorities continue to play an important role in the economy - a situation resented by many Burmans (1992, 795-796).
The Associated Press reports the existence of racist "prejudice" against certain ethnic minorities in Burma (29 May 1991, 2). According to the report, "[r]acist prejudice is fostered against Caucasians as well as Burma's Indian, Chinese and Muslim minorities" (Ibid.).
Reporting on the economic situation of Burma, The San Francisco Chronicle maintains that the government of Burma has eased its "long-time policy against investment by ethnic Chinese natives of Burma, thousands of whom were forced to leave the country in the 1960s" (19 Apr. 1991, 2).
In another report, The San Francisco Chronicle refers to an existing hatred of the ethnic Chinese in Burma because of their strong economic situation (4 Jan. 1990, 1). The report holds that:
Burma has been the scene of chronic violence during the past 30 years between its ethnic Chinese residents and the Burmese majority. When General Ne Win overthrew the civilian government in Rangoon in a 1962 military coup, the Chinese were officially identified as "enemies of the state," and thousands were deprived of their homes and businesses. However, Chinese remain the chief merchants in Burma and are resented by many Burmese for their comparative affluence in the economically backward country. The antagonism extends to ethnic Chinese in general, who are the leading business people in most Southeast Asian countries (Ibid.).
Although not referring to a specific ethnic group, the following information may be noteworthy. Amnesty International Report 1991 states that:
[e]extrajudicial executions continued to be reported from ethnic minority states: government troops were alleged to have deliberately killed civilians suspected of being political opponents as well as porters conscripted by the army (1992, 165).
Additional information on the above subject is currently unavailable to the IRBDC.
References
Amnesty International. 1991. Amnesty International Report 1991. New York: Amnesty International U.S.A..
The Associated Press. 29 May 1991. Denis D. Gray. "In Year Since Election Win, Burma Junta Has Crushed Democratic Forces," pp. 1-3. (NEXIS)
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1991. 1992. U.S. Department of State. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office.
The San Francisco Chronicle. 19 April 1991. Frank Viviano. "Burma Shows Signs of a Cambodia-Type Bloodbath," pp. 1-3. (NEXIS)
. 4 January 1990. Frank Viviano. "Burmese VS Chinese: Racial Incident Aboard Cargo Ship in Richmond," pp. 1, 2. (NEXIS)
Attachment
The Associated Press. 29 May 1991. Denis D. Gray. "In Year Since Election Win, Burma Junta Has Crushed Democratic Forces," pp. 1-3. (NEXIS)
The San Francisco Chronicle. 19 April 1991. Frank Viviano. "Burma Shows Signs of a Cambodia-Type Bloodbath," pp. 1-3. (NEXIS)
. 4 January 1990. Frank Viviano. "Burmese VS Chinese: Racial Incident Aboard Cargo Ship in Richmond," pp. 1, 2. (NEXIS)
