[nor] could [they] write or read the official Bamar language used in government communications.[19] Indeed, the majority of Rohingya speak a dialect similar to Bengali, and many can read and write in Urdu. Data have been collected [19] Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Final Report of Inquiry Commission on Sectarian Violence in Rakhine State (8 July 2013), 62, http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs15/Rakhine_Commission_Report-en-red.pdf. 0000008546 00000 n - Few evangelicals, but significant number who identify as Christians. WebQuintana visited Myanmar in March 2010 and called for the establishment of a U.N. Commission of Inquiry to investigate Myanmars violations of international humanitarian and human rights law and to recommend appropriate redress.32 Quintana reiterated this appeal a year later in March 2011 and then again that summer, but to no avail.33 In his book on integration and secession in Western Myanmar, Moshe Yegar noted that the Burmese (Buddhist) peasants became landless because the chettyars took control of much of the Burmese lands,[4] especially during the great depression in 1929. The Inquiry Commission into sectarian violence in Rakhine State released in 2013 found that Rohingya living in rural areas could not speak any indigenous languages of Myanmar well . Myanmar is predominantly a Buddhist country, with around 90% of the population following Theravada Buddhism. The essays in this series tackle these and other salient questions pertaining to sectarianism in the MENA and Asia Pacific regions. Web Religion in Myanmar Burma 1900 - 2100 Religious Population Growth Data Player Data Player 508K subscribers 39K views 1 year ago Statistics of major religion in. The organized movement has enlisted monasteries across Myanmar to spread radical anti-Muslim messages through Sunday schools, and by handing out stickers and distributing pamphlets and DVDs.[11] As David Steinberg of Georgetown University highlights, the significance of Buddhist monks leading this campaign cannot be underestimated, as few, if any, in the Burman community can publicly dispute a monks announcement on an ostensibly religious issue.[12] Indeed, monks wield the highest level of moral authority in Myanmar and can thus pursue an ethno-nationalist agenda without hindrance. Prayuths military-linked ruling party, United Thai Nation, is polling at 14 percent among Bangkokians and might not get more than a handful of seats. Althoughreligion in Myanmarcan be tense at times due to the friction between the different religious groups, in reality, it is a very peaceful country. WebNearly 90% of the country is Buddhist, and most are members of the majority ethnic community known as Burmans. The population growth rate is slowly decreasing, resulting in population growth to cease around 2054 and the population to start shrinking thereafter. Web Religion in Myanmar is spread across Buddhist with 879 Christian 62 Muslim 43 Animist 08 Hindu 05 other 02 and none at 01 of the population. This pivotal event subsequently saw the beginnings of Burman-Buddhist ethno-nationalism and the start of nationwide anti-Indian sentiment, which later evolved into anti-Muslim attitudes. This is done to avoid confusion regarding the current reality of a people group, to fix grammar and spelling and to avoid potentially offensive wording. [7] Burma Citizenship Law, 15 October 1982, The United Nations Refugee Agency, http://www.refworld.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/rwmain?docid=3ae6b4f71b. Middle East Institute The median age in Myanmar/Burma is 28.2 years of age, with a total life expectancy of approximately 68.2 years. Myanmar, also known as Burma, is a country rich in history, culture, and traditions. However, while new census results are to be released in 2014, estimates indicate that roughly 89 percent of Myanmars population is Buddhist, and only 4 percent is Muslim. The country is very ethnically diverse with 135 ethnic groups recognized by the government. And what could be done to avert sectarian violence, to foster tolerance and peaceful coexistence, and to promote reconciliation? [18] Policies of Persecution Ending Abusive State Policies Against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, Fortify Rights (25 February 2014), http://www.fortifyrights.org/downloads/Policies_of_Persecution_Feb_25_F. Myanmar's relatively slow population growth is predicted to continue on its current trajectory. The official language used is Burmese, with some ethnic groups using their own languages. 221/2013 (December 3, 2013), http://www.rsis.edu.sg/publications/Perspective/RSIS2212013.pdf. [26] Moreover, authorities do not sanction the police for their wrongdoings. The United Nations Statistics Division collects, compiles and disseminates official demographic and social statistics on a wide range of topics. Web Burmas population consists of Buddhists 879 percent Christians 62 percent Muslims 43 percent Animists 08 percent and Hindus 05 percent. 0000011367 00000 n [3] The British also welcomed wealthy money lenders (chettyars) from South India to help administer colonial Burma. endstream endobj 40 0 obj <> endobj 41 0 obj <>stream 0000008816 00000 n 0000009664 00000 n While the majority of Myanmars Muslim population reside in Rakhine State, in the rest of the country many Muslims are present and are accepted into their communities. Please. The short form, which was asked of 80 percent of the total population, includes only seven basic questions: name, relationship to the head of the household, sex, age, marital status, race and religion. Furthermore, the governments tacit approval of policies that discriminate against the Rohingya, coupled with the role of social media in propagating hate speech, have fostered an enabling environment that has prolonged the sectarian violence. Blanks mean an unknown value. Web Last Friday Good Friday Myanmars military court sentenced the former leader of the Kachin Baptist Convention to six years in prison. Among his alleged crimes. Populations are scaled to the current year. The Buddhists described here span a wide range of values regarding the intersection of their religion and violence. It was then that he undertook a quest to understand the origin of suffering with the aim of eradicating it. Very small groups reported, but outside the Joshua Project Small Group Policy. Al Jazeera English video on the exclusion of Muslims from Myanmars government (2015): CNN article and video on recent bouts of violence (2017): PBS NewsHour video on Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh (2017): BBC video on the alleged crimes against humanity in Myanmar (2017): Vox video on the history of violence against Rohingya (2017): The Guardian video interviewing Buddhist monks who disagree about the causes and solution to the violence (2017): BBC interviews with anti-Muslim Buddhist monks (2017): BBC video on the arrest of Reuters journalists reporting on the violence (2018): In what ways can Buddhism said to be internally diverse in light of the conflict in Myanmar? The violence has been coordinated and serious, and the UN Human Rights Office has stated that Myanmar is likely guilty of crimes against humanity or even ethnic cleansing.. This case study was created by Kristofer Rhude, MDiv 18, under the editorial direction of Dr. Diane L. Moore, faculty director of Religion and Public Life. WebThis census covered 96.6 percent of total population. During the riots in Meiktila in March 2013, Burmese police did little, if anything, to contain the situation. Population aged 0-14 . 0000003981 00000 n Growth rates have declined for all of Indias major religious groups, but the slowdown has been more pronounced among religious minorities, who outpaced Hindus in earlier decades. RELIGION AND PUBLIC LIFE, Harvard Divinity School14 DivinityAvenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138. my.hds |Harvard Divinity School |Harvard University |Privacy | Accessibility | Digital Accessibility | Trademark Notice | Reporting Copyright InfringementCopyright 2023 President and Fellows of Harvard College. startxref In great need of spiritual renewal and commitment to biblical faith. The historical origins of Rohingya Muslims in Northern Rakhine State are as tangled and complex as the history of Myanmar itself. 0000029681 00000 n xref 0000005912 00000 n Buddhism does not have a creator god like other religions and it does not contain theories either. The government is accused Buddhism in Burma is attached to theTheravadabranch which is the oldest and more conservative branch of Buddhism, following the Buddhas teachings, without modification. They believe in a Theravadan Buddhist doctrine that states that only their intention affects their karma. This act essentially legitimized discrimination against the Rohingya, which continues today. Prolonged periods of repression were accompanied by cycles of Rohingya migration from Rakhine State to bordering Bangladesh. H\0>E? B-x`u Denise Cush, Catherine Robinson and Michael York (New York: Routledge, 2008), pp. The name 969 is a numerological reference to the Buddha, his teachings, and his religious community. Why Bengal S Murshidabad And Malda Are India S Most Dangerous Districts Today India News Firstpost, Luzon S First Dot Tourist Rest Area To Rise In Baguio City Be Part Of The Fun Welcome To The Dot Corporate Site, Designed with by Way2themes | Distributed by Blogger Themes. (States / Districts only available for South Asia). How does the situation in Myanmar make simplistic statements like these problematic? 0000007275 00000 n Joshua Project may be able to provide more information than what is published on this site. The analysis draws on the Centers wider body of research on global restrictions related to religion. Before making travel plans based on data presented here, please confirm with other sources to the extent possible. H\j0~ Regardless, there is no doubt that much of the Buddhist religious leadership of Myanmar has promoted violence against Muslims in the region. There are people over age 18 in Myanmar. 0000001156 00000 n However, the BBC reports that not all countries give legitimacy to the change due to the fact that the change was brought by the unelected military regime. While the recent inter-religious violence begun in mid-2012 with the rape and murder of a twenty-seven-year-old Buddhist seamstress Ma Thida Htwewhich sparked an eruption of Muslim-Buddhist tension and the displacement of 70,000 Rohingya[8]Buddhist-Muslim violence has since spread beyond Rakhine State to Central and Northern Myanmar in the cities of Meiktila and Lashio. 0000034655 00000 n One Buddhist nationalist monk, U Wirathu, was even described on the cover of Time Magazine as The Face of Buddhist Terror in 2013. In Muslim majority contexts like Mali, Burkina Faso, and northern Nigeria ethnicity plays a stronger role and implications for endstream endobj 37 0 obj <> endobj 38 0 obj <> endobj 39 0 obj <>stream MYANMAR RELIGIONS THE OVERVIEW OF MYANMAR RELIGION The main religions of the country are Buddhism (89.2%), Christianity (5.0%), Islam (3.8%), Myanmars population is growing at a rate of about 0.67% per year. Burmah, as it was spelled in the 19th Century, is a local corruption of the word Myanmar", according to the same report above. A city like Yangon can be proud of sheltering within it many religions and their monuments (mosques, cathedrals, pagodas, Sikh temples, Hindu temples and even a Synagogue!). Thousands of monks have participated in anti-Muslim demonstrations, increasing interreligious tensions in the region. In rare instances a representative photo may be used. The groups listed below are not included in overall Joshua Project people group counts. Please note: Only the first 100000 records may be downloaded using this facility. Muslims (mostly Sunni) comprise 68 0 obj <>stream [13] Even though Buddhists form the majority of the population, and there is no solid evidence Myanmar is facing an Islamist military threat, the narrative has gained traction amongst many Buddhists fearing that Islam will disrupt Myanmars Buddhist identity and potentially wipe out Buddhism in Myanmar altogether. Today, Myanmar is the center of one of the largest refugee crises in the world. 0000007162 00000 n He later said to a reporter: I was only doing it in accordance with Buddhas teachings. Some are the perpetrators of violence, some are working to end violence and promote peace, many more are bystanders, who may build up cultural violence, cultural peace, or even both. endstream endobj 27 0 obj <> endobj 28 0 obj <>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]/Properties<>>>/ExtGState<>>>/Type/Page>> endobj 29 0 obj <> endobj 30 0 obj <> endobj 31 0 obj <> endobj 32 0 obj <> endobj 33 0 obj <> endobj 34 0 obj [/ICCBased 59 0 R] endobj 35 0 obj <> endobj 36 0 obj <>stream The first is constructed around a fear of Islamic encroachment into Myanmar and demographic besiegement by Muslimsan idea that runs deep in Burman Buddhist society. Try our business solution for free. In Myanmar, each village has a pagoda and a monastery for worship and religious ceremonies. [14] However, while new census results are to be released in 2014, estimates indicate that roughly 89 percent of Myanmars population is Buddhist, and only 4 percent is Muslim. [10] The 969 movement has gained many followers by labeling itself as a protector of Buddhism from aliens or non-native persons. Throughout the video, we will delve into the rituals, festivals, and ceremonies that are an integral part of Myanmar's religious traditions. About 87% of the population in Myanmar identify as Theravada Buddhists. Since the opening of Myanmar in 2011, President Thein Sein has pursued broad economic and political reforms of policies created by former military leaders. Points represent the approximate center of a larger area. Burmese Hindus are a mix of Bengalis, Tamils, Telegus, and Uttar Pradeshis who arrived in Burma under British colonialism. WebHinduism in Myanmar. 0 [9] Jane Perlez, Rise in Bigotry Fuels Massacre Inside Myanmar, New York Times (March 2, 2014), http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/02/world/asia/rise-in-bigotry-fuels-mass. Today, a segment of Burman Buddhist monks represented by Ashin Wirathu is re-igniting sentiments of intolerance and flaming lingering resentment toward Rohingya, preaching hateful rhetoric and sowing fear in the local Buddhist population in an attempt to change the ethnic demographics of Rakhine State. The quality of life can be examined in numerous manners, including exploring healthcare, access to improved sanitation and drinking water, as well as the World Happiness Report. The 2014 census noted that 88% were Buddhist, 6% were Christian, 4.3% were Muslim, 1% were Animist and 0.5% were Hindu. %PDF-1.5 % Share of children in total population in Myanmar from 2013 to 2022. 545 million or 545 crores read about list of countries in Asia by population Myanmar Demographics Religion in Myanmar. dPblafLfC9. In 1989, an unelected military regime changed the name of Burma to Myanmar. Labor force in Myanmar 2010-2018. WebIn Christian-majority contexts like CAR, southern Nigeria, and coastal West Africa, religion plays a stronger role. This led to the expulsion of close to 300,000 Burmese Indians. While peace building is possible, many challenges remain. TwitterBobRobertsJr A court in Myanmar has. In this census two types of questionnaires were used, a short form and a long form. [13] Zarni Mann, Islamic Extremists Want My Downfall, Thats Why They Put Me On The Cover, The Irrawaddy (June 24, 2013). WebConsidered as the main religion, Buddhism (mostly Theravada Buddhism) makes up more. In 1983, the fertility rate was 5 births per woman. Population, by age group, per cent . Ethnic minoritiessuch as the Chin, Kachin, Karin, and Rohingyainclude significant populations of Christians and Muslims. Matthew J. Walton and Susan Hayward, Contesting Buddhist Narratives: Democratization, Nationalism, and Communal Violence in Myanmar, (2014): 4-5. 0000004016 00000 n Nearly 88% of Myanmars population identify themselves as Buddhist, with other religious denominations, such as Christians, Muslims, and Hindus, making up the note: religion estimate is based on the 2014 0000006915 00000 n 0000002975 00000 n In other words, they believe that they have only done wrong if the result of their action is what they explicitly intended.