What will I learn about: why Myanmar's transition from a military dictatorship to a democracy in 2012 actually triggered a devastating wave of anti-Muslim violence?

Understand why Myanmar's transition from a military dictatorship to a democracy in 2012 actually triggered a devastating wave of anti-Muslim violence.

What will I learn about: how Buddhist nationalists fueled fears of 'Islamization' to frame the Rohingya minority as illegal immigrants threatening their land and culture?

Discover how Buddhist nationalists fueled fears of 'Islamization' to frame the Rohingya minority as illegal immigrants threatening their land and culture.

What will I learn about: Learn how the sudden removal of military censorship and newfound press freedoms inadvertently gave extremists free rein to spread dangerous anti-Rohingya propaganda?

Learn how the sudden removal of military censorship and newfound press freedoms inadvertently gave extremists free rein to spread dangerous anti-Rohingya propaganda.

What will I learn about: Explore how local media and social networks weaponized global events, such as 9/11, to unjustly brand the Rohingya as terrorists and justify brutal attacks?

Explore how local media and social networks weaponized global events, such as 9/11, to unjustly brand the Rohingya as terrorists and justify brutal attacks.

What will I learn about: how the Myanmar government and local police forces became directly complicit in the violence, intentionally excluding the Rohingya from national protection?

Find out how the Myanmar government and local police forces became directly complicit in the violence, intentionally excluding the Rohingya from national protection.

Myanmar's Enemy Within

Buddhist Violence and the Making of a Muslim “Other”

Francis Wade

★ 4.4 / 5(88 ratings)

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Society & Culture History Religion & Spirituality

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

💡Did you know that the seeds of Myanmar’s modern-day ethnic conflict were actually sown over a century ago during the era of British colonial rule?
💡Have you ever wondered why Myanmar’s long-awaited transition to democracy unexpectedly fueled a rise in violent nationalism instead of peace?
💡Are you curious about how deep-seated historical resentment transformed an integrated minority into what many now see as the 'enemy within'?

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Key Takeaways from Myanmar's Enemy Within

✓Understand why Myanmar's transition from a military dictatorship to a democracy in 2012 actually triggered a devastating wave of anti-Muslim violence.
✓Discover how Buddhist nationalists fueled fears of 'Islamization' to frame the Rohingya minority as illegal immigrants threatening their land and culture.
✓Learn how the sudden removal of military censorship and newfound press freedoms inadvertently gave extremists free rein to spread dangerous anti-Rohingya propaganda.
✓Explore how local media and social networks weaponized global events, such as 9/11, to unjustly brand the Rohingya as terrorists and justify brutal attacks.
✓Find out how the Myanmar government and local police forces became directly complicit in the violence, intentionally excluding the Rohingya from national protection.

Learning Tools

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Mind Map

Myanmar's Enemy Within

Democratic Transition & 2012 Violence+

Media Freedom & Extremism+

British Colonial Roots+

Military Dictatorship & Identity+

State Demographic Engineering+

Pro-Democracy Movement's Complicity+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8

Why did the transition from dictatorship to democracy in 2011 paradoxically contribute to anti-Muslim violence in Myanmar?

A. The new democratic constitution legally mandated the expulsion of all ethnic minorities.
B. The lifting of military suppression made Rakhine Buddhists fear that minorities like the Rohingya would assert their rights.
C. The Rohingya formed heavily armed militias to overthrow the newly elected democratic leaders.
D. International democratic observers forced Rakhine Buddhists to surrender their ancestral land.

Question 2 of 8

What was an unintended consequence of the military relinquishing its grip on the media in 2011?

A. It allowed extremists free rein to spread anti-Muslim propaganda and divisive narratives without censorship.
B. It led to a massive influx of foreign journalists who fabricated stories about the Rohingya.
C. It caused the immediate collapse of the national economy due to panic-inducing headlines.
D. It resulted in a unified, peaceful national dialogue between Buddhists and Muslims.

Question 3 of 8

How did British colonial policy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries lay the foundation for anti-Muslim resentment in Myanmar?

A. The British explicitly banned Buddhism and mandated the conversion of the local population to Islam.
B. The British dissolved Myanmar's western border and encouraged massive Indian immigration to fill labor shortages.
C. The British armed the Rohingya and used them exclusively as their private military force against the Bamar.
D. The British forced local Buddhists to pay a special religious tax to fund the construction of mosques.

Question 4 of 8

What was the overriding ideological commitment of the military council that took power in Myanmar in 1962?

A. Transitioning the country to a free-market global economy.
B. Decentralizing power to grant autonomy to all ethnic borderlands.
C. Promoting multiculturalism and celebrating fluid ethnic identities.
D. Establishing absolute national unity through a single culture and faith.

Question 5 of 8

How did the military regime's view of ethnic identity differ from Myanmar's historical reality?

A. The regime believed ethnic groups had fixed biological traits, whereas historically, ethnic identity was fluid and could change.
B. The regime believed anyone could become Bamar, whereas historically, ethnic groups were strictly segregated by birth.
C. The regime ignored ethnicity completely, whereas historically, it was the sole basis for political loyalty.
D. The regime promoted intermarriage, whereas historically, mixing different ethnic groups was punishable by exile.

Question 6 of 8

What standard did the government use in 1982 to establish its list of 135 'national races,' and how did it apply to the Rohingya?

A. A group had to speak Burmese fluently; the Rohingya refused to learn the language and were excluded.
B. A group had to prove presence before 1824; the Rohingya met this standard but were deliberately excluded anyway.
C. A group had to have fought against the British; the Rohingya fought for the British and were thus excluded.
D. A group had to be officially recognized by the UN; the UN did not recognize the Rohingya at the time.

Question 7 of 8

What demographic 'rescue plan' did Myanmar's government implement in Rakhine State in the mid-1990s?

A. They built large international universities to attract foreign students and dilute the local population.
B. They offered early release and generous incentives to Buddhist criminals if they agreed to resettle in remote northern villages.
C. They forcibly relocated all Bamar officials out of the state to give the Rohingya full autonomy.
D. They paid Muslim families to permanently emigrate to neighboring Bangladesh and India.

Question 8 of 8

Why has Myanmar's pro-democracy movement largely refused to champion the cause of the persecuted Rohingya?

A. They believe the Rohingya are secretly allied with the military dictatorship to undermine democratic elections.
B. They lack awareness of the violence because the military still controls all information reaching the capital.
C. They are legally barred by the international community from commenting on ethnic conflicts in border states.
D. They share the assumption that Rohingya are not legitimate subjects and fear losing political support from Buddhist nationalists.

Myanmar's Enemy Within — Full Chapter Overview

1Recommendation
21 — Myanmar’s shift from dictatorship to democracy helped fuel anti-Muslim violence in the summer of 2012.
32 — Extremists exploited new freedoms to target the Rohingya.
43 — After June 2012, anti-Muslim violence spread across Myanmar.
54 — British imperial policies in Myanmar laid the groundwork for anti-Muslim resentment.
65 — Myanmar’s dictatorship tried to unify the nation by any means necessary.
76 — The military regime distrusted Myanmar’s history of fluid ethnic identities.
87 — The dictatorship left the Rohingya out of its list of national races.
98 — Resettling Buddhists formed part of a plan to alter Rakhine State’s demographics.
109 — The pro-democracy movement declined to side with the Rohingya.
1110 — Final summary

Myanmar's Enemy Within Summary & Overview

Myanmar’s Enemy Within (2017) examines a shocking outburst of violence against an ethnic minority – the Rohingya Muslims in western Myanmar. Beginning with an account of the events of 2012 and 2013, these blinks work their way back to explain the historical context of anti-Muslim resentment in the country. Along the way, they explore the legacies of British colonialism, the rise of nationalism, and the country’s troubled transition to democracy.

Who Should Listen to Myanmar's Enemy Within?

History buffs
News addicts who want to dig deeper
Anyone interested in contemporary Asian politics

About the Author: Francis Wade

Francis Wade is a British journalist best known for his reporting on Myanmar and Southeast Asia. His work has appeared in the Guardian, Al Jazeera, Asia Times Online, Foreign Policy, and the LA Review of Books. He was previously an editor and reporter for the Democratic Voice of Burma, a news organization founded by exiled dissidents from Myanmar.

Myanmar's Enemy Within

If You're Curious About These Questions...

Listen to Myanmar's Enemy Within — Free Audiobook

Key Takeaways from Myanmar's Enemy Within

Learning Tools

Mind Map

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Myanmar's Enemy Within — Full Chapter Overview

Myanmar's Enemy Within Summary & Overview

Who Should Listen to Myanmar's Enemy Within?

About the Author: Francis Wade

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