Decolonizing the Spring Revolution
As Myanmar is fighting for a future free of all forms of oppression, the colonial past as well as ongoing coloniality are increasingly being scrutinized and challenged. Based on a discussion with three panelist entitled ‘Decolonizing the Spring Revolution’ hosted by People’s Goal on 31st December 2023, this article delves into the multifaceted impacts of Myanmar’s colonial past, its continuities beyond independence, and how the revolution may address and tackle these tendencies towards a future democratic Myanmar.
Unveiling Myanmar’s colonial shadows: British colonialism & coloniality beyond independence
Situating their understanding of ‘colonialism,’ researcher Nyan Pyi Thit, emphasizes the deep-rooted consequences of British colonization on Myanmar’s social, educational, economic, and political landscape. Colonialism, in this context, transcends mere territorial domination by one state or non-state entity over land and native populace. Consequently, processes of decolonization will need to include acknowledging, for instance, the colonization of knowledge:
“Our knowledge has been damaged by colonialism. Colonialism ingrained us with an immutable map of Myanmar that is divided and contentious.” (Nyan Pyi Thit)
In a similar vein, writer and anthropologist Ma Chinthe highlights the difference between the British main focus on economic exploitation of resources and the Bamar colonizing tendencies. Thereby, according to Ma Chinthe, the latter extended colonialism for many ethnic minorities, introducing a layer of “settler-colonialism, where they occupy lands and take [power] over the customs and language there,” shaping present socio-political structures.
Echoing these sentiments, Karen Youth Activist Saw Albert Cho adds how colonization persisted even after gaining independence from the British, with the majority Bamar population perpatuating those legacies adding an important ethnic dimension:
“When the British left, they handed administration to the Bamar, and suddenly all the other ethnic minorities were dominated by the majority. Once the Bamar came to dominate, they promoted the Bamar culture and language exclusively. They even promoted phobia of the West and other outsiders. They built a new culture in which minorities were their underlings.” (Saw Albert Cho)
The speakers at the panel and the moderator.
Tracing and moving beyond coloniality within the Spring Revolution
In the context of Myanmar’s Spring Revolution, the panelists emphasize the ongoing struggle for true freedom from all forms of domination. Saw Albert Cho empasizes that despite progress, persisting influence of outdated ideas from the (abolished) 2008 constitution, hindering genuine decolonization:
“The NUG says they have rejected the 2008 constitution, but they claim to be a government based on that very 2008 constitution. They still think about ethnic regions in terms of the categories of the 2008 constitution.” (Saw Albert Cho)
Ma Chinthe advocates for a nuanced approach toward decolonization, considering how (neo)colonialism has shaped identity-building and socialization of people in Myanmar in related, yet unique ways including when looking at gender-related issues.
Nyan Pyi Thit underscores the need to transcend superficial changes, calling for a profound dismantling of (neo)colonial structures and rejecting simplified narratives that perpetuate a singular origin:
“The Myanmar military spreads the narrative that they fought against colonialism, but they only appropriated it and extended it. To decolonize, we need to get rid of the narrative that one group created the nation. We must move past the insistence that it must be a "unified" country with a rigidly defined map.” (Nyan Pyi Thit)
Acknowledging and challenging these colonial legacies will be crucial for the success of the Spring Revolution on the path to a democratic Myanmar free of any forms of oppression and domination and to avoid another repetition of the past.