Obama Energizes Burma’s Ethnic Minorities

By NEHGINPAO KIPGEN

Electing Barack Obama as president of the United States of America is history in the making. It has not only given a new hope to Americans, but to ethnic group members around the world.

Obama is the first president from a minority community in a predominantly white society. African-Americans make up a small percentage of the US population, around 12 percent.

A number of similarities can be found in US politics and Burmese politics and culture. Although Burma is smaller in size than the state of Texas, there are as many as 135 ethnic groups, according to the military regime.

One similarity between Burma and the US is that whites constitute 80 percent of the United States population (2006 estimate); whereas, about 60 percent of Burma’s population is ethnic Burmans. Ethnicity plays a central role in Burmese politics.

The military regime is overwhelmingly dominated by ethnic Burmans. Discrimination on the basis of religion and race is widespread. Under the military government, even the most outstanding individual from a minority group stands little to no chance of becoming the leader of the country.

There are a number of reasons why Obama was elected. His vision to move America in a new direction inspired people who rallied behind his campaign slogan: “Yes, we can.”

The world was also moved by his extraordinarily successful campaign and passionate advocacy to use diplomatic means to resolve crises around the world—from Darfur to Burma to Afghanistan.

His historic victory was a dream come true, but it also surprised many Americans and people around the world.

I talked to an African-American colleague in 2006 about the possibility of a black president sitting in the White House. His response was unambiguous; he had never even dreamed of seeing an African-American become president in his lifetime.

Could something similar happen in Burma in the future?

A few years after Burma’s independence from the British, the country had a nominal president from the Shan minority group. Sao Shwe Thaik served as the first president of independent Burma from 1948 to 1952. Burma is a union formed by different ethnic nationalities at the Panglong Agreement 1947.

If a black person who belongs to a small ethnic group in the US can be given a chance to lead the free world, Burma would be wise to give an equal opportunity to potential leaders from its ethnic groups that make up about 40 percent of the population.

Participation and inclusiveness can make all nations stronger and better. Should Burma fail to understand this reality, its socio-political conflicts will continue to persist even after the restoration of democracy.

Barack Obama’s election as the 44th president of the US has made many people around the world feel that they personally share in the spirit of American democracy. His election not only gives new hope to millions of Americans, but it also illustrates a way forward for ethnic groups in Burma.

Nehginpao Kipgen is the General Secretary of US-based Kuki International Forum (www.kukiforum.com) and a researcher on the rise of political conflicts in modern Burma (1947-2004). The article first appeared in The China Post.