Military government and self-defense:

a revaluation of the Burmese ethnic conflict from the philosophy of violence

Abstract

Ethnicity and conflict have scarred recent Burmese history. Successive military governments grabbed power and sowed division within society by marginalizing the country´s different ethnic minorities. Relying on a restrictive concept of national identity, the armed forces gradually limited these minorities position both in politics and in society. Self defense in the form of ethnic armed groups was seen as the only viable strategy that could guarantee life and minimum margins of freedom. This article reflects on the relationship between military power and ethnic life in Myanmar. The historical origin of the conflict is stablished, and a brief description of the multi-ethnic context is presented. By bringing elements from the philosophy of violence, we can analise in detail the self defense that different ethnic armed groups exercise and its link with the value(s) assigned to the distinct life(s) within this case. Considering the most recent events, the possibility of a radical change that could unite Burmese society is discussed.