The Same Law, a Different Regime, but Better Relations: Changing perception of ethnic minorities in the aftermath of 2021 military coup Myanmar

Ethnic relations in Myanmar (former Burma) are shaped by its constitution and laws, which define Bamar as a constitutive part of the state, and with notable distances stipulate in a lower place in the hierarchy seven major ethnic minorities (so called “races”), 135 minor ethnic minorities, and legally unrecognized Rohingya population. We know that regime change often exacerbates ethnic conflict. This article examines the curious case of Myanmar, where a 2021 military coup was met, on the surface, with broad-based resistance across a divided society. An important question that therefore arises is whether, below the surface, this unity also took a more positive form of national solidarity. Were deep ethnic cleavages intensified or alleviated by the 2021 coup? This question bears theoretical relevance for the study of ethnic conflict and has social relevance for a nation marked by a long history of civil war and a recent experience of genocide against Rohingya Muslims. The article engages in a systematic examination of 180 social media posts uploaded in Burmese by key opinion leaders both before and after the coup. A qualitative analysis of major positive and negative themes indicates a shift in attitudes. The quantitative analysis shows that ethnic relations, measured by a change in themes, ratings and virality, improved significantly in the immediate aftermath of Myanmar’s 2021 coup. The improvement was apparent for all groups, including Ethnic groups and the Rohingyas.