Statelessness Working Paper Series 2016/04 deserved of a homeland in Burma,93 both on radio by the then Prime Minister U Nu who referred to the political loyalty of the Rohingya Muslims94 to Myanmar, as well as the official 1964 Encyclopaedia which noted that Rakhine State was “seventy-five per cent Rohingya”95, not Bengali. It is not the Rohingya’s eligibility for citizenship or health rights that has changed since the outbreak of WWII, but rather the internal political landscape of Myanmar.96 Galache corroborates this sentiment when he argues that the Rohingya identity is no more ‘invented’ than any other, but rather the “story of its ethnogenesis does not fit easily in the all too narrow concept of ‘national races’ as is currently understood”97 in Myanmar. 5.6 Political barriers to the right to health (ii): Buddhist Nationalism and the anti-Islamic narrative It could be argued that present day Buddhism and nationalism in Myanmar have become almost inseparably intertwined, a common trend amongst countries which practice the Theravada Buddhism subdivision of Buddhism.98 Historically, the well-being of the Buddhist community was viewed as a revealing indication of the strength of the nation as a whole; therefore, one can assume that a threat to Buddhism acts simultaneously as a threat to the fabric of Myanmar society and nationhood.99 In 2012 Ashin Wirathu, a well-respected Monk amongst Buddhists who is infamous for his radical antiMuslim views, demonstrated his desire to ‘protect’ Myanmar by calling citizens to support President Thein’s proposal of removing 800,000 Rohingya to a new country of residence to terminate their threat to the “Motherland” of Myanmar.100 This modern sense of nationalism, which has aligned itself with anti-Muslim rhetoric, is inherently linked to the barring of citizenship for Rohingya and acts as one of the greatest obstacles towards improving access to health care and safeguarding the health rights of Rohingya. Whilst Buddhist narratives of nationalism, vocalised by influential and highly respected monks, are entrenched with anti-Muslim sentiments the chances of the Rohingya being accepted as national citizens remains significantly diminished. It is within the political landscape of Myanmar, characterised by Islamophobia, where the nexus of citizenship, nationalism, and religion are most acutely felt, and pose the greatest threat to the Rohingya’s securing of the right to health through citizenship. 5.7 Solutions to the political problems affecting the right to health: Open communication & the reformulation of Buddhist nationalism Therefore, in light of these political difficulties, will the Rohingya ever have the opportunity to secure an effective right to health? In short, yes. Opportunities of hope do remain for the Rohingya to procure health right protection, and there remain three potential solutions to facilitate this safeguarding and heighten ethnic acceptance within Myanmar. Firstly, there is great need for open discussion on the subject of the Rohingya’s plight, as well as the political space to facilitate this. In conjunction, it is fundamental that Myanmar fosters inter-community and inter-faith dialogue that respectfully permits members of the public and lower-ranking monks to question the interpretations of Buddhist teaching from other high-ranking monks. This is essential if the narrative of hate, suspicion and islamophobia, which has infiltrated the Myanmar consciousness at present, is to be undermined and dismantled. 93 U Gyi, ‘Transcript of Speech by Deputy Commander-in-Chief Brigadier General Aung Gyi’ (1961) Ahlin Newspaper, 5-6; M Zarni & A Cowley, ‘The Slow-Burning Genocide of Myanmar’s Rohingya’ (2014) 23(3) Pac Rim L & Pol'y J 94 U Nu, ‘Lessons from the Religious Conflict for the State in Myanmar’ (1954) Radio Address to the Nation of Myanmar on September 25. On file with M Zarni & A Cowley 95 Myanmar Encyclopedia, (1964) Union of Myanmar 96 D Tonkin, ‘The R-word and its ramifications’ (2014) Democratic Voice of Burma 97 C Galache, ‘Rohingya and national identities in Burma’ (2014) New Mandela 98 BBC, Religions: Theravada Buddhism (2012) Online 99 M Walton, ‘Myanmar Needs a New Nationalism’ (2013) Asia Times Online 100 Ibid 13