Many Shan also feel that educational institutions discriminate against the Shan as well as other ethnic nationalities (Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, 2010). Most Shan people in the south trade with Thailand and Shan people in the north with China. The law also states that ethnic groups such as the Kachin, Kayah, Karen, Chin, Burman, Mon, Rakhine, Shan and others that resided in Myanmar prior to the 1824-1826 Anglo-Burmese War are considered full Myanmar citizens. In 2013, the number had climbed to 92% (UNODC, 2013). The Shan number approximately 6 million, but a population census has not been taken. The Shan group is the next largest of the ethnic groups in Myanmar, after the Bamar. In the 2016 census, 1.8 million people reported being of Chinese origin. After the Burmese military government refused to honour the election results and to hand over power, members of the SNLD suffered harassment much in the same way as other prominent political opposition party members. While the Shan State Army (SSA) signed a union-level ceasefire with the Burmese army on May 19, 2012, fighting has broken out between SSA and government troops a number of times since the ceasefire was signed. Shan refugees in Thailand are particularly vulnerable as they are not recognised by the Thai government and have not been allowed to set up camps in Thailand’s soil. Most Shan, however, with the exception of those living in the relatively isolated easternmost strip of Myanmar, are closer culturally to the Burman people. According to TBC (2013c), over 125,000 remain internally displaced in the state, all in desperate need of basic supplies such as water, food, and medicine. In most cases the Shan speaking different dialects can understand each other. Like the other states in the country after independence, however, Shan state lost much of its autonomy under the constitution of 1974. Similarly to the Karen and the Arakanese, the Shan perceived the Burman as being one and the same with the Burmese military. Canada’s cultural diversity strengthens the country socially, politically and economically in innumerable ways. According to SHRF & SWAN (2012), the traditional rural Shan society is male-dominated and women play no role in decision-making at the community level: Men occupy all leading positions in the public sphere, serving as village chiefs and members of village and temple committees. Other main groups include the Nagas, who live in north Burma and are estimated to number more than 100,000, constituting another complex family of Tibetan-Burmese language subgroups. Shan is characterized by tall, with light skin. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Some smaller Shan communities can also be found in parts of Mandalay Division, Kachin State, Karen State, and in adjacent regions of China and Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Indian Canadians are Canadians with ancestry from India.The term Indo-Canadian or East Indian, is sometimes used to avoid confusion with the Indigenous Peoples of Canada.Categorically, Indian Canadians comprise a subgroup of South Asian Canadians which is a further subgroup of Asian Canadians.According to Statistics Canada, Indian Canadians are one of the fastest growing … However, I may have misunderstood this, as he may just have been saying this part of Burma is part of the infamous Shan State, which is the home of several armed ethnic armies and parts of which are outside the … Increased militarisation and large-scale attacks by the Burma Army have continued in 2014, as reported by the Shan Human Rights Foundation (see e.g. Most Shan are farmers, living in the river valley and isolated basin on the Shan Plateau. A large number of the population in the Shan State lives below the poverty line, and education is lacking especially in rural areas of the state. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The Karen, or Kayin, people have a population in the country of close to 3,604,000. In 2012, Shan State accounted for no less than 88% of opium production in Burma (UNODC, 2012). The Shan State Army (SSA) was formed in the 1964 and remains active today. As civil war divides families, many sons have died fighting against the Burmese government or have joined the secessionist Shan … Residents in several cities across the Shan state–from Taunggyi in Shan’s south to Muse in the north–have joined the nationwide protest to reject the military coup. Shan opposition groups also run schools on the Thailand-Burma border, where the Shan language is taught and used as the medium of instruction. The other half of the Shan reside in communi- ties spread over Mandalay Division, Kachin and Karen States. The Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) reported over 30 violations of their ceasefire agreement by the Burmese military during 2012, with skirmishes continuing into 2013 (see TBC, 2013, p. 14). They were one of several ethnic groups consulted by Aung San during negotiations leading up to the Panglong Agreement, which gave the Shan leaders the option to split from Myanmar a decade after independence if they were unsatisfied with the central government. The Shan are ethnically linked to the Thai, and speak a similar language. Despite the dominance of the Burmese language throughout most of the state, there are also many Shan in rural ethnic villages who do not speak the Burmese language. Most of them are Theravada Buddhists, with some elements of animist practices, and speak a language which is part of the Tai-Kadai language family, and closely related to Thai and Lao. Most of these villagers are still not allowed to return home, and over half are estimated to have fled as refugees to Thailand (SHRF & SWAN, 2012). Across the centuries the Shan State has witnessed a volatile history both of armed conflict and of cultural interchange (Smith, 1994). Many of the protesters in those states dressed in their own ethnic attire, holding the flags of each ethnic group, and their demands reflect those around the country. The clashes have also been accompanied by grave human rights violations in ceasefire areas, particularly in northern Shan State where local organisations such as Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF), Palaung Women’s Organisation (PWO) and Ta’ang Student and Youth Organisation (TSYO) have reported cases of rape, killing, portering and other forced labour, arbitrary arrest and torture as well as looting and destroying property (see SHRF, April, 2013, December, 2013, March, 2014, June, 2014; PWO & TSYO, May, 2013, respectively). They actually did manage to form an umbrella organization with the aim to forge Shan national unity, which should include all sub-ethnic groups within the Shan state as a whole and to be Many have however, turned to farming opium which has become a substantial problem in the state. explorASIAN/Asian Heritage Month is an ideal occasion for all to celebrate the beauty and wisdom of various… The Shan people are the largest ethnic group in Shan State and the second largest in Myanmar. The Shan are an ethnic group of Southeast Asia. The Head Monk told me he had been a Teacher and Musician before he was a Monk and I thought he said that all the Monks were of the Shan ethnic group although they were Thai. It is estimated that Burmese army oppression, forcible relocations, and persecution have driven an estimated 300,000 Shan across the Thailand-Burma border. HIV/AIDS and serious drug problems are prevalent in the state. On May 9, Burma Army reportedly launched an attack against Shan bases on the China-Burma border, resulting in over 800 local people fleeing across the border to China (KP, May, 2013). In the late 20th century they numbered more than 4 million. Shaan Shahid, Pakistani actor, model, writer and film director; MC Shan, rapper; Liu Shan, second emperor of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period. (Photo: Liz Bordo). On April 15, 2013, Burma Army shelled two villages in the same area, causing two injuries and two houses burnt down (KP, April, 2013). In a survey research conducted in Burma in 2009 (Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, 2010), all Shan interviewees cited good relationships between the Shan and other ethnics, with the exception of the Burman who were perceived as being different from ethnic nationality groups. The name for the Tai ethnic group of Myanmar is "Shan." Shan, Shan Tai, Southeast Asian people who live primarily in eastern and northwestern Myanmar (Burma) and also in Yunnan province, China. Although there are different forms of written languages, Lik-Tai is mostly used as a written form of Shan. Similarly to the Burman and Mon, most Shan boys also ordain as monks for a short period of time. USDP representatives in eastern Shan did not answer repeated calls for comment. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). While this condition was stipulated in the constitution, it was never honoured. The Shan carried on a considerable trade for centuries with the Burman who live to the west in the Irrawaddy River valley and with the Chinese to the north in Yunnan. In 1922 most of the states joined the Federated Shan state, which had considerable local autonomy. Although the vast majority of Shan are Theravada Buddhist, there are also some Shan Christians. Once harvest, tea leaves are dried and largely exported to China. The Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) was formed during the 1990 elections, in which it won the second highest number of seats, second only to NLD (e.g. Although much of the Shan territory thus consists of uplands, the people live primarily in the valleys and stretches of plain between the uplands. Soldiers from the Shan State Army-South march in formation during a military parade at Loi Tai Leng, the group's headquarters, on the Thai-Myanmar border. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. As in 2015, the SNLD is again contesting seats in Mandalay Region and in Kachin and Kayah states, mostly in areas with ethnic Shan populations. The main ethnic groups living in the seven ethnic minority states of Burma are the Karen, Shan, Mon, Chin, Kachin, Rakhine and Karenni. Even after the British colonisation, the Shan were allowed to continue self-rule. Persecution of ethnic groups, including the Shan, continues. An official government policy of Burmanisation and open discrimination against ethnic nationalities followed and many human rights violations, especially in ethnic border areas including the Shan State, became systemised under the Ne Win regime. The Karen National Union—the other major ethnic group amongst the NCA signatories—has also just released its response to the junta’s invitation, which is even more hard-hitting, demanding that the military withdraw troops from civilian areas, release all prisoners, roll back all laws and changes introduced by the coup leaders that violate human rights, return to the barracks and renounce politics, … Clashes between Burma army and SSA caused about 1000 locals to flee their villages in northern Shan State during April 2013 (Shan Herald, April, 2013). The ethnic majority here is the population of four million Shan, though they actually call themselves Tai or Dai, the word ‘Shan’ having been derived by the British from Siam. In 2010, under a constitution drafted by the military government, a military-dominated civilian government was voted into office. Various ethnic resistance movements have operated in the Shan State over the past 40 years. Villagers grow tea on the mountainside in Palaung village, Shan State. Most ethnic Shan live in Shan State, though there are also pockets in other parts of Burma such as in Kachin State. Burmese army campaigns have involved large-scale forced relocation of villages to strategic sites near army bases where civilians can be closely guarded. The surrounding hill country is occupied by aboriginal peoples who live in economic symbiosis with the Shan. AIPMC, 2005). Shan State - Wikipedia This ushered in a vicious circle of internal disorders and external challenges by the Arakanese, Mons, Mongols and Shans. Their language, commonly known as Shan, belongs to the Tai linguistic group, which also includes the Thai and Lao languages. Corrections? Canadians who identify themselves as being of Chinese ethnic origin make up about 4.6% of the Canadian population, or about 1.57 million people according to the 2016 census. It is noteworthy that during the Federated Shan States period that all non-Shan ethnic groups had their own rulers, such as the Wa, Palaung, Pa-O, Danu and so on. Many Shan celebrations follow the Buddhist calendar, the most important celebrations including Thingyan (the Water Festival), Full Moon Festival, Shan New Year in November, and Shan National Day on February 7. A large number of the illiterate belong to the Shan ethnic group. The Chinese Canadian community is the largest ethnic group of Asian Canadians, consisting approximately 40% of the Asian Canadian population. Publishing information in languages other than Burmese has been difficult and can result in arrests. The nearby area has Lahu, Akha and Shan villages, all protected by the SSA-S. Loi Kaw Wan has about 3,000 internally displaced persons and 65 orphaned children. The SSPP is the one of seven holdover groups that have yet to sign the NCA, which also included the United Wa State Army (UWSA) and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the two biggest armed ethnic groups in the country. Shifting (slash-and-burn) cultivation is practiced otherwise, and this has resulted in considerable deforestation. Shan village children near Hsipaw, Shan state. Shan, Shan Tai, Southeast Asian people who live primarily in eastern and northwestern Myanmar (Burma) and also in Yunnan province, China. The Shan economy is based almost entirely on rice farming where irrigation is available. Shan State is the unitary successor state to the Burmese Shan States, the princely states that were under some degree of control of the Irrawaddy valley-based Burmese kingdoms. Brain drain is another important issue affecting the Shan as many young educated Shan leave the state in search of better work opportunities (Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, 2010). Shan society was traditionally divided into a class of farmer commoners and a hereditary nobility who furnished both local chiefs and the ruling head of the Shan state. Shan. The Shan are extremely conscious of their ethnic identity. This has resulted in high prices throughout much of the state and the inability of many Shan to afford common amenities. They have close relatives to Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Tay, Nung of Vietnam. SHRF statements in March, June, and July, 2014). (Photo: Sai Kwan). The Shan interviewees also expressed a strong desire for equality among the different groups in Burma (Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, 2010). Tai people refers to the population of descendants of speakers of a common Tai language, including sub-populations that no longer speak a Tai language.There is a total of about 93 million people of Tai ancestry worldwide, with the largest ethnic groups being Dai, Thais, Isan, Tai Yai, Lao, Ahom, and Northern Thai peoples.. The Shan are the largest minority group in Myanmar, making up nearly one-tenth of the nation’s total population. Shan language can be divided into three groups; eastern Shan dialect is closer to northern Thai dialect, the southern Shan dialect has borrowed some Burmese words, and the northern Shan dialect has Chinese influences (Thein Lwin, 2011). Closely related to the Kayin is the Kayah group of ethnic nationalities, also known … The people of Shan State can be divided into nine primary ethnic groups: the Shan, Pa-O, Intha, Lahu, Lisu, Taungyo, Danu, Ta'ang, Ahka, and Jinghpaw (Kachin). Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership. As there are no reliable population figures for Burma since the Second World War, the size of the Shan … When they seized power illegally and started killing unarmed civilians it became unacceptable, Yawd Serk, the Shan ethnic leader who is also head of the group … Burma Link advocates for the rights of Burma’s marginalised ethnic nationalities and displaced conflict-affected communities, and amplifies the voices of these disempowered and disenfranchised populations. The Burmese military forcibly maintains control over the country's various ethnic groups, especially the Shan, who wish to have equal importance in government and commerce. The Shans are the descendants of Thais driven from Yunnan in the 13th century. Most live on the Shan Plateau, which is seamed by low mountains and masses of broken, forested hills. Shan is Burma’s largest ethnic nationality group. Karen. Efforts by Shan and other ethnic leaders to negotiate with the Burmese government for more equitable rights for their people ended abruptly with the military coup of 1962, when the Burmese army, led by General Ne Win, seized power. Especially in the central and southern part of the state, local populations have suffered from horrendous human rights violations perpetrated by the Burma Army (see e.g. They settled in the high valleys of Myanmar where they founded the first Shan … In family life, men are regarded as the heads of the household, as illustrated by an old Shan proverb: “nang ying ker lii pho, to sat ker lii cao” (a woman respects her husband; an animal respects its master). Shan, as with all Tai groups, originated in what is now Southeast China. After their power declined, there were more than 30 small Shan states, most of which paid tribute to the Burman kings; under the British the Shan states of Burma were ruled by hereditary chiefs, subject to the crown. Asian North American History The significant events featured in this section acknowledge the long and rich history of Asian Canadians and their contributions to Canada. According to SHRF & SWAN (2012), the largest and most intensive forced relocation program was carried out in 1996-1997 in central Shan State where more than 300,000 people from over 1,400 villages were forced out of their homes into relocation sites. Omissions? No first date of arrival is mentioned in the law. The total population of the Shan people is estimated at around 4 million. (Photo: Liz Bordo), A motorbike loaded with foodstuffs at the morning market in Hsipaw, Shan State. Ethnic Chinese are increasingly migrating to the Shan State where they have set up major businesses and bought much of the traditional land. (Photo: Sai Kwan), Dear Friends and Colleagues, due to current lack of resources, @BurmaLink is pausing information sharing until such… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…, New report and documentary 'The Attran River to Pyar Taung' details the damaging impact of Mawlamyine Cement Ltd's… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…. Village in Loi Kaw Wan, Shan State. Despite their importance to the Canadian economy, including the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), many European Canadians were historically hostile to Chinese immigration. In the late 20th century they numbered more than 4 … Monks are also commonly asked for guidance and leadership in Shan communities. The Burman were viewed negatively due to the volatile history and Burmanisation. As Shan is not taught in government-sponsored schools, Shan Buddhist monasteries are the main source of the promotion and preservation of Shan language and culture in the Shan State. They are … The Shans migrated into Myanmar from China, to the north, many centuries ago, and settled in the valleys. Several armed Shan separatist groups were formed in the 1960s, although by the late 20th century their principal interest had apparently become the illegal production and export of opium from areas near the border with Thailand, an area known as the Golden Triangle. Many Shan NGO workers expressed that the international community does not play a role in Burma and that in order to work effectively the international community should learn more about the ethnic groups in Burma and create more dialogue between international actors and ethnic groups. Copyright 2013-2021 Burma Link | All Rights Reserved |, Foreign Relations and International Response, International Community Role for the Future, ‘We Can’t Wait to Get Peace Because People Are Dying… We Have to Work on the Ground to Seek Justice and Equality’: Khun Oo, General Secretary of the PYO — PART 2, ‘When You Talk About Peace, You Have to Talk to Your Enemies, You Have to Talk with Them Even More Than Your Friends’: Khun Oo, General Secretary of the PYO — PART 1. Some divisions were also cited to exist between the northern and southern Shan people. The Shan State used to be divided into over 30 principalities, which were ruled by their own hereditary chieftains. They dominated much of Myanmar from the 13th to the 16th century. Frontier could not verify this claim and it was not featured in any reports by election observer groups. Updates? Unrest in coup-hit Myanmar has thrown the spotlight on some of the country’s armed ethnic groups who control an estimated third of the country’s territory. The Shan are the largest minority group in Myanmar, making up nearly one-tenth of the nation’s total population. T he Shan Hills, rising from the Burmese lowlands toward China, are crammed with ethnic groups that have long chafed against any centralized authority: among … A lot of Shan patriots and as well ordinary Shan citizens have been pondering on how unity could be achieved among the four stakeholder parties, the two Shan armies and two political parties. SHRF & SWAN, 2012). [55] Should the international community succeed in the mentioned issues some Shan suggest that they could aid Burma through education. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Since then the Shan have frequently been at odds with the national government over the issue of local autonomy. Shan State Army – South (SSA-S) military base camp in Loi Kaw Wan, Shan State. They established kingdoms and expanded their territory, often in conflict with other ethnic groups such as the Burmese (Burman). Health facilities in the Shan State are poor and much of the business in the state is focused on cross-border trade and sex industry (Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, 2010). According to most estimates ethnic Shan make up 9% of Burma’s population and about half of the population in the Shan State. The Shan are Theravada Buddhists and have their own written language and literature. Shan is the second biggest ethnic group forming 9% of the population, approximate- ly half of which lives in the Shan state on the northeastern hilly part of Myanmar. The Burmese military has responded by steadily building up their military presence in the area and by carrying out large-scale counter-insurgency campaigns targeting civilians. The Shan live primarily in the Shan State of Myanmar (sometimes known as Burma), and in adjacent parts of China, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. However, special condition for the Wa existed according to historical fact. Their close relatives, the Thais, often refer to the Shan as Tai Yai (‘big Thai’), and the Shan call their land Muang Tai rather than Shan State. They were undoubtedly formerly little distinguishable from Tai Dam, Lao and so on, though a millennium of relative isolation on Burma’s Shan Plateau has led to their cultural distinctiveness. Chinese Canadians are one of the largest ethnic groups in the country. Most Shan earn their living as farmers, growing rice, tea, mangoes, avocadoes, and other vegetables. (Photo: Liz Bordo). Kayah / Karenni. Most teachers are Burman and the medium of instruction is Burmese. Most of these schools have decided to omit Burmese language from their curriculum. The Shan signed the Panglong agreement in 1947, in which they agreed to join the Union of Burma on the condition of being granted the right to secede after 10 years. The group is comprised of the ethnic armed groups, Restoration Council of Stan State and the Shan State Progress Party, which are fighting each other, as well as the two biggest political parties the state, the Shan National League for Development and the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party, and the Sin Kyawt Militia, are among the members of the group. Shan people, Southeast Asian ethnic group inhabiting Myanmar Shan language; Dai people, also known as Shan, ethnic group in China; Shanrong (山戎), term for "mountain barbarian" in Shanxi, Hubei in northern China; Individuals. Shan people accounted for about 9% of the population of Myanmar, is the 2nd main ethnic group in Myanmar after Burmese.