The Dilemma of Violent Extremism and Conflict Escalation among Youths in Myanmar

Radicalisation and violent extremism remain a global concern that hinders peacebuilding in many ways. As youths become radicalised and participate in ethnic armies in Myanmar, their engagements are motivated by ethnonationalism agendas. Ethnonationalism encompasses the demand for political recognition, resource and territorial control, and liberation from structural injustices and repressive systems that marginalise ethnic minorities. These demands emerge from feelings of relative deprivation and frustration, which force ethnic armed organisations (EAOs) to seek recognition for their local constituencies. While several contemporary conversations conceptualise radicalisation and extremism in Myanmar from religious perspectives, they ignore the proliferation of political violence through ethnic ideologies as a form of extremism. Therefore, a clear understanding of extremism emerges when research questions why and how people radicalise, particularly when the phenomenon is viewed as an ‘ecology’ – a system with interconnected elements. Thus, the absence of systemic assessment of the structural factors that perpetuate vertical and horizontal forms of violence in Myanmar impedes a clear understanding of the complexity of the conflicts, and the motivations for youth indulgence in extremism. This research contributes to the understanding of politically-motivated grievances as a significant driver of violent extremism in Myanmar. Using research findings, it argues that violent extremism among youths in Myanmar is politically-motivated, emerging due to structural injustices perpetrated against ethnic minorities. These feelings result from relative deprivation, frustration and aggression, and the quest for significance, spurring a resolve to liberate one’s ethnic group from repressive and hegemonic political systems that impede participatory opportunities to decision-making and leadership.