Burmese Indians in contemporary Burma: heritage, influence, and perceptions since 1988

The Art of Neighbouring. Making Relations Across China's Borders

“…4 About half of the Indian migrants brought by the British were Sunni Muslims. Their descendants now form the largest group among the three to four million Muslims in Myanmar today (Mahajani 1960, Chakravarti 1971, Yegar 1972, Khin Maung Kyi 2006, Taylor 2006, Egreteau 2011. The second largest group of Burmese Muslims are the Rohingyas, a segregated Sunni minority originated from the swampy borders between Bangladesh and Myanmar's Rakhine State.…”

“…In the late colonial era, the immigrated Indians acquired a disproportionate influence in the economy, security forces and administration of the Burmese colonial province (Khin Maung Kyi 2006, Egreteau 2011. Their success triggered strong Indophobic sentiments among local Burmese communities.…”

“…Their success triggered strong Indophobic sentiments among local Burmese communities. Resentment against the 'Kalas' (or 'foreigners from the West' in Burmese language) was far more blatant at the time than against any other 'outsiders', including the Chinese minorities (Khin Maung Kyi 2006, Egreteau 2011. After Myanmar's Independence in 1948, extensive 'Burmanization' programs were launched by the Burmese postcolonial state.…”

“…The deep-rooted 'Indophobia' in Myanmar, while remaining salient, has over time transformed into blunt 'Islamophobia' (Selth 2004, Egreteau 2011. It now primarily targets the Rohingya, considered as 'foreign' residents, but also affects the more integrated Burmese Muslim communities, such as the Panthay (Defert 2007, Nyi Nyi Kyaw 2008, Berlie 2008.…”

India’s Vanishing “Burma Colonies”. Repatriation, Urban Citizenship, and (De)Mobilization of Indian Returnees from Burma (Myanmar) since the 1960s

“…Resentment and harsh memories of colonial humiliation strongly contributed to the shaping of enduring negative perceptions of both India and the Indians in the Burmese postcolonial psyche (Egreteau 2011). The Union Citizenship Act, 1948 andLand Nationalization Act, 1948 (the latter revised in 1953) both proved strong obstacles for the Indian communities to repatriate back to independent Burma and recover their properties (Tinker 1959: 188).…”