The Prospect of Peace in Rakhine State: The ULA and Rebuilding the State by Dr Jacques Leider

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The Conflict and Resilience Research Institute Canada (CRRIC) hosted the 21st episode of its webinar series, titled “The Prospect of Peace in Rakhine State, the United League of Arakan, and the Rebuilding of the State.” The event featured Professor Dr. Jacques P. Leider, a leading historian of Arakan (Rakhine), who joined from Luxembourg to share his insights on the region’s history, identity politics, and contemporary conflict.

Treaty Recognition and Institutional Context

The session opened with land acknowledgment, recognizing that CRRIC is based on the original lands of the Anishinaabe, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and the homeland of the Métis Nation. The webinar also connected the upcoming Truth and Reconciliation Day in Canada (Sept. 30) to CRRIC’s mandate of studying conflict, genocide, statelessness, and resilience, with special emphasis on Myanmar through its project “Charting a Path to Lasting Peace in Myanmar,” supported by Global Affairs Canada.

Why Rakhine Matters

Speakers highlighted Rakhine State’s strategic importance:

  • Rise of the Arakan Army (AA) and United League of Arakan (ULA) as powerful ethnic organisations since 2009.

  • Rohingya displacement crisis since 2017, with most refugees in Bangladesh.

  • Geopolitical interest from China, India, and the U.S. through the Burma Act.

Professor Leider’s Key Reflections

Dr. Leider began with a historian’s perspective, cautioning against oversimplified narratives and identifying three main obstacles to reconciliation:

  1. Media Representation Since 2012 – International coverage often framed Rakhine only through Rohingya victimhood, sidelining Arakanese Buddhist perspectives.

  2. Denial and Distortion of History – Competing historical claims and ethnocentric narratives have hindered mutual understanding.

  3. Radicalisation and Armed Groups – Some Rohingya organisations aligned with Myanmar’s junta, complicating trust-building with the AA/ULA.

Despite these challenges, he noted emerging opportunities:

  • The AA/ULA’s state-building efforts since 2018, including inclusive governance and Muslim Affairs Committees.

  • Signs of Buddhist-Muslim cooperation, such as the reopening of mosques and reported Muslim participation in AA ranks.

  • A generational shift toward coexistence, as communities recall historical periods of complementarity rather than division.

Pathways Forward

Professor Leider stressed that reconciliation requires:

  • Inclusive governance guaranteeing justice and mobility for all groups.

  • Balanced historiography acknowledging both Buddhist and Muslim pasts.

  • Fluid cooperation to overcome entrenched mistrust.

  • Addressing basic needs in a region still facing severe humanitarian challenges.

Distinguished Participants

The webinar also welcomed Canadian scholars Professor Bob Anderson and Dr. Mohammed Zaman, along with advisors Dr. David Newman, Dr. Ernest Thiessen, and CRRIC’s founding director Dr. Hilal Mohideen. A forthcoming book publication with Springer, featuring contributions from Professor Leider, was also announced.


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