Description:
Introduction:
"This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the first ceasefire
agreements in Burma, which put a stop to decades of
fighting between the military government and a wide range
of ethnic armed opposition groups. These groups had
taken up arms against the government in search of more
autonomy and ethnic rights.
The military government has so far failed to address the
main grievances and aspirations of the cease-fire groups.
The regime now wants them to disarm or become Border
Guard Forces. It also wants them to form new political
parties which would participate in the controversial 2010
elections. They are unlikely to do so unless some of their
basic demands are met. This raises many serious questions
about the future of the cease-fires.
The international community has focused on the
struggle of the democratic opposition led by Aung San
Suu Kyi, who has become an international icon. The ethnic
minority issue and the relevance of the cease-fire agreements
have been almost completely ignored.
Ethnic conflict needs to be resolved in order to bring about
any lasting political solution. Without a political settlement
that addresses ethnic minority needs and goals it is
extremely unlikely there will be peace and democracy in
Burma. Instead of isolating and demonising the cease-fire
groups, all national and international actors concerned
with peace and democracy in Burma should actively
engage with them, and involve them in discussions about
political change in the country.
This paper explains how the cease-fire agreements came
about, and analyses the goals and strategies of the ceasefire
groups. It also discusses the weaknesses the groups face
in implementing these goals, and the positive and negative
consequences of the cease-fires, including their effect on
the economy. The paper then examines the international
responses to the cease-fires, and ends with an overview of
the future prospects for the agreements"
Source/publisher:
Transnational Insititute
Date of Publication:
2009-07-00
Date of entry:
2009-07-19
Grouping:
- Individual Documents
Category:
Language:
English
Local URL:
Format:
pdf
Size:
1.74 MB