Abstract
This chapter presents an overview of the diverse nature of Myanmar’s conflicts and investigates their root causes. This includes a brief look at the historical dimensions of Myanmar’s long-standing conflicts, before addressing more recent processes of political transition and contemporary conflict dynamics. The chapter then outlines the renewal of peace negotiations, with a particular focus on the inter-election period of the Thein Sein government prior to the change in political rule in 2016. Finally, the chapter concludes with a discussion of the position that education occupies within the peacebuilding architecture.
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Notes
- 1.
This neutralising phrase is rapidly becoming the government and military’s preferred framing of the atrocities, as illustrated by statements from the President’s Office (OHCHR 2017b).
- 2.
In 2000, the Ministry of Education received only 7.5% of the national budget, while the Ministry of Defense was allocated 40% (CRPP, 2000 cited in Lwin 2000). Although since reforms began in 2011 education budgets have increased they remain low (MoE 2013; UNESCO 2014), and have been a point of contention for student protestors and opposition groups (int. 110)
- 3.
As illustrative of the overlapping conflict dimensions, the All Burma Student Democratic Front, although a non-state armed group (NSAG) and not an ethnic armed group (EAG), is included in the ethnic ceasefire negotiations as a UNFC alliance member.
- 4.
The 8 EAGs signing the NCA are the Karen National Union (KNU), the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA), the Karen Peace Council (KNU/KNLA-PC), the Chin National Front (CNF), the Pa-Oh National Liberation Organisation (PNLO), the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), the Restoration Council Shan State (RCSS/SSA-S) and the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF) (Keenan 2015).
- 5.
Some additional international observers have in the past attended isolated meetings including delegates from China and the UK.
- 6.
Examples of such organisations include the Shan Women’s Action Network and the Karen Women’s Organisation. See also Maber (2016a).
- 7.
Although the majority of its 13 member organisations are based within Myanmar, the Women’s League of Burma (WLB) itself is based in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
- 8.
This view was expressed by several interviewed in the context of the research, including in ints. 9 and 110 with community leaders engaged in peace and education advocacy.
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Maber, E.J.T. (2019). Conflict and Peacebuilding: Background, Challenges and Intersections with Education. In: Lopes Cardozo, M., Maber, E. (eds) Sustainable Peacebuilding and Social Justice in Times of Transition. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93812-7_3
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