Demystifying Myanmar’s Transition and Political Crisis

Foreword
Acknowledgements
Contents
Notes on Contributors
List of Figures
List of Tables
Part I Transition and the Periphery
1 Myanmar’s Path to Democracy from 2016–2021: Progress, Limitations and Disruptions
	Deepening Crises: An Overview
	Reflections from the Periphery: The Kyainseikgyi Flood
	Reflections from the Pandemic, Election, and Coup: Chapter Highlights
	References
2 The Role of Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar’s Transition (2011–2021)
	Introduction
	The Asymmetry of Power
	Tatmadaw’s Planned Political System
	The 2011 Reforms
	Aung San Suu Kyi’s Dilemma
	Navigating the Disciplined Democracy
	The Uneasy but Manageable Cohabitation
	The Second Plebiscite and the Fourth Coup
	Conclusion
	References
3 Human Security and the Roles of Ethnic Women’s Organisations in Transitional Myanmar
	Introduction
	Human Security
	Security, Development, and Peace
	Human Security Challenges in Myanmar
	A Case of Mon Women’s Organization (MWO)
		Promotion of Human Security by MWO
	Conclusion
	References
4 Evaluation of the Equality of Education on Basic Education Standard in Chin State, Burma/Myanmar
	Introduction
	Brief Background of Chin State
	Overview of Basic Education in Burma/Myanmar
	Evaluation on Basic Education System in Chin State
		State Government's Weak Decision-Making Power
		Teacher Insufficiency and Incompetency
		Promotion of School Level
		Insecurity
		Poor School Infrastructure
		The Border Areas and Ethnic National Races Youth Development Schools (Na Ta La)
	Evaluation of the Situation on Basic Education Standard in Chin State
	References
5 Non-State Actors on the IDPs in Kachin: Provision of Humanitarian Assistance and Protection of Justice
	Background of the Kachin Conflict
	Understanding the Context of Non-State Actors’ Major Role in Kachin State
	Churches: Shelters for IDPs and Their Protection
	The Role of Churches in Protecting IDPs for Justice
	The Effort of Churches for IDPs Returns and Resettlement
	Conclusion
6 Public Health Reform and Transition in Burma/Myanmar
	Background
	References
7 Redrawing or Blurring the Boundary? Observations of Naga People’s Political Struggles and Local Cross-Border Trade Practices
	Introduction
	History of the Naga
	Political Struggle of the Naga People
	Indo-Myanmar Border Trade
	Grihang Village and Border Trade
	Conclusion
	Postscript: Possible Transition in the Border Area
	References
8 Myanmar on the Road Towards the 2020 Elections: A Pre-electoral Assessment
	Introduction
	Legal Framework in Brief
	Election Administration
		Institutional Organisation and Composition
	Voter Registration
	Political Parties and Electoral Campaign
		Political Party Landscape
		Political Party and Candidate Registration
		Campaign Regulation
		Campaign Finance
	Elections and Conflict
		The Potential Cancellation of Elections
		Conflict in Rakhine State
	Social Media and Elections
	Election Observation
		Towards Election Day
	Post-Scriptum
	Selected Sources and Further Readings
Part II From Challenges to Unity
9 The Politics of Space: Naypyidaw and the Ghosts of Yangon
	The Ghosts of Yangon
	The Insurgent City and a Host of Green Nats
	Yangon Landscapes: The Visible and Invisible City
	From Yangon to Naypyidaw
	Sacred Spaces and Identity: The Upattasanti Pagoda
	Conclusion: Placelessness
	References
10 Myanmar’s Peace Process and Ceasefire Monitoring Mechanism: A Post-mortem
	Background
	Stalemate and Suspicion
	Ceasefire Monitoring in Divided Societies: An Overview
		Recent Ceasefire Monitoring Experiences: Sudan, Indonesia, Sri Lanka
		Aceh, Indonesia
		Sri Lanka
	Myanmar’s JMC
	The JMC’s Co-option
	Non-Tatmadaw Experiences in the JMC
	The End of the Process
	Looking into the Future
	References
11 A Paradise Lost in the Indo-Pacific? Great Power Politics and International Relations of the Myanmar Tragedy
	A Coup from Within? Three Images and the Myanmar Coup
	International Society and the Myanmar Crisis: The Three Paradigms
	A Tragic Coda: Myanmar as Asia’s Next Failed State?
	References
12 Difficult Development Trade-Offs Amidst ‘Transition’: Exploring Power and Politics in Post-2010 Myanmar
	Introduction
	Development Theory and Practice Since 1945: A Brief Overview
	Engaging with the Difficult Trade-Offs That Surround Processes of Development: Four Starting Points
		Development as a Disruptive Process
		Incorporating Power Relations into Analysis of Development Processes
		Engaging with the ‘Distributive Impacts’ of Development
		A Relational Framework for Analysing Poverty, Inequality and Economic Growth
	Rural Development Strategies in Myanmar: A Political Economy Approach
	Conclusion
	Funding Statement
	References
13 The World Is Not “Flat”: Limits to Development and Control on a Burmese Periphery
	Background
	An Ecology of Conflict and Control
	AA’s Arrival in Paletwa
	The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army
	ARSA and AA: A Major Difference
		ARSA’s Future
	Conclusion
	References
14 Patterns of Japanese Development Assistance for Social Transformation in Reform-Era Myanmar
	Background
	Japanese Interest in Myanmar
	Japanese Aid to Myanmar, 2005–2019
	Methodology
		Aid Amounts
	Sectoral Allocations
	Sectoral Distribution of ODA-Subsidized NGO Projects
		Assistance to Myanmar Civil Society
	Regional Allocations
	Regional Distribution of ODA-Subsidized NGO Projects and Grassroots/Human Security Projects
	Parallel Dual-Track Civil Society Initiatives
	Discussion
	Conclusion
	References
15 Restoring the Culture of Peace in Locals: Agent of Change from Myanmar’s Periphery
	Introduction
	Women and Culture of Peace
	Proactive and Responsive Activities by Ethnic Women’s Organisations in Myanmar
	Agents of Grassroots Social Transformation: A Case Study of EWOs
		Commonality in Diversity
		Ensuring Coherence from Vision to Action to Campaign
		Transferring a Culture of Peace to the Grassroots Community
	Conclusion
	References
16 Myanmar at a “Point of No Return”: Unity Reborn Despite Junta’s Terrorization
	Outside Perceptions and Inside Reality
	Coups in Myanmar: Similarities and Differences
	The Military Terrorizes, the People Defend
	Path Towards the Death of Tyranny and Birth of a New Nation
	References
Index