Burma's forgotten conflicts

This paper states that the focus of the public on the trial of Aung San Suu Kyi is obscuring the tension that is brewing between the central government in the heartland inhabited by the Burman ethnic majority and the armed organizations of ethnic minorities that control territories along the border. Burma is one of the most heterogeneous countries in the world with over 100 different ethnic groups. Since its independence there has been unending conflict between the central government and the non-Burman population.

The paper makes the following observations:

• The military junta which came into power in 1988 has relied on negotiating ceasefires. The regime has been satisfied with the existing ceasefires and has refrained from using force. But despite the ceasefires, there is no peace.
  
• There is considerable variation in the strength, involvement in trans-border crimes and governance of the ceasefire groups.
  
• The ceasefires are economically very important to Burma’s neighbours, especially China
  
• The attempt of the regime to push through a new, centrist constitution, fans the flames of latent conflict rather than leading to a solution
  
• In case of an armed escalation of the conflicts, refugees will pour into neighbouring countries and trans-border criminal activities will intensify. Commercial interests of all the neighbouring countries will also suffer.

The paper concludes that neighbouring countries and the EU should play a constructive role by giving more attention to the growing tensions between the Burmese government and the non-Burman groups. They should draw up fundamental principles to facilitate peaceful cohabitation of the different ethnic groups of Burma.