Integration and Power-Sharing: What are the Future Options for Armed Non-State Actors in the Myanmar Peace Process?

Abstract

Introduction In Myanmar/Burma a core preoccupation is the ongoing peace process that will end 65 years of armed conflict in the resource-rich borderlands populated by ethnic minorities. This takes place alongside a transition from totalitarian military rule towards democracy and a rapid influx of international aid agencies and investors. In this article we engage with the wider debate about 'Demobilization, Disarmament and Reintegration' (DDR) programmes and argue that in the present Myanmar peacebuilding context it is highly unlikely that conventional DDR programmes will suffice to support stability and sustainable peace (