Civil Society Contributions to Myanmar's Peace Process
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Civil Society Catalyzing Contributions to Reflection Myanmar’s 3/2014 Peace Process Ja Nan Lahtaw Nang Raw Zahkung Nang Shan Lahpai Imprint Table of Contents swisspeace Catalyzing Reflection Series 2 swisspeace is an action-oriented peace research institute Acknowledgements 3 with headquarters in Bern, Switzerland. It aims to prevent the Acronyms 4 outbreak of violent conflicts and to enable sustainable conflict transformation. swisspeace is an Associated Institute of the Map of Myanmar 5 University of Basel and a member of the Swiss Academy of Humanities and Social Sciences (SAGW). 1 Introduction 6 2 Civil Society Contributions to Myanmar‘s Peace The Shalom (Nyein) Foundation Process 9 3 Overview of Civil Society Actors Currently Working From its humble beginning eleven years ago, the Shalom (Nyein) Foundation (SF) has continued to work toward the on the Peace Process 16 attainment of peace and development for the people of 4 Case Studies 24 Myanmar, successfully creating spaces for constructive dialogue between the government and the ethnic groups with 5 Reflection and Analysis 32 a vision of: a peaceful and just society for all the people in Myanmar; a society that practices good governance; and a 6 Recommendations 35 culture that rejects violence as a method for dealing with differences. The goal of the organization is to build sustainable peace with justice and a state that protects diversity by supporting an inclusive peace process. List of Tables and Figures Cover Photo Map of Myanmar 5 Public Consultation in Kayah State, 2012 Copyright: Jaw Gun Maran, Shalom (Nyein) Foundation SF Public Consultation Project 20 Annex 1: Peace Process Overview 39 Printed in Yangon, Myanmar Annex 2: List of Interviewees 40 swisspeace Sonnenbergstrasse 17 PO Box, 3000 Bern 7 www.swisspeace.org [email protected] © 2014 swisspeace 1 Catalyzing Reflection Series Acknowledgements Civil Society Contributions to Myanmar’s Peace Process is Special thanks go to the interviewees who provided input the third paper in a series of publications in which local for this paper, as well as those who helped make these actors involved in the ongoing peace processes in interviews possible. Myanmar step back and reflect on different dimensions of the ongoing process. Each of the publications in the series This paper was made possible through the close provides a deep analysis of different dimensions of the collaboration between the Shalom (Nyein) Foundation staff peace process: the importance of a gender analysis, the and the support of swisspeace. We would like to thank complexity of the ceasefire process, and the necessity of Rachel Gasser and Sara Hellmüller for their support of civil society in current peace efforts. this project all along its development. We would especially With the government of Myanmar and multiple armed like to acknowledge the extended support in the drafting groups now engaging in peace talks after more than 60 process by Julia Palmiano. years of conflict, this series, aptly entitled Catalyzing Reflection on Dialogue Processes among Parties in We gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the Myanmar, addresses the urgent need to document these Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, without which dimensions in order to better understand the country’s this paper would not have been possible. We would also complex and rapidly shifting peace process. like to extend our thanks to Thania Paffenholz and Katia Papagianni for their useful review of the text, as well as to The authors are Myanmar nationals, whose expertise in the Bryan Tomlinson for his editorial review. respective topics is based on their direct involvement on the ground. Their research and analyses speak directly to other Lastly, we would like to thank all the staff at the Shalom actors in the process, the larger Myanmar community, and (Nyein) Foundation for their understanding and support for international actors in supporting roles. We hope that this this project. series catalyzes more discussions and reflection to support current local, national and international peace efforts. 2 3 Acronyms Map of Myanmar BBC British Broadcasting Corporation CBO Community-based Organization CNF Chin National Front CPCS Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies CPTC Chin Peace and Tranquility Committee CR Conciliation Resources CSO Civil Society Organization EAO Ethnic Armed Organization GoM Government of Myanmar IDP Internally Displaced Person KPST Karen Peace Support Committee KIC Karen Information Center KNPP Karenni National Progressive Party KNU Karen National Union KSPMN Kayah State Peace Monitoring Network MPSI Myanmar Peace Support Initiative NCCT Nationwide Ceasefire CoordinationTeam NMSP New Mon State Party PPSP Peace Process Support Program SF The Shalom (Nyein) Foundation TNI BCN Transnational Institute Burma Center Netherlands UPWC Union Peace Working Committee 4 5 1 Introduction Introduction “Civil Society is alive in Myanmar today. In fact, it never (KNU), the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) and died…” (Kramer 2011) the New Mon State Party (NMSP). Chapter Five offers reflection and analysis on lessons learned, current No analysis on the current peace process in Myanmar is challenges, and possible opportunities. Chapter Six closes complete without some reflection on the role of the the research paper with a set of recommendations. country’s civil society organizations (CSOs). Since President U Thein Sein’s official 1/11 Call to Peace, the The term ‘civil society’ has been defined in different ways. space for civil society to contribute to the peace negoti- The scholar Francis Fukuyama defined civil society as “the ations between the government of Myanmar (GoM) and realm of spontaneously created social structures separate ethnic armed organizations (EAO) has widened consid- from the state that underlie democratic political institutions,” erably. The ongoing peace negotiations are no longer the (Fukuyama 1995) while Charles Taylor defined civil society exclusive, closed-door enterprises concerning only top-level as, “A web of autonomous associations independent of the decision makers that have characterized past attempts state, which bind citizens together in matters of common to solve the six-decade conflict. However, due to the fast concern, and by their existence or actions could have an pace and complexity of the peace process, many questions effect on public policy“ (Kligman 1990). The advantage of remain about the nature of civil society in Myanmar and its this kind of definition is that civil society can be both oper- impact on current peace efforts. ationalized and empirically tested. In this publication, civil society is viewed as a community closely knitted by com- This publication, meant for those already acquainted with mon interests and shared activities separate from the state, Myanmar’s peace process, attempts to pragmatically pro- while public denotes ‘ordinary people in general.’ While this vide insight on the richness of civil society in Myanmar and publication focuses mainly on contributions from CSOs, CSO contributions to the current peace process. Through it also illustrates peace activities conducted by communi- original research, it aims to present ways in which CSOs ty-based organizations working in different states. CSOs have contributed to the peace process before and after and CBOs in Myanmar working in and around the peace 2010, in light of the country’s post-2010 ongoing political process interact regularly and, in many instances, work transition. The paper also reveals obstacles to meaningful together towards contributing to a peaceful end to the participation and looks at the road ahead. decades-long armed conflict. In her 2009 Working Paper, Thania Paffenholz lists seven ways civil society can This publication is organized as follows: Chapter One lays contribute to peacebuilding (Paffenholz 2009). Some of out important concepts and definitions, while giving an these functions are relevant to Myanmar’s civil society, as overview of CSO contributions to the peace process before described later in the publication: the monitoring of human 2010 and from 2010 until present. Chapter Two describes rights violations; the implementation of peace agreements; the methodology behind this research paper. Chapter Three advocacy for peace and human rights; the socialization 1 On August 18, 2011, President hones in on the current landscape of civil society activities towards values of peace and democracy as well as devel- Thein Sein officially offered regarding the peace process: which organizations are oping the in-group identity of marginalized groups; facilita- to enter into dialogue with all involved, what types of activities are being done, and what tion of dialogue on the local and national level between a EAOs, pledging to make the ethnic issue a national priority. elements are still missing. This chapter highlights the variety of actors; and service delivery to create entry points He dropped pre-conditions for activities of the Shalom (Nyein) Foundation (SF) as a prom- for peacebuilding. talks, particularly ending the inent organization in this context. Chapter Four presents requirement that all ethnic armed case studies that outline civil society contributions to peace The content for this research paper is based on three groups become border guard forces before talks could take processes between the GoM and four different EAOs: elements: desk research on theoretical frameworks and place. See BNI 2013: 38. the Chin National