The Kachin Conflict
Testing the Limits of the Political Transition in Myanmar
Fighting in Kachin state flared back up just months after President Thien Sein came to power in March 2011. The new government almost immediately began negotiating a series of peace agreements with ethnic armed groups declaring that the signature of a nationwide ceasefire with all ethnic armed groups would be a priority for this first civilian administration. By convincing the majority of groups involved in armed struggle against the Tatmadaw to sign ceasefire agreements, the predominantly civ...
Éditeur : Institut de recherche sur l’Asie du Sud-Est contemporaine
Lieu d’édition : Bangkok
Publication sur OpenEdition Books : 3 juillet 2018
ISBN numérique : 978-2-35596-015-4
DOI : 10.4000/books.irasec.241
Collection : Carnets de l’Irasec | Occasional Paper - Investigation Series 02
Année d’édition : 2015
ISBN (Édition imprimée) : 978-616-7571-24-9
Nombre de pages : 102
Chapter 4
The peace process deadlock
Fighting in Kachin state flared back up just months after President Thien Sein came to power in March 2011. The new government almost immediately began negotiating a series of peace agreements with ethnic armed groups declaring that the signature of a nationwide ceasefire with all ethnic armed groups would be a priority for this first civilian administration. By convincing the majority of groups involved in armed struggle against the Tatmadaw to sign ceasefire agreements, the predominantly civilian government succeeded in winning some credibility, both nationally and internationally. At the same time, several old fault lines have re-emerged, among them the conflict in Kachin and Northern Shan States. The roots of the conflict in Kachin State between the KIO and government troops go back to grievances over control of the territory (and its lucrative natural resources) and the preservation of ethnic identity after the end of British colonial rule in 1948. The rekindling of this old conflict, after seventeen years of ceasefire, serves as a powerful reminder of the fragility of certain aspects of the transition process. The setback to conflict and blockage of peace process with the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) and its Army (KIA) show that some structural political issues remain, such as the recognition of local power structures and decentralization.
While much has been written in the media about the legal, economic, and political reforms in Myanmar; academic research about the Kachin Conflict, as well as firsthand information remains scarce. Analyzing the causes of the conflict and current impediments to peace in Kachin territories provides an illustration of the limits of the transition process. This research examines the personal experiences of a strong sample of influential Kachin people, shows the complexity of notions of war and peace in the collective Kachin memory, as well as the reinterpretation of these by local leadership for political ends.
Carine Jaquet est diplômée de la faculté de Sciences Politiques de Paris 1 (2007) et de l’Institut national des langues et civilisation orientales en Népali et Birman (2006).
Lauréate de la Bourse Lavoisier (2005-06), elle a étudié une année à l’Université des langues étrangères de Rangoun, lui permettant de perfectionner sa maîtrise de la langue birmane.
Présente depuis plusieurs années en Asie du Sud et du Sud-Est, elle associe ses recherches de terrain à des activités professionnelles dans les domaines du développement de l’aide humanitaire et de l’analyse politiques pour des agences onusiennes et des organisations non gouvernementales. Ces expériences la mènent à poursuivre des recherches sur des thèmes tels que : les conflits armés, les migrations régionales forcées, les dynamismes religieux mais aussi l’aide humanitaire et la société civile.
Ses recherches actuelles portent sur les conflits armés, ainsi que sur l’articulation de l’État et de la société civile en Birmanie.
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