Myanmar (Burma) is currently undergoing a long-awaited transition to democracy. Yet it cannot be taken for granted that democratization will walk hand in hand with internal peace. This workshop asks what it will take to secure a lasting and sustainable peace among all ethnic groups in the Union of Myanmar.
Participants:
Torgeir Larsen (State Secretary, MFA)
Lian Sakhong (Burma Centre of Ethnic Studies)
Khin Zaw Win (Tampadipa Institute, Myanmar)
Tin Maung Maung Than (ISEAS, Singapore)
Khin Maung Win (Democratic Voice of Burma)
Ashley South (Consultant for MPSI)
Sunniva Engh (IFS)
Liv Tørres (Norwegian People's Aid)
Joakim Kreutz (Uppsala University)
Stein Tønnesson (PRIO)
Marte Nilsen (PRIO)
Thursday 13 December: 13.00.-18.00.
Friday 14 December: 09.00.-17.00.
The workshop is a follow-up of the workshop “Can Political Reforms Bring Peace to Myanmar?” that PRIO and Myanmar Peace Centre organized in Yangon earlier this year (13-14 October), where Burmese and international scholars met with key civil society actors, ethnic leaders, and politicians who provided input to the scholarly debate.
PROGRAM:
| Thursday 13 December | |
|---|---|
| 13.00-13.45. | Opening by State Secretary (MFA) Torgeir Larsen |
| 13.45-14.45. | Stein Tønnesson (PRIO), Democracy and Peace: Can Myanmar Build a Democratic Peace? Discussant: Ashley South |
| 14.45-15.45. | Tin Maung Maung Than (ISEAS) Security Sector Reform and the Peace Process in Myanmar |
| 15.45-16.00. | Coffee break |
| 16.00-16.30. | Book launch - Lian Sakhong and Paul Keenan By Force of Arms – Armed Ethnic Groups in Burma |
| 16.30-17.30. | Marte Nilsen (PRIO), Will democracy bring peace to Myanmar? Discussant: Khin Zaw Win |
| Friday 14 December | |
| 09.00-10.00. | Joakim Kreutz (Uppsala University), Great Expectations Reconsidered: Lessons from a Global Perspective Discussant: Lian Sakhong |
| 10.00-10.30. | Sunniva Engh (IFS) Presentation of research project, Myanmar in Indian security policy |
| 10.30-10.45. | Coffee break |
| 10.45-11.45. | Lian Sakhong (BCES), Ethnicity in the 2008 Constitution: To What Extent Did It Satisfy the Aspirations of Various Ethnic Groups? Discussant: Marte Nilsen |
| 11.45-12.45. | Lunch |
| 12.45-13.45. | Khin Zaw Win (Tampadipa Institute), Establishing a Second Foundational Moment for Myanmar Discussant: Joakim Kreutz |
| 13.45-14.45. | Launch of Ashley South’s PRIO working paper, Prospects for Peace in Myanmar: Opportunities and Threats Comments: Tin Maung Maung Than |
| 14.45-15.00. | Coffee break |
| 15.00-17.00. | Which Paths to Peace in Myanmar, Panel debate: Khin Zaw Win (Tampadia Institute), Lian Sakhong (BCES), Tin Maung Maung Than (ISEAS), Khin Maung Win (DVB), Liv Tørres (NPA), Moderator: Marte Nilsen (PRIO) |
