Online published on 1 November, 2014.
Since independence from British rule, the Union of Myanmar (Burma) has been undermined by several secessionist movements, pitting ethno-religious minorities against the dominant Bamar population. As such, the country exemplifies the fragility and fissiparousness of most nation-states in Asia, exposed to internal subversion often fostered by outside forces. This article analyses the main regional insurgent actors and the present government's plan to end conflict by conceding wide autonomy to minority areas within a genuine federal structure as intended by the Panglong Agreementof 1947.
