Publication

This brief examines 1) the ethnic conflict in northern Myanmar’s Kachin and Shan states, 2) the obstacles to a negotiated peace there, 3) how the states' troubles are affecting general political reform within the country, and 4) the roles of China and the US in the conflict. Ultimately, the brief argues that the government's proposed cease-fire agreement for the warring parties isn't comprehensive enough -- i.e., it doesn’t offer mutually acceptable power-sharing and economic arrangements.