No path toward peace in Myanmar without federalism

Guest contributor Igor Blazevic Myanmar’s neighbours are betting on a false reset. The only viable exit from war is a federal-democratic alliance rooted in civilian rule and Bama-ethnic cooperation. Let me start with the question: Are we anywhere close to a pathway to peace and federalism in Myanmar? The simple answer is: no, we are not. Myanmar is on a trajectory of continued war by the military junta against the resistance and liberation forces – and, importantly, against the civilian population. The military’s war against the resistance is, in practice, primarily a war against civilians. I intentionally say “military junta” and not “new government in Naypyidaw,” because one is the same as the other. There is nothing new, and it is a serious mistake to pretend there is a difference. Then comes a second question: does a pathway to federalism and peace exist at all in Myanmar?