US well-placed to guide Myanmar’s new governance

In Myanmar, hardly a day passes without a report of another village, town or township being “liberated” by one or more of the ethnic resistance organizations (EROs) or People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) fighting to overthrow the nation’s military junta, the State Administrative Council (SAC).

While the news is generally viewed as a cause for celebration, it also creates a serious challenge: How will the newly liberated community be governed? In addition, the establishment of new local and state governments creates an opportunity for the US government to improve its damaged reputation among Myanmar’s pro-democracy resistance movement.

In November 2022, the author met with about 50 members of the Chin National Front (CNF) and the Chinland Defense Forces (CDF), who described their struggles setting up new local governments in the villages and towns. Many of these CDF and CNF officers had been farmers and teachers before joining the armed struggle and had no experience in organizing a local government. They all shared, however, a desire to establish a democratic and inclusive government that reflected the hopes and desires of the local population.

A newly established research group, Chin Agency, has released a study of the emerging local governments in the areas of Chin State under CNF and/or CDF control. According to the report, most of the local governments are formed using a “bottom-up approach,” involving local leaders and representatives of the CDF and CNF.

In many cases, the resulting governance system reflects customary practices of the Chin tribes in the region. Some of the new local governments use the boundaries established by Myanmar’s military; some create new boundaries based on consolidated tribal communities.

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