Working Inside the Triangles - Engaging with Locally Led Peace Initiatives in Myanmar

Sep 29, 2026

Working inside the triangles examines how peacebuilding efforts in Myanmar can be shaped by locally led initiatives amid domestic power struggles and international influence. It traces the peace process and the three interacting “triangles”: the domestic political contest, the geopolitical arena involving major external actors, and the international donor and NGO environment. The text analyzes violence escalation, threats to the peace process, and practical engagement strategies, ending with concrete recommendations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages44

Reading Time1 h 51 min

AccessFree to download

About the Author

Recommendation

Myanmar Politics and Power Struggles: The domestic Triangle

The Peace Process

Geo-politics and Outside Actors: the international triangle

China

United States

The International Community - Donors, UN, INGO

Impact on the Ground

The Spread of Anti-Muslim violence

Fanning the flames from Rakhine state to larger Myanmar

The Tinder Box

Threats to the Peace Process

Threats from the Government's Side

Threats from the Armed Groups' Side

Navigating the Triangles - strategies for engagement

Complexity and locally led

Long-term

Confronting Violence in Rakhine State - locally led peace initiatives

Myanmar government - KIA talks

Karen model for women's and community inclusion

Building Unity

Internal Unity Building - Karenni National Progressive Party and community consultation

Building Unity - Karen - Shan collaboration

Confronting Anti-Muslim Violence - locally led initiatives around anti-Muslim Violence

Engaging key actors from the Burman majority

Conclusion & Recommendations

Working inside the triangles::engaging with locally ledpeace initiatives in Myanmar Sarah L.Clarke The Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies gratefully acknowledgesthe financial support of the Embassy of Finland in Thailand thathas made this book possible. December 2013 Layout by:Boonruang Song-Ngam Photos by:James O'Keefe and Doug Hostetter Working inside the triangles:engaging with locally led peaceinitiatives in Myanmar Contents About the Author………………………………………………………………………………………………………4 Recommendation…………………………………………………………………………………………………………8 Myanmar Politics and Power Struggles: The domestic Triangle…………………………………………………………………………………………………………9 The Peace Process……………………………………………………………………………………………11 Geo-politics and Outside Actors: the international triangle.13 China……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………13 United States………………………………………………………………………………………………………14 The International Community- Donors, UN, INGO………………15 Impact on the Ground…………………………………………………………………………………17 The Spread of Anti-Muslim violence………………………………………………17 Fanning the flames from Rakhine state to larger Myanmar…………………………………………………………………………………………18 The Tinder Box………………………………………………………………………………………………20 Threats to the Peace Process……………………………………………………………………22 Threats from the Government's Side………………………………………23 Threats from the Armed Groups'Side…………………………………………25 Navigating the Triangles-strategies for engagement……………26 Complexity and locally led………………………………………………………………26 Long-term…………………………………………………………………………………………………………27 Working inside the triangle…………………………………………………………27 Complexity and locally led…………………………………………………28 Confronting Violence in Rakhine State-locally led peace initiatives……………………………………………………………………………………………………………28 Myanmar government-KIA talks………………………………………………29 Long-term…………………………………………………………………………………………………………31 Karen model for women's and community inclusion……32 Building Unity………………………………………………………………………………………3 a) Internal Unity Building- Karenni National Progressive Party and community consultation………………………………………34 b) Building Unity-Karen-Shan collaboration…………………35 Working inside the triangle……………………………………………36 Confronting Anti-Muslim Violence-locally led initiatives around anti-Muslim Violence……………………………………………………………37 Engaging key actors from the Burman majority…………………37 Conclusion & Recommendations……………………………………………………………39 About the Author Sarah Clarke is a member of the Boardof Directors of the Center for Peace andConflict Studies.In NewYork,she workson peacebuilding and peacemakingissues at the UN.She has also workedwith a wide variety of NGOs inSoutheast Asia,and with policy advisorsand academics in China. I grew up in a Western country where winters were cold and thesnow piled up very deep.However,from a young age my map of theworld included Southeast Asia as my parents spent much of theirlives working and living in the region.This shaped my own focusand,as a young adult out of university,I had the opportunity tospend several years working with a variety ofThai and CambodianNGOs. From those years,my most memorable experience was a twelve-month period in the late 1990s I spent supporting a training forethnic community leaders from Myanmar.It was the only training ofits kind and involved bringing a group of about 25 men and womenfrom different ethnic nationalities to spend 13 weeks in Thailandas well as a two-week visit to the Philippines.The curriculumfocused on a broad range of issues such as participatory communitydevelopment,non-violent direct action,gender issues,HIV/AIDSand drug addiction treatment,different models of communityorganizing and potential roles for religious leaders. Hundreds of graduates have passed through the course over theyears.When Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar in 2008,the training wasin its eleventh year.The devastation and loss of life from the stormwas mind-boggling.While the international community spentprecious days and

FAQs

What are the “triangles” used to frame Myanmar’s peacebuilding context?

The document frames Myanmar’s environment as three interacting triangles: domestic political power struggles, the international geopolitical triangle involving outside actors, and the international community of donors, the UN, and INGOs.

How does the book describe threats to the peace process?

It analyzes threats coming from both government-aligned sources and armed groups, explaining how these pressures jeopardize peace efforts.

What strategies does the document propose for engagement?

It emphasizes navigating complexity through long-term locally led approaches, including confronting violence in Rakhine State and building unity through regional and community-inclusive efforts.

Sep 29, 2026

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