SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan opined in a commentary that the recent escalation of the ethnic conflict in Myanmar’s Rakhine State drives home the hard truth that much remains unchanged despite the country’s tentative transition to a democracy. The latest surge in ethno-violence seems timed to coincide with the release of a report last week by an advisory commission led by former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Associate Prof Tan noted that the spectre of even more conflict, violence and division will only derail Myanmar’s democratic transition and integration into the international community, to its collective peril. It could also reprise Myanmar as the black sheep of the Association of South-east Asian Nations and generate tensions within the regional organisation as to how to deal with savage internecine strife and uphold human rights. In this commentary, Associate Prof Tan shared the five key considerations that the Myanmar government should bear in mind as it embarks on its arduous journey of peace-building.