The Union of Myanmar. Difficulties and challenges facing the first post-dictatorship transition government

This paper is based on a fact-finding mission carried out in July 2016 to better understand the difficulties and challenges facing the “transition government” of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, elected in November 2015. It also discusses a number of events that have marked the political landscape in Myanmar (formerly Burma) since then. Given the brevity of the mission, this is not a scientific report as such. However, it provides a key for untangling the complexity of this country of over 40 million people, which has been engaged in a process of democratic transition for several years. Amon other themes, it looks at: the difficulties of non-violence in a region at war, the socio-economic challenges of one of the poorest countries in South-East Asia, the history and future of Burmese civil society, as well as the humanitarian tragedy of Rohingya people. It concludes with some proposals for action