International IDEA's Work
Regions: Burma/Myanmar

The objectives of the IDEA Burma/Myanmar programme are to:

• Establish a shared vision on the need for a pluralistic democracy among the various opposition groupings.

• Create an environment for a better understanding of future options for human security and stability in Burma/Myanmar.

International IDEA has provided support for the National Reconciliation Programme by organizing workshops, bringing in South African facilitators to talk to ethnic nationalities on how to negotiate in the context of deep-rooted conflict, as well as in seemingly intransigent situations. In 2001, International IDEA published a report titled 'Negotiating a Political Settlement in South Africa: Are there Lessons for Burma?' The report was compiled from workshops held in Chiang Mai, Thailand and in New Delhi, India in April 2000. The report has been translated into Burmese.

In December 2001, International IDEA supported the participation of two key Burmese women activists at a regional forum in the Philippines to train them on issues relating to legislative oversight.

In 2002, International IDEA organized a series of workshops to support national reconciliation among ethnic groups, aiming at developing their capacities to design constitutional framework, and supported women’s political participation in the National Reconciliation Programme.

• Organized two seminars on the Role for Burmese women in developing Peace Building Strategies with the Women’s League of Burma in May 2002.

• Sponsored the participation of two Burmese activists to attend an international conference on Women in Peace Building in Colombo Sri Lanka in May 2002

• Organised with the National Reconciliation Program two workshops on The Role of State Constitutions in the Protection of Minority Rights Under Federalism in November 2002

• Supported Dialogues on Civil Military Relations in July / August 2002 drawing experiences of Thailand and Indonesia.

IDEA will continue dialogues with the democratic opposition in exile in the fields of political transition, civil-military dialogue, constitutional and electoral options, and women’s political participation.
This programme will also undertake initiatives to involve members of the regime in regional dialogues that support the wave of governance reform at the national and local level in South East Asia.

For further information, contact:

Sakuntala Kadirgamar-Rajasingham, Senior Executive
E-mail: s.kadirgamar@idea.int

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