REPORT: Forestry Management and Peacebuilding in Karen Areas of Myanmar
This report, by Stephen Gray for International Alert, provides principles and practical strategies to support peacebuilding via forestry management in Karen-inhabited areas in the southeast of Myanmar. Improved governance of natural resources should be a focus of peacebuilding efforts, as it offers means to 1) mitigate conflict risks that have undermined Myanmar’s previous peace processes, 2) promote respect for pluralism through the recognition of the identities, rights and practices of ethnic minorities, and 3) support the devolution of governance (in this case forestry management), consistent with the goals of creating a democratic federal union. The report builds on examples of initiatives that are already working well, and recommends principles and practical strategies that are sensitive to the current context.
