Civil War Conflict Resolution: The Case of Myanmar Civil War

Abstract

This paper examines the protracted civil war in Myanmar following the 2021 military coup that ousted the democratically elected government. It outlines the historical, ethnic, and political roots of the conflict, emphasizing the deep-seated tension between the military-dominated government and the overthrown pro-democracy National Unity Government (NUG). This civil war conflict is characterized by an intractable conflict marked by escalating violence, a zero-sum game mentality, and a lack of viable peaceful solutions. The paper provides two recommendations to help resolve this conflict. In the short term, international mediation by the United Nations Security Council’s permanent members is needed to broker a ceasefire. In the long term, peacebuilding through national peace education initiatives aims to promote non-violent conflict resolution among youth in Myanmar. These dual approaches aim to end the ongoing conflict and prevent future recurrence by addressing both the immediate political deadlock and the deeper social drivers of violence.