Stalled hope? The resource conflict risk to Myanmar’s political and economic transition

This paper examines the main drivers of resource conflict in Myanmar. The author first looks at the major resource-related projects that could crate conflict in the country, namely the Myitsone hydroelectric dam project, the Letpadaung copper mine and the Shwe oil and gas project. He then explores some of the other areas connected to resource conflict. These include increased foreign direct investment in the country; institutional corruption and revenue misappropriation; imbalances in resource revenue distribution and benefit sharing; delays in decentralization and subnational governance reform; the deterioration of certain ethnic state ceasefire agreements; and land confiscation and environmental degradation.