Listening to Voices: Myanmar's Foot Soldiers Speak

This publication elevates the voices of foot soldiers from six Non-State Armed Groups (NSAGs) from Myanmar; highlighting their needs, concerns and challenges regarding the Myanmar peace process and their future.1 Using listening methodology, this project conducted listening conversations with one hundred foot soldiers from the All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF), Chin National Front (CNF), Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO), Karen National Union (KNU), Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) and the New Mon State Party (NMSP). From these conversations, key themes and commonalities were identified and are detailed in the following sections.

The Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies (CPCS) recognises the diverse range of voices in Myanmar between the armed groups involved in conflict and between individuals within these groups. Listening methodology seeks to identify common themes as well as differences between individuals’ opinions. Using this methodology to gather opinions from a range of NSAGs allowed us to highlight the common themes as well as differences between groups, which are detailed in group summaries in the final section of the publication.

The electronic book can be downloaded at this link.