Photo by Luke Hunt.
According to most definitions, Myanmar is a failed state. The army has lost control of its borders, it has absolute control over only 15% of the country and cannot guarantee food and water supplies to the population or provide health care or education in the majority of the country.
A recent pre-electoral census could only cover half of the population. It was Tom Andrews, the UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar, who raised for the first time the prospect This Myanmar was a failed state, just over two years ago.
Bradley Murg, political scientist and affiliation member of the Pacific Forum, resumes where Andrews stopped, noting that he is Max Weber, the German sociologist and his concept of “monopoly of violence” of a state which remains the key to understanding the failing states.
A “monopoly of violence” is the idea that the state is the only legitimate user of physical strength in a territory and where this monopoly collapses, chaos follows.
A four -year civil war has shown that the army in Myanmar also does not have this characteristic.
However, General de Junta, General Min Aung Hlaing, still plans to hold the elections In January, with the lukewarm support of certain neighbors of ASEAN, and China and Russia, lending legitimacy to the military regime.
Murg spoke with the Luke hunt for the diplomat of failed states and the planned elections, but he is aware that the Trump administration has not set its foreign policy objectives for the country rich in resources – and what Washington decides could have an impact on the course of events.