Listening to Voices – Perspectives from the Tatmadaw’s rank and file

tatmadaw-front-page-211x300Listening to Voices – Perspectives from the Tatmadaw’s rank and file

Author: Centre for Peace & Conflict Studies (CPCS)
Published by: CPCS
Publication Date: July 2015
ISBN: 978996381768

This project aims to challenge the stigma that often surrounds discussions of the Tatmadaw, and listen to soldiers from their rank and file; to ask soldiers what they think about the peace process, and to listen to their perspectives, desires and challenges. Through listening to Tatmadaw soldiers, the project seeks to better understand how their experiences within the institution and being directly involved on the frontlines of conflict have shaped their opinions of peace and the peace process and to better understand their concerns and desires for the future. Listening teams went to six different regions across Myanmar, where military bases were located and found that soldiers could, and wanted to, share their opinions, experiences and stories. In total, the project listened to 67 soldiers over one month in June, 2014. This project is an attempt to look at the Tatmadaw as an institution comprised of individuals, to build awareness, share personal perspectives and highlight the diversity of the institution. It was carried out with the hope to engage the Tatmadaw more holistically in the peace process in the future.