“Decentralization to states and regions within current constitutional restraints,” reads State and Region Governments in Myanmar, a collaboration between The Asia Foundation and the Myanmar Development Resource Institute’s Center for Economic and Social Development (MDRI-CESD), “cannot provide the degree of political autonomy, security, or share of national wealth that the non-state armed groups in conflict or ceasefire with the government desire in order to agree sustainable peace agreements.”

Significant changes include:

• Partially elected unicameral state/region legislature, composed of two elected members per township, representatives for “national races” and appointed military representatives equal to one quarter of the total
• State/region cabinet composed of civilian ministers selected by the state/region chief minister from among the state assembly representatives or other candidates
• State/region Advocate General nominated by the Chief Minister
• States and regions collecting significant revenues

But while presence of partially-elected bodies is a major reform, it is also facing significant limitations:

• Capacity constraints “Most states and regions have passed very few laws dealing with local issues”
• The chief minister, selected by the President, is accountable ultimately to the President and not to the state/region legislatures
• State/region ministers have little control over the administrative apparatus, as the administrative office of state/region governments is formed by the General Administration Department (GAD) of the military-led home ministry
• Many of the significant departments such as health and education remain centralized
• State/region minister for border and security affairs is a military officer nominated by the Commander in Chief
• Judicial appointment procedures and structures are centralized and limit judicial independence
• The scope of state/region budget remains small – probably under 5% of public spending

“The restrictive for the amendment of the Constitution (that it requires more than 75% votes of the Union Assembly to make changes) suggest that the drafters intended that the current distribution of authority would be an end, rather than a starting point,” the paper comments.

Nevertheless there are encouraging signs, says the paper:

• In August 2013, the President announced 5 public administration reform initiatives including increasing state/region influence over human resources and further deconcentrating major union ministries
• In March 2013 the Union Parliament approved a Constitutional Review Committee to examine the Constitution and to submit which articles should be amended, annulled and substituted
• The 2013 State/Region Assembly bill introduces changes, including permitting a state/region legislature office that is not necessarily GAD controlled, allowing for public attendance at legislature sessions, and representatives have constituency funds and independent representative offices
• There is a broad consensus that further decentralization reforms to states and regions is needed

The MDRI-CESD is reported to be headed by noted economist U Myint. For further information, please visit – http://asiafoundation.org/resources/pdfs/StateandRegionGovernmentsinMyanmarCESDTAF.PDF