DECENTRALIZATION IN MYANMAR:

CASE STUDY IN YANGON REGION

MPM-47ZIN WINT YEE

CONTENT• RATIONALE OF THE STUDY• OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY• RESEARCH METHODOLOGY• FINDINGS FOR 4 OBJECTIVES • CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATION

RATIONAL OF STUDY

• PROBLEM STATEMENTS • OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH • METHODOLOGY• LIMITATION

PROBLEM STATEMENTMyanmar transition is very crucial, in terms of bringing changes and those change to be inclusive, democratic

decentralization is essential.In terms of decentralization, citizen

participation and awareness is vital so that they could bring transparency and

accountability in service provider through check and balancing.

OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH1. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND AWARENESS IN DECENTRALIZATION

PROCESS

2. THE ASPECTS OF CIVIL SERVANTS AND MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT ON CURRENT POLITICAL SYSTEM

3.MAIN CHALLENGES FOR MYANMAR DECENTRALIZATION

METHODOLOGY• QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS: PRIMARY DATA AND SECONDARY DATA• PRIMARY DATA - FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION (FGD) WITH CSO ( NPA, ACTIONAID, OXFAM,

MYANMAR PEACE CENTER, UNHCR, PEOPLE HEAD FOUNDATION, FREELANCE LAWYER) • KII WITH GAD, TOWNSHIP ADMINISTRATORS, MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT, POLICE

OFFICER AND DIRECTOR FROM MINISTRY• SECONDARY DATA-DATA AND INFORMATION ARE COLLECTED THROUGH THE

LITERATURES, REPORTS, RESEARCH, NEWSPAPERS, THE JOURNALS, WEB RESOURCES, PROJECT REPORTS AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS, ACTS, LAWS

LIMITATION• PEOPLE ARE STILL AFRAID TO HOLD THE POLITICAL DISCUSSION.• CONSTRAINT TO GET THE RELEVANT VOICES• ACCESS TO INFORMATION WITH CIVIL SERVANTS ARE LIMITED • ELECTION CAMPAIGNING • BY THE REASON OF TIME AND BUDGET CONSTRAINT, THE RESEARCH

COULDN’T COVER WHOLE MYANMAR BUT ONLY YANGON REGION.

FINDINGS

COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND AWARENESS IN DECENTRALIZATION PROCESS • COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN THE PLAN INITIATIVE BY THE GOVERNMENT IS WEAK BECAUSE

THE RADIUS OF TRUST IS STILL SHORT ( CASE: VOTER INTEREST; ATTENDING PARTY CEREMONY)• AT THE SAME TIME, CIVIL SOCIETY IS GETTING STRONGER ( CASE: FLOOD DISASTER )• COLLECTIVE DEMAND BY COMMUNITY ( CASE : THINGANGYUN)• COMMUNITY MISTRUST ON GOVERNMENT PUBLISHED NEWS WHICH NEEDS TO BE CREDIBLE

AND RELIABLE ( CASE: FLOOD DISASTER)• THE SPACE PROVIDED BY THE GOVERNMENT ON CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IS IN PLACE BUT IN

TERMS OF DECISION MAKING PROCESS CSO INPUTS ARE NOT HIGHLY CONSIDER ( CASE: LIBIARY WORKSHOP)

COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND AWARENESS IN DECENTRALIZATION PROCESS • POLITICAL DECENTRALIZATION- THE INITIATION OF THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN NEGLECTED BY THE PUBLIC AND VERY FEW PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN IT. • ADMINISTRATIVE DECENTRALIZATION- DELEGATION HAS BEEN EMERGED WITHIN THE SYSTEM,

THE SPACE HAS BEEN PROVIDED ARE STILL UNDER UTILIZED. STAFFS FROM ADMINISTRATIVE POST ARE DIRECTLY APPOINTED BY THE UNION GOVERNMENT (EG. GAD, MINISTRY); (EG. PROTOCOL CONFLICT)

LESS TRANSPARENCY IN GOVERNMENT BODY ( EG. CONSTRUCTING BRIDGES, OVERLAPPING AND EXAGGERATING WORK)• FISCAL DECENTRALIZATION – THE INCOME BUDGET OF YAGON DEPENDS ON TAXATION ,STILL

NEED TRANSPARENCY IN ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES AND WAY OF TAX COLLECTION SYSTEM.

THE ASPECTS OF CIVIL SERVANTS AND MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT ON CURRENT POLITICAL SYSTEM• CENTRALIZATION IS STILL EXISTING IN PUBLIC SECTOR (SUBORDINATE GOVERNMENT STAFFS AFRAID TO

MAKE DECISION)• DIRECTED APPOINTED BY COMMANDER IN CHIEF ( HOME AFFAIRS, DEFENSE, BORDER AFFAIRS)• ROLE CLARITY BETWEEN GAD & MINISTERS • RULE OF LAW IS STILL WEAK ( CASE: CONSTITUTION VS CIVIL SERVICE PERSONNEL ACT OF MYANMAR )• SEPARATION OF POWER- AS THE CONSEQUENCES OF CENTRALIZE POWER ( CASE: HLAING THAR YAR

GAD SENTENCING)• YANGON BUDGET HAS TO RELY ON ON CENTRAL GOVERNMENT ( EG. GPD 20%)• RATIONAL OF HAVING FEDERAL - FEDERALISM CAN SOLVE MOST OF MYANMAR POLITICAL CRISIS

CHALLENGES OF DECENTRALIZATION IN MYANMAR

• RULES OF LAW ( CASE: LIQUOR STORES)• RADIUS OF TRUST IS SHORT• SECRET LAW FOR CIVIL SERVANT• CORRUPTION • TRANSPARENCY • BUREAUCRACY’S CAPACITY• COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION• SUBORDINATE VOICES ARE NOT HEARD IN DECISION MAKING

CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATION

RECOMMENDATIONS• TO GAIN TRUST OF THE PUBLIC, GOVERNMENT SERVICE DELIVERY NEEDS TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE

AND EFFICIENT • RULE OF LAW NEED TO STRENGTHEN • ACCESS TO INFORMATION • ABOLISHING THE SECRET LAW