Myanmar confronts its geography, strives for unity

Editor’s Note: This is the first installment in a four-part series on Myanmar’s struggle to become a modern nation-state.  Each article is a stand-alone although the four form a comprehensive analysis.  Subsequent parts of this series of Myanmar will appear in future issues of The Manila Times.

After decades of civil war between Myanmar’s central government and ethnic minority insurgent groups, the government is moving forward on a nationwide cease-fire, sweetened by political and business concessions to ethnic minorities.