Issues of land rights pose ongoing problems for many of the minority ethnic groups in Myanmar. So it was not surprising that a discussion on te Tiriti o Waitangi in a land management and governance workshop run by Paul (MYLP 2020) resonated with the Kachin people from the remote Hukawng Valley in the very north of Myanmar.
Three hundred Kachin villagers, village heads, religious leaders, and administration officials linked to the Kachin Independence Army attended and Paul reported that they were particularly interested how understandings of the Treaty differed and the implications of this.
Those attending the workshop were urged to observe the three P’s of te Tiriti – partnership, participation, and protection – when considering local governance in Kachin state, for the enhancement of social cohesion.
