THE current armed conflicts in Myanmar have been around before the nation even achieved independence, meaning the fighting has been going on for more than 60 years. With more than a hundred unique ethnic races living in close proximity, it seems natural that internal conflict would arise amongst them.

But the use of warfare to settle disputes has gotten out of hand. No matter the differences between us, we are still brothers and sisters of the same nation, the same family. It is unnatural for the clashes between us to have lasted more than half a century with no sign of lessening.

The people of Myanmar have lived through warfare since the times of kings displaying their might through conquest which has spiralled onwards into the armed struggles we witness today

Feudal lords, colonialism, fascism, independence, and so many other drivers of armed battles have acted as obstacles to development. There are both inevitable struggles and intentional conflicts.

Who profits from war? What benefits have these conflicts brought for the ethnic races, the citizens of Myanmar and to what extent? These are all historical questions that deserve to have answers put on record.

However, the answer to who suffers the most is clear; the ordinary people do, and especially the children who are to lead the future of our nation. With their education ruined and health diminished, how can we envision an environment that will nurture strong and reliable youths to carry the nation forward?

The majority of the people do not wish for war but they were unable to reduce the scale of fighting and prevent internal conflicts. Throughout the old era, the strong never compromised nor earnestly conducted effective negotiations.

The people have displayed their wish for peace and resentment of internal conflicts yet their efforts could not slow down the stride of armed struggles. Even with the leadership of Thakin Kodaw Hmaing and other influential politicians, they could not successfully spread the light of peace and put an end to the authoritarians profiting off of conflicts.

It is worrying that the armed conflicts are ongoing with people and children driven farther and farther away from homes and schools. The duty, while not wholly, to end this falls on the shoulders of the Hluttaw representatives. They were elected by the people and are responsible for realizing their wishes. We hope they will continue working together to find a sustainable solution to these pressing issues.-GNLM