"The Burma Centre for Ethnic Studies (BCES) is an independent think tank and study centre founded in 2012 to generate ideas on democracy, human rights and federalism as an effective vehicle for ?Peace and Reconciliation” in the Union of Burma. The root cause of sixty years of ethnic armed conflict in Burma is a constitutional problem due to the failure of implementing a federal system as it was envisaged when the Union of Burma was founded at the Panglong Conference in 1947. After the military coup in 1962, the constitutional crisis was compounded by the lack of democracy and violation of human rights in the country. The Burma Centre for Ethnic Studies therefore views the promotion of democracy, human rights and a federal system as essential for ending ethnic armed confl icts and building peace in Burma..."