Next Generation Myanmar > 5 Myanmar in transition Nearly nine in ten (89 per cent) felt making Myanmar more democratic was important for the country’s development, and 92 per cent of youth said the same of reaching a peace agreement. Though higher-educated youth and minority-ethnic youth were less likely to agree that democracy had ‘come a long way’, few doubted that Myanmar’s recent reforms brought about positive change. Many youth felt their ability to participate in politics was limited, citing the lack of formal opportunities for youth and strict parental concern. While many expressed concern about restrictions on political speech, a majority felt free speech should not be absolute. When asked if the state should have the right to censor mass media ‘to ensure civic order and morality’, 68 per cent of youth agreed. Half of respondents (50 per cent) felt the ongoing peace process would result in an agreement in the next five years. However, many youth expressed scepticism about the ability and interests of each party to peace negotiations. Some youth doubted the civilian government’s ability to negotiate with hard-line ethnic armed groups (EAGs), and others explained that the Tatmadaw’s2 reputation remains poor, particularly in minority-ethnic areas. EAGs were also not particularly popular among discussion participants in this study, though some made pains to distinguish between them and the ethnicities they claim to represent. 2 > The official name for Myanmar’s armed forces. Many youth felt the high-level constitutional concerns discussed in the peace process, such as federalism, were less important to lasting peace than economic development and improved education. However, some groups were more likely to agree that federalism was important than others. Relatively fewer majority-ethnic respondents said federalism was important than minorityethnic respondents. Myanmar in the world About two-thirds of survey respondents (66 per cent) felt it was good for Myanmar that foreigners were coming to the country, particularly for business and tourism. Eighty per cent of youth surveyed agreed it is good for Myanmar that tourists come to visit. Nearly half of youth surveyed (46 per cent) agreed that the international community’s criticism of the military’s operations in Rakhine State shows that ‘people in the outside world don’t understand Myanmar’. Half of respondents agreed that the ‘army did the right thing in Rakhine,’ though in interviews and discussions, youth offered various explanations for the cause of the conflict. Seventy-nine per cent of youth surveyed reported to be concerned with the situation in Rakhine State, but many were hesitant to assign blame for wrongdoing. Recommendations Informed by these findings, the Next Generation Myanmar study makes a series of recommendations for policymakers and practitioners working with youth. The policy options included in this report can help government officials and aid providers better design programmes for the youth they serve. Informed by youth opinion, such programmes may affect outcomes in ways that have significant secondary effects for Myanmar’s democracy and peace process.