Photo – AFP
This Governance Tracker No. 2 (2026 Series) was published on May 4, 2026, as an English translation of the original Burmese version released on April 29, 2026.
▪️Period
April 2026.
▪️Region
Shan State.
▪️Actors Involved
Self-Administered Zone (SAZ) administrative bodies, the administrative mechanisms of various armed groups, and the Shan State Government.
▪️Issues
In post-election Shan State, at least 12 competing administrative bodies have emerged. These include the newly formed state government and the parallel administrative mechanisms established by armed groups in areas beyond the central government’s control.
▪️Development
Under the 2008 Constitution, there is one Self-Administered Division (SAD) and five Self-Administered Zones (SAZs) nationwide. Five of these, the Danu, Pa-O, Palaung, and Kokang SAZs, and the Wa SAD, are located within Shan State. However, following Operation 1027, ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) such as the United Wa State Army (UWSA), the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) have established administrative mechanisms extending far beyond their officially designated territories. Similarly, other organizations, including the Shan State Progress Party (SSPP/SSA), the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA), the Pa-O National Army (PNA), the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS/SSA), two armies using the same name of Pa-O National Liberation Army (PNLA), and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), have also set up and are managing separate administrative departments within the territories they control [See ISP Data Matters 37/2026 (ISP-DM2026-037)]. Although a new state government has been formed in Shan State after the 2025-26 General elections, it has only been able to appoint self-administered bodies officially in the Pa-O and Danu zones. To date, there has been no final negotiated settlement between the Min Aung Hlaing administration and the armed groups regarding the territories they captured and expanded into after Operation 1027.
▪️Implications
The establishment of parallel administrative mechanisms carries the risk of triggering sudden shifts in the military context. Furthermore, territorial demarcation is likely to become a highly sensitive issue in any future political and security dialogues. Because the overlapping territorial claims among various armed groups remain unresolved, there is a constant risk that inter-group armed conflicts could re-erupt at any time. Consequently, challenges to the effective functioning of administrative mechanisms within the state are escalating, leaving local communities to face significant confusion, complexity, and additional stress.
