Executive Summary: "In the context of the 2015 elections, this report aims to provide a summary of what these elections mean and how the elections are perceived in ethnic nationality areas of Burma. Given that up to 40% of the population of Burma are not ethnically Burman, it is vital to present the perspectives and attitudes, as well as the political situation, in these ethnic areas in the run up to this much anticipated event. This report finds that ethnic political parties and ethnic civil society broadly agree on fundamental issues: the need for peace, ethnic equality, self-determination, and a federal system of governance. Given the centralized governance structure and the overbearing presence and power of the Burma Army, an institution that has been at war with ethnic nationality actors for over 65 years, it is fundamental structural changes in the way that Burma is governed that will address peace, ethnic equality, self-determination and federalism, not the 2015 elections. The report finds that the State and Region level Parliaments simply do not have power to make essential changes in the lives of ethnic communities. The stipulations in Schedules One and Two of the 2008 Constitution allocate very few responsibilities to the local level while the Chief Minister of the State or Region Parliament is chosen by the President. Both ethnic communities and ethnic political parties feel the impotence of this centralized structure of governance and most stated that they need this to change before they are able to develop policy platforms on issues such as education, health, drugs, and other issues. Furthermore, the Burma Army has entrenched its power through the control of day to day administration through the General Administration Department (GAD), its allocation of 25% seats in Union, and State and Region level Parliaments, as well as control over key ministries. The 2015 elections will not change either of these two structural impediments to ethnic equality - military domination and centralization of governance - and both ethnic political parties and ethnic civil society expressed this in the research conducted. It is important not to forget that there is another ongoing process that seeks to realize aspirations of ethnic equality and self-determination - the peace process. For many ethnic communities, this is the most important political process in Burma today. This is not to state that the 2015 elections are unimportant or irrelevant for ethnic areas. They will serve to develop the political maturity of ethnic political parties that are either very new or have been operating underground or in exile for many years. But amid the hype and optimism surround this historic event, the aspirations of many ethnic communities will remain unfulfilled unless fundamental, structural, institutional changes in governance take place."