"Burma?s civilian-led government recently marked five months since the transfer of power from the country?s previous, military-backed administration. The Irrawaddy explored the ongoing challenges facing regional parliamentarians in the new system by surveying six National League for Democracy (NLD) lawmakers from Pegu, Irrawaddy and Rangoon division parliaments, and six representatives from parliaments in ethnic states, including those serving in the Arakan National Party (ANP), the Kachin State Democracy Party (KSDP), the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) and the once-ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP). In interviews, parliamentarians discussed and reflected on the first official 100 days in their divisional legislatures, a period which ended in August. Regional lawmakers revealed a struggle surrounding limited transparency and a sense of helplessness they attribute to continued centralization in the country?s young government..."