A historic agreement to form the Union of Burma was reached in Panglong in 1947 between representatives of various groups from the "frontier areas" - the Chins, Kachins, the Shans - and also ethnic Burmans from "Burma proper". The decade following independence from the British in 1948 was marred by insurgency problems and political conflicts that constantly threatened the peace and stability of the fledgling democracy. While ethnic minorities demanded autonomy/federalism, the communist insurgents demanded a replacement of parliamentary democracy. The military, reluctant to concede federal demands, eventually took power in a coup in 1962.
