Security, Justice and Governance in South East Myanmar
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REPORT SAFERWORLD AND KAREN PEACE SUPPORT NETWORK SUPPORT AND KAREN PEACE SAFERWORLD 1 SECURITY, JUSTICE AND GOVERNANCE IN SOUTH EAST MYANMAR Security, justice and governance in south east Myanmar SECURITY, JUSTICE AND GOVERNANCE IN SOUTH EAST MYANMAR AND GOVERNANCE JUSTICE SECURITY, A knowledge, attitudes and practices survey in Karen ceasefire areas January 2019 Security, justice and governance in south east Myanmar A knowledge, attitudes and practices survey in Karen ceasefire areas SAFERWORLD · KAREN PEACE SUPPORT NETWORK JANUARY 2019 © Saferworld, January 2019. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without full attribution. Saferworld welcomes and encourages the utilisation and dissemination of the material included in this publication. This research was funded by the Paung Sie Facility. All views expressed are explicitly those of Saferworld and the Karen Peace Support Network. Contents Foreword v Acknowledgements vi Maps viii Key terms, acronyms and abbreviations xi Executive summary xiii 1. Introduction and key findings 1 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 Participants in this survey 8 1.3 Key findings: security, justice, governance and politics 13 2. Governance and legitimacy 19 2.1 Village-level governance 21 2.2 Perceptions and preferences regarding governance 28 2.3 Identity, governance and implications for peace 32 2.4 Armed actors that splintered from the KNU 35 2.5 Taxation 38 2.6 Understanding territory 42 3. Security forces and experiences of violence 51 3.1 Exposure to security forces 53 3.2 Violence and abuse perpetrated by authorities 56 3.3 Before and after the ceasefires 63 3.4 Perpetrators of violence and abuse 69 4. Justice 73 4.1 Attitudes towards justice 74 4.2 Actual justice cases 80 5. Peace and conflict 85 6. Conclusion and recommendations 91 6.1 Conclusion 91 6.2 Recommendations 94 6.3 Furthering the research agenda 98 References and bibliography 100 v Foreword SAFERWORLD AND THE KAREN PEACE SUPPORT NETWORK have been work- ing together since 2013 to identify the main conflict and security issues faced by Karen people in south east Myanmar and support locally driven efforts to achieve more peaceful, just and secure communities. The members of KPSN, as the largest network of Karen civil society organisations in southeast Myanmar, have decades of collective experience working to empower local Karen communities and advocate for a sustainable and equitable peace in Karen areas. Saferworld has been working in Myanmar since 2012, building on over three decades of international experience working with partners in conflict affected areas to prevent violence and build safer lives. The way that security, justice and governance is delivered and experienced lies at the heart of the complex factors that determine how Myanmar can move towards lasting peace. Since Saferworld and KPSN first formed a partnership in 2013, it has become increasingly apparent that without efforts to transform the security, justice and governance architecture in Myanmar, this goal will remain out of reach. Con- sequently, over the last six years KPSN and Saferworld have been working to make communities more secure and peaceful, and drawing on this experience to inform and influence authorities to be inclusive and more responsive and accountable to community needs. This knowledge, attitudes and practices survey is intended to improve understand- ing of the experiences of ordinary people living in areas affected by Myanmar’s most historic armed conflict between the Government of the Union of Myanmar and the Karen National Union. It draws on the experiences of over 2020 respond- ents from 72 villages randomly selected across rural ceasefire areas in Bago, Kayin, Mon and Tanintharyi. The findings demonstrate the complexity of the governance and territorial landscape, and how these dynamics are intrinsically tied to the pro- tracted conflict, the peace process, governance reforms and aid programmes. Although the subjects covered in this report are profoundly sensitive and complex, we hope that the recommendations to the Government of the Union of Myanmar, the Karen National Union and the international aid community will support efforts to address the root causes of conflict and insecurity in the Karen ceasefire areas of south east Myanmar. John Bainbridge Saw Alex Htoo Country Manager Chairperson Saferworld, Myanmar Karen Peace Support Network vi Acknowledgements From the Karen Peace Support Network advisory team This report would not have been possible without the information, effort and support provided by the range of organisations and individuals who dedicated their time, their efforts and their insights throughout the process. Special thanks to Saferworld for its valuable and effective technical and financial assistance in launching this survey and in developing this report. We are particularly appreciative to Kim Jolliffe and Gino C. Matibag for their technical support and coordination throughout the report process. Many thanks are extended to the wider Karen Peace Support Network for the valuable workshops and trainings attended by the partners' staff and volunteers who conducted practical work in the field. We would also like to express our thanks to the KNU local authorities, the Myanmar government local authorities, and all the respondents for their cooperation. From the Saferworld research team This report is the result of the collective efforts of many individuals. The Karen Peace Support Network was particularly instrumental in the research. Utmost acclaim should be given to the six team leaders and 50 enumerators provided by the Karen Peace Support Network, without whom the research and this report would not have been possible. The teams worked tirelessly and in a highly challenging environment through November 2017 until January 2018 to conduct more than 2,000 survey inter- views. The Karen Peace Support Network further provided an advisory team who ded- icated many hours of their time to give regular input into the initial conceptualisation of the research, the development of the methodology, the sampling of research loca- tions, the development of the questionnaire, the interpretation and analysis of the data, the development of key messages and recommendations and the co-drafting of the final report. Saferworld hired 11 data encoders, who we are also grateful to, who worked throughout January 2018 to enter all the data into our database. Kim Jolliffe was the author and lead researcher. Gino C. Matibag was the lead quantitative expert involved in the research. Dr Theo Hollander (Saferworld) supervised the research team and provided technical support and input during all the stages of the report production. John Bainbridge (Saferworld) and Saw Lin Chel (Saferworld) helped to conceptualise research objectives, developed the partnership with the Karen Peace Support Network, and provided substantial input during the report drafting process. Jared Bissinger provided further quantitative analysis of the data and reviewed the report, specifically ensuring the quality of the quantitative analysis. Diana Trimino (Saferworld) provided critical input on gender, as well as overall feedback on the data analysis and final analysis. Charlotte Watson (Saferworld) provided input at various stages of the research, including feedback during the drafting process. Dr Tamara Duffey-Janser (Saferworld) and Robert Parker (Saferworld) were responsible for the final review and quality control. The Myanmar Information Management Unit assisted with the creation of the maps. The report was copyedited by Jane Lanigan and reviewed by Jessica Summers (Saferworld), with important input from Elizabeth Bourne (Saferworld). The report also benefited from the external inputs and reviews by Susanne Kempel and Maria Helene Kyed. Unless indicated otherwise, all photographs © Aung Naing Soe/Saferworld. SAFERWORLD · KAREN PEACE SUPPORT NETWORK vii About the Karen Peace Support Network (KPSN) KPSN (formerly KCBPSN) is the largest network of Karen civil society organisations in Burma [Myanmar]. Its member organisations have been providing support for vulnerable people and communities in this conflict-torn region for decades, striving to empower local communities, build transparent and accountable institutions, and help create a sustainable peace in Burma. The network is dedicated to: n Raising awareness of the peace process and of human rights issues among Karen communities n Building the capacity of communities to advocate for and realise their rights n Providing practical support for communities to create sustainable livelihoods and improve their quality of life n Supporting Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and returnees n Monitoring the peace process n Facilitating consultation and advocacy for a sustainable and equitable peace in Burma [Myanmar] KPSN member organisations and allies: Organisation Acronym 1 Back Pack Health Worker Team BPHWT 2 Karen Affairs Committee KAC 3 Karen Development Committee KDC 4 Karen Education Department KED 5 Karen Environmental and Social Action Network KESAN 6 Karen Human Rights Group KHRG 7 Karen Office for Relief and Development KORD 8 Karen Refugee Committee KRC 9 Karen Rivers Watch KRW 10 Karen Student Network Group KSNG 11 Karen Teacher Working Group KTWG 12 Karen Women’s Empowerment Group KWEG 13 Karen Women’s Organization KWO 14 Karen Youth Organization KYO 15 Mae Tao