Displacement and Poverty in South East Burma/Myanmar
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It remains to be seen how quickly and effectively the new DISPLACEMENT government will be able to tackle poverty, but there has not yet been any relaxation of restrictions on humanitarian AND POVERTY access into conflict-affected areas. In this context, the vast majority of foreign aid continues to be channelled into areas IN SOUTH EAST not affected by armed conflict such as the Irrawaddy/ Ayeyarwady Delta, the Dry Zone and Rakhine State. While responding to demonstrated needs, such engagement is BURMA/MYANMAR building trust with authorities and supporting advocacy for increased humanitarian space throughout the country. Until this confidence building process translates into access, 2011 cross-border aid will continue to be vital to ensure that the needs of civilians who are affected by conflict in the South East and cannot be reached from Yangon are not further marginalised. overty alleviation has been recognised by the new A new government in Burma/Myanmar offers the possibility The opportunity for conflict transformation will similarly government as a strategic priority for human of national reconciliation and reform after decades of conflict. require greater coherence between humanitarian, political, Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC) development. While official figures estimate that a Every opportunity to resolve grievances, alleviate chronic development and human rights actors. Diplomatic www.tbbc.org quarter of the nation live in poverty, this survey poverty and restore justice must be seized, as there remain engagement with the Government in Naypidaw and the non Download the full report from Psuggests that almost two thirds of households in rural areas many obstacles to breaking the cycle of violence and abuse. state armed groups will be critical in promoting national of South East Burma/Myanmar are unable to meet their www.tbbc.org/resources/resources.htm#idps Militarisation continues to pose the greatest threat to human reconciliation. Third party mediation may be necessary to basic needs. Impoverishment is particularly severe in the security in the south eastern states and regions, with more break the stalemate between the Government, who so far conflict-affected townships of Kyaukgyi and Shwegyin in people forced to flee from their homes during the past year are insisting on a series of State-based negotiations, and Pegu/Bago Region and Thandaung in Karen/Kayin State. than any other since the Thailand Burma Border Consortium the ethnic armed opposition, who are suspicious of ‘divide Comparative analysis with household surveys conducted by (TBBC) and ethnic community based organizations started and rule’ tactics and are calling for nationwide talks. The the World Food Program suggest that that standards of living documenting displacement in 2002. Providing a protective international community, including the United Nations, in rural areas of the South East are similar to conditions in environment by stopping human rights abuses, ensuring ASEAN, and Burma’s neighbours, has a responsibility to Northern Rakhine State and far worse than those those accountability and ending impunity will be essential for conflict support national reconciliation and address regional reported from the central Dry Zone. transformation. insecurity. This report seeks to increase awareness about the scale of poverty and displacement in rural areas of South East Burma/ Myanmar at a critical juncture in the nation’s history. During the past two years, apart from interviewing key informants in fifty townships to assess the scale of forced displacement, poverty assessments have been conducted with over 2,600 households in fourteen townships. Estimates of displacement were guided by international standards and the poverty assessment was developed in consultation with humanitarian agencies based in Rangoon/Yangon to ensure that vulnerability indicators are standardised. The paradox of democratic reform coinciding with an escalation of conflict in border areas during the survey period has been due to both domestic attempts to expand the national armed forces’ (Tatmadaw’s) command structure and regional interests in resource extraction. Ceasefire agreements in Karen, Shan, Mon and Kachin States collapsed due to orders for non state armed groups to give up their political aspirations and transform into Border Guard Forces under the Tatmadaw’s control. Major economic deals have simultaneously been negotiated with Asian neighbours for mega-development projects in ethnic areas, but the lack of transparency and consultation with local communities has aggravated tensions. C h i n d w i n M Y A N M A R/B U R M A Chin Poverty incidence in South East Burma/Myanmar State TBBC’s partner agencies have documented the destruction, The highest rates of displacement during the past year were recorded in central Karen State’s forced relocation or abandonment of more than 3,700 civilian border areas with Thailand, central Shan State and the northern Karen areas. A breakaway M Y A N M A R / B U R M A settlements in South East Burma/Myanmar since 1996, faction of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) resumed armed resistance in November Mandalay Shan Mong Hsat including 105 villages and hiding sites between August 2010 2010, and the resulting conflict led to the displacement of over 27,000 people from Myawaddy Magway Region State and July 2011. This survey estimates at least 112,000 people and surrounding townships. After the Tatmadaw broke a 22 year ceasefire agreement and Region g n n ee e w T Sal I Nay Pyi Taw were forced to leave their homes during the past year. While resumed military offensives against the Shan State Army-North (SSA-N) in March 2011, over r Mong Ton r a w some fled into Thailand and others returned to former villages 31,000 civilians fled from their homes across 10 townships. A further 28,000 civilians have been a Shadaw d d or resettled elsewhere, over 450,000 people currently remain displaced from northern Karen State and eastern Pegu Region as a result of hydro-electric dams y Rakhine Thandaung Kayah S internally displaced in the south eastern region. This is not a and counter-insurgency operations targeting civilians to undermine the Karen National Union State it State t a u n cumulative figure of everyone who has been displaced in the (KNU). g Hpasawng past decade, but rather a conservative estimate of the current Bago scale of internal displacement covering the rural areas of 50 Region townships. Kyaukkyi Hpapun T H A I L A N D Bay of Bengal Shwegyin Internal Displacement in South East Burma/Myanmar Yangon Ayeyarwady Region Kayin States, Regions, & Total IDPs State Townships (2011) Region Yangon SHAN STATE 145,600 Kawkareik Mawkmai 3,300 Sagaing Mon Mongkaung 3,700 Division State Laikha 17,000 Kyain Seikgyi Loilem 1,900 Nansang 6,800 M Y A N M A R/B U R M A Shan Kunhing 8,000 Chin State Monghsat 31,000 State Mandalay 95 E Mongton 30,000 Ye Region 15 N Mongpan 4,000 15 N Magway Kyethi 14,900 Langkho 2,000 Region INDIA Yebyu 20 N CHINA Nay Pyi Taw Mongnai 3,000 Rakhine MongHsu 4,300 MYANMAR (BURMA) Andaman Sea State Kayah MongYai 4,100 LAOS State Tanintharyi Hsipaw 5,100 Bangkok Lashio 1,800 THAILAND Region Namhkan 500 Bago Namhsan 400 Palaw Region T H A I L A N D Kyawkme 500 Tangyan 3,300 T a Bay of Bengal KAYAH STATE 35,100 n i Poverty Incidence by Township n t Yangon Shadaw 1,200 h a Over 80% of Households ry Region Loikaw 3,300 i Kayin Demoso 9,500 65%-80% of Households Ayeyarwady Yangon Region State Hpruso 5,900 50%-64% of Households Gulf of Bawlakhe 2,000 Tanintharyi 35%-49% of Households Kilometers Mon Hpasawng 8,700 Thailand State Refugee Camp Mese 4,500 0 50 100 BAGO REGION 44,900 100 E Taungoo n/a 95 E Kyaukkyi 33,700 15 N Shwegyin 11,200 INDIA CHINA KAYIN STATE 106,800 MYANMAR Andaman Sea As a result of protracted conflict and militarization, the This survey found that coercive military patrols, forced labour Thandaung 16,000 “For me, I will never go to (BURMA) majority of subsistence livelihoods in South East Burma/ and forced displacement each disrupted the livelihoods of Hpapun 41,000 Tanintharyi Thailand or the border or LAOS Hlaingbwe 5,500 Myanmar are not sustainable and disposable income at least one in ten households during the previous six Region Myawaddy 6,000 levels are too small to adequately supplement food months. These and other shocks contributed to food THAILAND a relocation site. As long as Kawkareik 2,300 supplies. A quarter of households reported having no shortages for three out of four households during the month Kyain Seikgyi 36,000 I have enough space in my cash income during the previous month while only one prior to the survey. Rather than being temporary gaps, more MON STATE 40,000 turtle shell, I will continue Ye 40,000 in six households have reliable sources of income. Food than half the households will have bought, borrowed or TANINTHARYI REGION 77,600 Number of IDPs by Township living here.” security indicators suggest that two out of three bartered for rice to cover at least three months consumption Yebyu 28,200 households have poor access to food, an inadequate diet in order to avoid food shortages leading up to the current 400 - 2,900 Dawei 7,600 3,000 - 4,900 Thayetchaung 4,000 Karen male, Tanintharyi Township, and were in debt primarily due to food shortages. These harvest. Households primarily cope by buying cheaper and 5,000 - 9,900 Palaw 13,700 CIDKP interview, July 2011 outcomes correlate with limited access to agricultural land poorer quality food, buying food on credit, relying on family Myeik 6,300 10,000 - 17,000 and productive assets and reflect the collapse of and friends and reducing consumption by eating rice soup.