Arakan Human Rights and Development Organisation Cyclone Giri: Two Years On Arakan Human Rights and Development Organisation Cyclone Giri: Two Years On Voices from the Arakan State of Western Burma (Myanmar) A report by Arakan Human Rights and Development Organisation (AHRDO) December 2012 Cyclone Giri: Two Years On Documented and published by Arakan Human Rights and Development Organisation(AHRDO) December 2012 Contact: [email protected] Tel. / Fax : + 66 (0) 55 030 249 Mobile: + 66 (0) 816 736 326 P.O Box-113, Mae Sot, Tak-63110, Thailand Arakan Human Rights and Development Organisation [ P A R T I ] FOREWORDS In October of 2010, Cyclone Giri struck Arakan State on the west coast of Burma. As with Cyclone Nargis the military junta’s response to the disaster was characterised by a lack of regard for its own citizens. Limited and misleading warnings of the approaching storm were issued, aid workers were denied immediate access to the worst hit areas and a proportion of the aid provided was misappropriated and sold for profit on the black market. While the victims of the cyclone struggled to stay alive and support their families, the generals were focusing solely on preparing and campaigning for the general election held 16 days after Giri struck. This report, Cyclone Giri: Two Years On, by Arakan Human Rights and Development Organisation (AHRDO) aims to give a voice to the survivors. It is the first independent assessment of the disaster response which documents the uncensored voices of the survivors. In numerous interviews they detail the systematic obstruction of relief aid, willful acts of theft, and the sale of relief supplies. Most significantly, the survivors faced intimidation and the threat of withdrawal of aid supplies if they failed to vote for the government’s Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) in the general election. Other reports have detailed the statistics of the relief effort and some local media have endeavoured to comment on the human rights abuses. Unlike Cyclone Nargis, the international media have largely ignored Cyclone Giri. This report is the first to provide accurate information on the full impact of the cyclone, as provided by local independent relief workers and survivors in Arakan. The people of Burma, especially the people of Arakan State, are entitled to truth, transparency, accountability and respect for their human rights. The crimes against the people of Burma must stop, and those who have committed them must be held accountable. Cyclone Giri: Two Years On is a critical step toward that accountability. The people of Burma deserve no less. Dr Cynthia Maung Coordinator, Emergency Assistance and Relief Team (EART) Founder Mae Tao Clinic, Mae Sot, Thailand On 22 October 2010, Cyclone Giri lashed Arakan State on the west coast of Burma with wind speeds of up to 120-160 mph (193-257 km/h) according to NASA, causing approximately 300 deaths and widespread damage to homes, paddy farms, fishing equipment and infrastructure. The military regime allowed international NGOs and relief agencies only limited access to the most affected areas preventing immediate relief from reaching the already vulnerable people of Arakan State, causing increased suffering. Worse still, the State backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) exploited and intimidated the Cyclone Giri affected communities during the 2010 general election that was held just 16 days after the cyclone. They provided relief supplies in return for votes and withdrew relief supplies from those who did not vote for the USDP. Consequently, a large number of survivors continue to face hardships in rebuilding their homes and livelihoods even two years after the cyclone. i Cyclone Giri: Two Years On Cyclone Giri: Two Years On, by the Arakan Human Rights and Development Organisation (AHRDO) is the first independent assessment of the disaster response to publish the uncensored voices of cyclone victims, local community leaders and independent relief workers in Arakan State. I hope that this report will enlighten the new Burmese government and the international community about the situation in Arakan State two years after Cyclone Giri. Aung Myo Min Director Human Rights Education Institute of Burma (HREIB) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Firstly, we would like to thank all interviewees and field workers, who took lots of risks and overcame many transportation and communication difficulties in remote affected areas, as well as friends and donors for their financial assistance for this report. Secondly, our heartfelt thanks also go out to all the organisations, especially the Arakanese community groups inside Burma and the Giri Relief Committee, that have provided information, interviews, photos, etc., and help in various ways toward the publication of this report. Thirdly, our special thanks go to our Executive Director, Aung Marm Oo, for overseeing the writing of the report, as well as co-workers and volunteers who processed data, prepared drafts and made translations. We would like to render recognition and credit to them and have their contributions documented, but their names must be kept confidential due to security reasons. We also express our gratitude to the people whose invaluable inputs and suggestions have been an integral part of this report. Without their assistance and extensive efforts, this report would not have been possible. Finally, we would also like to give a special mention to the members of the Arakan Human Rights and Development Organisation (AHRDO), who were responsible for the design and layout of the final publication. ii Arakan Human Rights and Development Organisation TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD................................................................................................................................ i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS........................................................................................................... ii TABLE OF CONTENTS.............................................................................................................. iii LIST OF MAPS, TABLES AND BOXES..................................................................................... iv LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS......................................................................... v PRELIMINARY REMARKS……………………………………………….………………...........vi EXECUTIVE SUMMARY............................................................................................................ 1 SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………..........2 SECTION 2: BACKGROUND OF ARAKAN............................................................................... 8 2.1 Pre-Independence Arakan …………………………………………………..................... 9 2.2 Post-Independence Arakan…………………………………………………………........ 9 2.3 Socio-economic Underdevelopment under the military Regimes……………………...... 10 2.4 Healthcare and Education..........................................................……………………...... 11 2.5 Increased Militarisation…………………………………………………………….......... 13 SECTION 3: METHODOLOGY……………………………………………………………......... 14 SECTION 4: FEW LESSONS LEARNED FROM PREVIOUS CYCLONES……………......... 14 4.1 Misleading early Warning……………………………………………………………....... 16 4.2 Lack of Mitigation Measures………………………………………………………......... 18 4.3 Deforestation of Mangrove Forests…………………………………………………....... 19 4.4 Nargis: a watershed in “lessons learned”……………………………………………...... 22 SECTION 5: VOICES FROM ARAKAN STATE - FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION…….…..... 24 5.1 Impact of Cyclone Giri………………………………………………………………....... 24 5.2 Relief Efforts……………………………………………………………………….......... 28 5.3 Misappropriation of Aid……………………………………………………………......... 31 5.4 2010 General Election………………………………………………………………........ 32 5.5 Weak Media Coverage………………………………………………………………....... 34 5.6 Negligence of the Burmese Opposition……………………………………………......... 36 SECTION 6: VOICES FROM ARAKAN STATE AFTER THE CYCLONE............................... 37 6.1 Lessons to learn from Giri…………………………………………………………......... 37 6.2 Torrential Rains and Flooding.……………………………………………………........... 40 6.3 Starvation and Water Shortages……………………………………………………......... 43 6.4 Healthcare and Education………………………………………………………….......... 46 6.5 Migration……………………………………………………………………………....... 47 6.6 Two Years On: An Overview………………………………………………………......... 49 SECTION 7: CONCLUSIONS………………………………………………………………........ 46 SECTION 8: RECOMMENDATIONS………………………………………………………....... 59 8.1 To the Burmese Government………………………………………………………......... 59 8.2 To the Donors………………………………………………………………………........ 60 8.3 To the United Nations…………………………………………………………................ 60 iii Cyclone Giri: Two Years On 8.4 To local NGOs and INGOs……………………………………………………………… 61 8.5 To Local and International Media……………………………………………………...... 61 8.6 To Burmese Opposition Groups……………………………………………………........ 61 8.7 To ASEAN…………………………………………………………………………......... 61 Arakan Human Rights and Development Organisation (AHRDO)………………………….......61 Background - Vision - Mission – Objectives – Activities - Working Departments ANNEXURES…………………………………………………………………………………....... 63 ANNEXURE I: Excerpts of Interviews in 2011.................................................................... 70 ANNEXURE II: Petitions……………………………………………................................... 83 ANNEXURE III: Interviews in 2012………………………………...................................... 73 ANNEXURE IV: Timeline………………………………………………………………......102 ANNEXURE V: 20 most devastating Cyclones striking Arakan (1884-2010)……….............103 ENDNOTES…………………………………………………………………………………..........104