Cross-border assistance (border-based agencies)

Increasingly seen as complementary to the INGOs registered with the Government
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Individual Documents

Description: "To strengthen inter-agency coordination, TBBC and the Myanmar Information Management Unit (MIMU) have mapped organisational reach in South East Burma/Myanmar for the education, health care and livelihoods support sectors. Information collected by MIMU from agencies registered with the Government of the Union of Myanmar has been combined with information collected by TBBC from border-based agencies recognised by non-state armed groups. The result is a comprehensive mapping of organisational reach with input from 32 agencies funded through Rangoon/Yangon and 27 agencies funded along the border. However, due to protection and visibility concerns, the data does not include all relevant agencies. The maps highlight how aid agencies based along the border complement the efforts of agencies based in Rangoon/Yangon in responding to humanitarian needs. Given the scale of vulnerabilities and limited funding, the agencies active in each sector have been disaggregated to the township-level to facilitate information sharing and to promote a more coordinated response. While the border based responses are predominately managed by community-based organisations, the maps reflect how initiatives from Rangoon/Yangon are generally led by United Nations? agencies and international non-governmental organisations. As the peace process evolves and opportunities to expand humanitarian access into conflict-affected areas increase, the challenge will be to ensure that international agencies build on the local capacities of these community-managed approaches."...6 MAPS -- 2 FOR EDUCATION (BASIC AND COMPARATIVE), 2 FOR HEALTH CARE (BASIC AND COMPARATIVE) AND 2 FOR LIVELIHOOD SUPPORT (BASIC AND COMPARATIVE). THE MAPS ARE ABOUT 1.8MB EACH.
Source/publisher: The Border Consortium (TBC) , MIMU
2012-07-31
Date of entry/update: 2012-07-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: INTRODUCTION: "Norway has supported cross-border assistance to the Back Pack Health Worker Team since 1998 and Thailand-based humanitarian assistance to the Mae Tao Clinic since 2005. Such support has been consistent with Norway?s commitments to advance humanitarian principles in conflict and disasters and to ensure that people in need receive necessary protection and assistance. In 2010, Norway decided to cut cross-border assistance citing accountability concerns and difficulties of monitoring such assistance. In 2012, NCA was informed by MFA of an impending cut in all cross-border and Thailand- based assistance, due to positive political changes in Burma/Myanmar and improved access from Yangon to border areas of Eastern Burma/Myanmar. NCA is concerned about the impact of such a decision. NCA therefore hired a consultant in order to verify the impact of a cut in assistance on access to services for rights holders in border areas and for local peace building efforts, and to assess whether such a cut stands at risk of violating humanitarian principles of Do No Harm. NCA further notes that other concerned parties, most recently the European Parliament, have instead called on the Burmese government to allow cross-border assistance to take place. NCA also has reason to believe that an abrupt cut in assistance to refugees, internally displaced people and migrants at this stage 1 would not be conducive to the ongoing peace making efforts of the Burmese government and ethnic armed groups in the country. Over a period of three weeks in April 2012, the consultant conducted 35 single interviews and/or group interviews with respondents in four locations (four in Bangkok, 18 in Yangon, seven in Mae Sot and six in Chiang Mai). Two additional sources were contacted by email. The respondents belonged to the following categories: (1) Representatives of the UN system in Burma/Myanmar, including the UN Resident Coordinator; (2) Representatives of INGOs working in Burma/Myanmar and/or along the border; (3) Representatives of national and local NGOs in Burma/Myanmar; (4) Representatives of FBOs/CBOS in Burma/Myanmar and along the border; (5) Representatives of ethnic health authorities in border areas; (6) Three medical doctors with experience working with border-based health providers including two doctors from the Thai healthcare system, and (7) One independent evaluator of one border-based health provider. The consultant also attended one meeting of the Coordinating Committee for Stateless and Displaced Persons in Thailand (CCSDPT) and one press conference on the situation in Kachin State organized by Human Rights Watch, both in Bangkok1. This report is a case study focusing primarily on the provision of healthcare services. However, NCA believes that many of the considerations and concerns raised in the report also apply to other service deliveries and that the potential consequences of a cut as described in this report would also apply to other sectors. By seeking to gain better understanding of current dynamics of aid in the political and peace reforms in Burma/Myanmar, NCA hopes this report will contribute to the transition towards peace and reconciliation for local communities in Burma/Myanmar..."
Source/publisher: Norwegian Church Aid (NCA)
2012-04-27
Date of entry/update: 2012-05-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 175.06 KB
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Description: Statement edorsed by 35 humanitarian organisations (Burmese, Shan, Mon, etc.) working on the Burma-Thailand border... "With international donors preparing significantly increased humanitarian and development assistance in order to promote peace in Burma, we are very concerned that cross-border aid to marginalized and vulnerable populations is being limited or cut at this crucial time. Even while the cease-fire process is being carried out with separate ethnic armed groups, fighting is still taking place with the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), resulting in fresh displacement of tens of thousands of people internally and outside the country. Even though some level of agreement has been reached with some ethnic armed groups, human rights violations are continuing in all ethnic areas under the new Army-backed government of U Thein Sein, including land confiscation, forced relocation, forced labour, extortion, and restriction of movement, rape and intimidation..."
Source/publisher: Ethnic Community Development Forum (ECDF) and 34 other groups
2012-04-10
Date of entry/update: 2012-05-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 27.09 KB
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Description: Humanitarian agencies in Rangoon cannot supply aid to eastern Burma. Whether they like it or not, cross-border aid from Thailand must continue... "While Burma?s eastern border region remains embroiled in civil war, it is the rural villagers, especially those suspected of being sympathetic to ethnic insurgents, who bear the brunt of the conflict. Over the past 25 years, tens of thousands of Karen, Mon, Karenni and Shan villagers have fled to refugee camps in Thailand. Many more have remained in eastern Burma, but live in the jungle in temporary camps as internally displaced persons. Their numbers continue to grow every year. Fortunately, there are international agencies, local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and community-based groups in the region that are actively involved in supporting those affected on both sides of the border. They often face unfair criticism from governments and international NGOs that believe humanitarian aid must be channeled through official lines inside Burma, usually through offices in Rangoon. Those agencies assert that being legally entitled to work they can help a greater number of people, including those in the Irrawaddy delta who were affected by Cyclone Nargis last year. Over the past 10 years, we have seen humanitarian aid, emergency relief and resources gradually moving away from the Thai-Burmese border and into Rangoon..."
Creator/author: Aung Zaw
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" Vol. 17, No. 7
2009-10-00
Date of entry/update: 2010-02-28
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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