Public Health

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Description: "...YANGON: More than a quarter of Myanmar's prison population is to be released, the president's office announced Friday, as calls grow to ease pressure on overcrowded jails with coronavirus fears gripping the country.The Southeast Asian nation grants an annual amnesty to thousands of prisoners to mark its April New Year holiday, but this is the largest ever recorded.It comes as governments around the world -- including the US, parts of Europe, and Colombia -- grapple with overcrowded prisons as fears spiral of virus outbreaks behind bars....So far Myanmar has officially confirmed 85 cases of Covid-19, including four deaths, but experts fear the real number is many times more due to the low numbers tested..."
Source/publisher: Bangkok Post
2020-04-17
Date of entry/update: 2020-04-18
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Description: "....Responding to the failure to release prisoners of conscience and activists jailed solely for exercising their rights in Myanmar during a presidential amnesty of nearly 25,000 prisoners, Clare Algar, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Research, Advocacy and Policy, said:....“It’s appalling that prisoners of conscience and peaceful activists were largely excluded from yesterday’s presidential amnesty. They should not be in prison in the first place and are victims of repression, harassment and arbitrary arrests by the Myanmar authorities, both the civilian-led government and the military..."
Source/publisher: Amnesty International
2020-04-18
Date of entry/update: 2020-04-19
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
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Description: "From 1962 to date 2021, how many of our patients have died, hurt and suffered due to the military dictatorships? Let’s make these dictatorships to extinct together even it means our career and lives are at risk! Let’s rebuild our health system for healthier lives and better access to quality health care.....ဒီစနစ်ဆိုးတွေကြောင့် (၁၉၆၂ မှ ၂၀၂၁ ထိ ) ငါတို့လူနာတွေဘယ်လောက်တောင်သေခဲ့ကြပြီလဲ ? ဘယ်လောက်တောင်နာခဲ့ကြပြီလဲ ? ဘယ်လောက်တောင်ခံစားခဲ့ကြရပြီလဲ ? ဒီအာဏာရှင်စနစ်ဆိုးတွေကို ဒို့မြန်မာပြည်မြေပေါ်မှာ နောင်ဘယ်တော့မှ လုံးဝ မရှိနိုင် မဖြစ်ပေါ်နိုင်အောင်.... ဒို့ခေတ် ဒို့ အချိန်မှာ ဒို့ဘဝ ဒို့အသက်တွေနဲ့ရင်းပြီး အပြီးတိုင်ချေမှုန်းကြစို့..."
Source/publisher: Ministry of Health
2021-05-31
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-31
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Description: "Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" (1920, C.E.A. Winslow).[1] It is concerned with threats to health based on population health analysis. The population in question can be as small as a handful of people or as large as all the inhabitants of several continents (for instance, in the case of a pandemic). The dimensions of health can encompass "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity", as defined by the United Nations? World Health Organization.[2] Public health incorporates the interdisciplinary approaches of epidemiology, biostatistics and health services. Environmental health, community health, behavioral health, health economics, public policy, insurance medicine and occupational health (respectively occupational medicine) are other important subfields..."
Source/publisher: Wikipedia
Date of entry/update: 2012-07-31
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Category: Public Health
Language: English
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Description: "About this blog: This blog is jointly written by a group of Myanmar Public Health Professionals. Our objectives are: To disseminate public health concepts and practices, To present contemporary international public health issues, To present and discuss public health problems of Myanmar "..." မျှဝေလိုသူများအတွက် ဒီဘလော့ဂ်က စာရေးသူအများ စုပေါင်းရေးတဲ့ ဘလောဂ်ဖြစ်ပြီး ပို့စ်တွေကို ပြန်လည် ကူးယူဖေါ်ပြလိုပါက ဘလော့ဂ်လိပ်စာနဲ့ စာရေးသူ နာမည်ကို အညွန်းထည့်ပေးပြီး ဘယ်သူမဆို ပြန်လည်ကူးယူ ဖေါ်ပြနိုင်ပါတယ်။ ထပ်ဆင့်ပြန်ဖေါ်ပြသူအားလုံးကို ကျေးဇူးတင်ပါတယ်။ Blog Admins"
Source/publisher: Public Health in Myanmar
Date of entry/update: 2012-07-24
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
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Description: "OVERVIEW: Three years after the events of 1 February 2021, widespread conflict continues to drive displacement and exacerbate needs across multiple states and regions in Myanmar. Intensified airstrikes, artillery shelling, drone attacks as well as the use of antipersonnel landmines and cluster bombs are impacting forcibly displaced people and host communities, particularly in Rakhine State and the North-West Region. Humanitarian access constraints continued to expose people to various protection risks and restrict the delivery of critical assistance and protection. Coping capacities have been stretched to the limit, with food, emergency shelter and core relief items (CRIs) identified as the most urgent needs. The recent announcement of mandatory conscription by the de facto authorities has sparked fear among young men and women and an uptick in the number of people fleeing Myanmar into neighbouring countries, including Bangladesh. UNHCR continues to call for states to respect the principle of non-refoulement and advocate for access to safety and asylum as well as lifesaving and emergency services for Rohingya arrivals from Myanmar. In Thailand, no new arrivals were recorded by the Royal Thai Government in February. Nevertheless, to support preparedness efforts, the Inter-Sector Working Group launched the 2024 Refugee Preparedness and Response Plan, an inter-agency document based on agreed scenarios and contingency planning discussions to support Thai authorities' response. In view of the current situation in Myanmar, 15 humanitarian agencies are planning for up to 40,000 arrivals from Myanmar by year-end. The response focuses on seven sectors – education, food, health, CRIs, protection, shelter and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) – with a total ask of some $17 million. In India, approximately 59,300 individuals from Myanmar’s North-West region have sought protection since February 2021. Out of this population, 5,682 individuals are in New Delhi and have registered with UNHCR. During the reporting period, the Union Home Minister of India announced plans to fence the India-Myanmar border and discontinue the Free Movement Regime (FMR), citing rising insecurity. India and Myanmar currently share a largely unfenced border giving people from both countries residing close to the border the right to move into each other's territory without travel documents. On 17 February, the Mizoram Chief Minister expressed the state government’s opposition to these plans and on 28 February, the Mizoram assembly passed a resolution urging the Government of India to reconsider its decision. A five-member non-governmental organization (NGO) coordination committee in Mizoram also submitted a memorandum to the Union Home Minister opposing the proposal. In Manipur, the Chief Minister announced plans to identify and deport individuals who arrived and established residence in the state after 1961 due to the current instability and insecurity. The security situation in Manipur remains sensitive with incidents of violence and gunfights being reported from across the state. Despite the mounting humanitarian needs Myanmar arrivals in Mizoram and Manipur face, state governments and humanitarian agencies do not have sufficient resources to sustain the food, shelter, and WASH response. Access challenges due to the security situation and mobility restrictions in some locations in Manipur have also compounded the situation..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
2024-03-25
Date of entry/update: 2024-03-28
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Myanmar Red Cross Society has been providing humanitarian assistance to most needed communities in line with the Fundamental Principles. On March 20, 2024, volunteers and staffs of the Myanmar Red Cross Society delivered essential relief items to 168 families affected by current situation who displaced in Taung Pulu Monastery, Baptist Church and two villages in Mindat Township, Chin State. During this distribution effort, we provided 139 Pcs of Dignity Kits, 138 Pcs of Hygiene Kids, 5 Pcs of Clean Delivery Kits, 64 Pcs of Psychosocial Support Kits for Children, 52 Pcs of Infant Kits, 66 Packs of Clothing for Children, 168 Mosquito nets, 168 Blankets, 107 Tarpaulins, 336 Bottles of cooking oil (1 liter), 168 Packs of Salt, 168 Packs of Dry Fish, and 168 Packs of Beans. Our effort provided significant assistance to them, despite not being entirely tailored to their requirements. It effectively addresses the specific needs of communities. The Myanmar Red Cross Society remains dedicated to delivering such humanitarian aid to communities in need..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Red Cross Society"
2024-03-24
Date of entry/update: 2024-03-24
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: 4.83 MB
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Description: "In 2023, Myanmar witnessed a surge in armed conflicts and the profound impact of Cyclone Mocha, intensifying the humanitarian needs across the country. The deteriorating security situation in conflict zones has caused fear and uncertainty, resulting in numerous communities to flee and impeding their ability to meet basic needs. Further limitations and restrictions on access to reach affected communities resulted in a challenging environment for humanitarian responders. Nevertheless, teams at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) continued to carry out our activities, which are lifesaving, dignity preserving and essential for the affected population. Despite not being granted humanitarian access to prisons, the ICRC continues assisting released detainees to return home safely and helping families deliver food parcels and letters to their detained family members. At every opportunity, at all levels, the ICRC has advocated for access to detention centers, as well as the humane treatment to people deprived of their liberty. Across the country, we work independently as well as with our partners, including the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS), to ensure a comprehensive humanitarian response bringing crucial support to the communities facing challenges. A look at the measurable impact of our assistance in 2023. 145,001 people were provided with essential household items such as blankets, mosquito nets and kitchen sets. 138,147 people gained better access to water, sanitation, shelter, and emergency hygiene systems as part of the ICRC’s emergency response programme. 3,386 people were supported upon release from prison, allowing them to return home safely. 4,721 people with disabilities, including 1,704 people affected by explosive hazards, were supported through our physical rehabilitation programme. 65,949 people learned more about the risk of explosive hazards and received information on safe behavior through 1,377 awareness sessions. 98 community volunteers and 210 Red Cross volunteers were trained as trainers to raise awareness of risk and safer behavior. 1,706 Red Cross volunteers joined 66 training sessions led by MRCS on safer access. 9,116 people, including weapon bearers, civil society organization, international organizations and government staff, learned more about international humanitarian law through 338 awareness sessions..."
Source/publisher: International Committee of the Red Cross (Geneva)
2024-03-22
Date of entry/update: 2024-03-22
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "This Rapid Market Assessment (RMA) is a suppliment to the MAU Market Price Report in South Sagaing Region. It provides township-level data on market functionality, activity, supply, and logistics. Data were collected through observation and KIIs with retailers during Feb. 21-27, 2024. Reports available at www.themimu.info/market-analysis-unit. KEY FINDINGS • Markets remained open and operational, but security was poor in Myaung, Shwebo and Yinmarbin; • Many foods and NFIs were available, although NFIs were generally less available than food items; • Fuel and medicines were scarce regionwide, and and rice and cooking oil were limited in Monywa; • Regional trade remained possible, but supply lead times ranged from two days to two weeks; • Monywa, Mandalay and Yangon supplied goods to markets in the region, and costs were fairly stable; • Security and transportation were key challenges for retailers, while other challenges were moderate. Regional Overview Market Functionality - Markets continued to operate regularly, but security was poor in some markets. Markets were generally open and there were no reports of recent damage or closures, but markets in Myaung, Shwebo Town, and Yinmarbin were described as relatively unsafe. Market Activity - Activity in town and village markets was stable or falling in recent months. Markets in Shwebo and Yinmarbin had contracted sharply in past months, and customer activity was down in Monywa Town market. Other markets saw little change in activity, while the Ye-U village had seen customers increase as peopled visited from other townships. Availability of Goods - Goods were generally available in markets, but fuel and medicines were scarce. The availability of food items was sometimes better than for NFIs, but overall many goods were available. The Yinmarbin village market was an exception as it lacked some foods and many NFIs. Poor availability of fuel and medical-related items was common across markets in the region. Transport & Logistics - Retailers supplied from Yangon, Mandalay and Monywa, but lead-times varied. Supply lead-times varied greatly by market and ranged from as little as two days to as much as two weeks. Retailer Challenges - Retailers struggled most with security and transportation. Poor security was a common concern for retailers across markets, as was poor transportation and supply. Retailers in Shwebo Town reported the most challenges, and Shwebo and Yinmarbin retailers both reported weak demand. Possible Interventions - Retailers said interventions could help them increase inventory but only slightly. Most retailers were willing and able to increase inventory provided support, but they were likely to increase it only slightly. This may be due to the fact that goods appeared to be already fairly available in most of the markets monitored. What to Watch • Availability of fuel and medicines was consistently poor across the region; • Security concerns in Monywa in early-March may further reduce customer activity in this key market; • Remote village markets like that in Yinmarbin likely face poorer food and NFI availability..."
Source/publisher: Myanmar Information Management Unit (Myanmar) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2024-03-15
Date of entry/update: 2024-03-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: 10.44 MB
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Description: "NATIONAL SOCIETY PROFILE: The Myanmar Red Cross Society is the oldest humanitarian organisation in Myanmar. It began its operations in 1920 as a branch of the Indian Red Cross. After Burma formally separated from India in 1937, the Society obtained official national status and was admitted to the International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in 1946. The role of the National Society, as enshrined in the Myanmar Red Cross Society Law 2015, mentions it serves independently and voluntarily as the auxiliary strength of the State in the humanitarian field, in accordance with the Red Cross Red Crescent Fundamental Principles. The Myanmar Red Cross Society has an extensive reach and operates through 65 district branches, and branches in each of the country’s 330 townships. The National Society also counts with 17 supervisory committees (states, regions and Naypyitaw Union Territory), and has branches in universities, colleges, and sub-branches at town, ward, village tract and schools across the country. The Myanmar Red Cross Society Strategic Plan (2021-2025) sets the following three goals: Build healthier and safer communities, reduce their vulnerabilities and strengthen their resilience Promote understanding and respect for the Red Cross Principles, Humanitarian Values, and International Humanitarian Law as a means to promoting social cohesion and non-violence Strengthen understanding of the Myanmar Red Cross’s auxiliary role among the humanitarian sector by developing a strong, well-functioning and resourceful National Society. According to its Strategic Plan, 2021–2025, with partner support, the Myanmar Red Cross aims to equip Red Cross volunteers, state, region and township branches and the national headquarters with the technical, financial and material resources “to be a well-functioning National Society with the capacity of providing humanitarian services to the most vulnerable people in Myanmar and beyond”. The National Society plans to extend its traditional emergency response activities – including the delivery of ambulance and first aid services, primary health care, water, sanitation and hygiene services, psychosocial support and protection – while also developing its preparedness through disaster risk reduction, anticipatory action and resilience building. To support these ambitions, the National Society plans to enhance its institutional capacity through branch development and decentralization, volunteer and youth management and capacity building, resource mobilization and human resource management, and partnership frameworks..."
Source/publisher: International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies (Geneva) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2024-03-14
Date of entry/update: 2024-03-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 1.81 MB
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Description: "This Rapid Market Assessment (RMA) is a suppliment to the MAU Market Price Report in Rakhine State. It provides township-level data on market functionality, activity, supply, and logistics. Data were collected through observation and KIIs with retailers during Feb. 10-13, 2024. Reports available at www.themimu.info/market-analysis-unit. KEY FINDINGS Village markets swelled with activity as most town markets remained closed; Busy markets still lacked many foods and NFIs but all markets had at least some critical goods; Fuel and medicines were scarce, and cooking oil and hygiene products were often unavailable; Retailers sourced goods from other townships, but transport costs continued to drive prices up; Retailers' largest challenge was transportation and its impact on price and supply; Customers may lack cash to buy available goods, as retailers cited weak demand in busy markets. Regional Overview Market Functionality - Village markets remained open even as town markets closed. Town markets in Sittwe and Maungdaw continued operating, and village markets remained open in other townships. Open markets followed regular hours. Market Activity - Village market activity increased as they absorbed volume from closed town markets. Town markets shrank and village markets grew as displaced households filled rural areas and retail followed. Prominant village markets in Ponnagyun and Rathedaung swelled with activity, although this did not always result increased availability of goods. Availability of Goods - Fuel and medicines were scarce, and many foods and NFIs were unavailable. Markets offered a variety of local winter vegetables, but some other goods were hard to find. Low-quality rice was available in village markets (near mills), but regional imports (e.g., NFIs) were more often unavailable. Transport & Logistics - Retailers still sourced goods from neighboring townships, although transport costs continued rising. Some retailers still sourced goods from neighboring townships, while others were deterred and made do with dwindling inventories. Retailer Challenges - Retailers struggled with high transport costs and a resulting drought in supply. Retailers reported weak demand even in village markets with increasing customers, possibly pointing to cashpoor households with little money to spend. Cash access (among retailers) was most challenging for Sittwe retailers but less so among those in villages. Possible Interventions - Retailers felt they could increase local supply with added support. Retailers expressed a willingness and ability to increase supply under more favorable circumstances. Freedom of movement for traders and fuel subsidies or other support for transportation costs were most likely to spur supply, while low-interest loans were less likely. Village retailers appeared more likely than those in towns increase supply, possibly because village markets have grown..."
Source/publisher: Myanmar Information Management Unit (Myanmar) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2024-03-05
Date of entry/update: 2024-03-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 3.74 MB
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Description: "This regular update, covering humanitarian developments up to 3 March, is produced by OCHA Myanmar in collaboration with the Inter-Cluster Coordination Group and UN agencies. Response figures are based on self-reporting by organizations to clusters. The next humanitarian update will be issued end of March 2024. HIGHLIGHTS & KEY MESSAGES • Across Myanmar 18.6 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in 2024, with people struggling to survive amid conflict and insecurity, civilian safety and protection threats, as well as soaring inflation that is affecting people’s ability to meet basic needs. • Conflict spans various parts of the country with a deteriorating situation in Rakhine, as well as the Northwest and Southeast, driving new displacement. Nationwide, more than 2.7 million people are now displaced. • In Rakhine, people were killed and injured in Sittwe when a stray shell, landed in the downtown market on 29 February. • The closure of roads and waterways in Rakhine since the renewed conflict in November 2023 has led to food scarcity and other supply shortages, as well as increased prices of essential goods. • The situation in northern Shan has been relatively stable following the ceasefire agreed in January. However, landmine contamination, recruitment by armed groups, isolated tensions and movement restrictions remain a threat to local communities. UN staff temporarily relocated from Lashio will soon be returning due to the improved security situation. • Active fighting, administrative restrictions being imposed by all sides, and violence and harassment of humanitarian personnel remain key barriers to accessing affected people and providing lifesaving assistance. • At least 3.2 million people were reached with assistance in 2023 however this support is not as deep or sustained as planned due to underfunding and access constraints. • Through the 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan aid workers aim to reach 5.3 million people with urgent assistance for which $994 million is required. A repeat of 2023 funding levels (HRP 37 per cent funded) in 2024 would be catastrophic for affected people..."
Source/publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2024-03-03
Date of entry/update: 2024-03-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "The MAU tracks market prices in in Southeast Myanmar. Data are collected from three vendors per product per market in the last week of each month. The data include prices from Hpapun (Kamamaung market), Hsihseng (main), Kawkareik (main), Loikaw (Thiri Mingalar), Pekon (main), and Taungoo (Nat Htet). Data are available online at www.themimu.info/market-analysis-unit. KEY FINDINGS Essential food prices rising moderately in January, and rice prices were up 5%; Vegetable prices were stable across markets perhaps due to the arrival of winter supply, although eggplant prices rose sharply; Meat/fish prices were stable or rising in January with shrimp, fresh fish, and dried fish seeing price increases of 2-10%; Stable NFI prices stayed 20-80% above last year with blankets, mosquito nets, and hygiene items up the most; Markets remained closed in Kawkareik and Hsiseng, likely making it more difficult to supply some goods to area villages; Rice prices should be watched closely as transportation disruptions due to ongoing conflict may further in-crease prices. Product-Level Price Changes Essential Foods – Essential food prices continued to rise steadily in January, and rice prices were up at least 5%. Rice prices were up 5-17% in January. Prices for pulses and cooking oil were fairly stable, although they rose 4-7% in some cases. January extended a three-month trend of steadily-rising essential food prices. Retailers in Demoso attributed rising prices to increased checkpoints pushing up transportation costs. Vegetables – Vegetable prices were stable across markets in January. Eggplant prices rose sharply in Hpapun and Taungoo as retailers reported some reduction in supply, but otherwise there were few product-level price trends. Vegetable prices were sta-ble or rising in Hpapun and Taungoo, and they were fairly stable in Pekon. Meat and Fish – Meat and fish prices were stable or 2-10% higher in January. Prices for shrimp, fresh fish, and dried fish rose 2-10% in January, while chicken prices rose 7-20% in two markets. Fish paste prices spiked at the village market in Pekon due to supply limits, but prices for fish paste and pork were otherwise stable. Hygiene Products – Price trends for hygiene products varied by market in January. Prices for hygiene products increased 3% or more in Hpapun, but they fell 11% or more in Taungoo. Prices for hygiene products were stable in Pekon. Other NFIs – Prices for other NFIs were very stable in January. Notwithstanding several isolated price increases, NFI prices were quite stable. Prices for charcoal and cooking pots were up 6-12% in Hpapun, and prices for blankets fell in Taungoo, but otherwise there was little change in NFI prices in January..."
Source/publisher: Myanmar Information Management Unit (Myanmar) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2024-02-21
Date of entry/update: 2024-02-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Highlights: In 2023, the Myanmar Health Cluster reached 769 080 people in conflict-affected and remote areas across 11 States and Regions, including 339 760 internally displaced people. This achievement signifies 31 % of the cluster target for the year. Each people received one or more health services from partners with highest number reached in Kayin (24%), followed by Kachin (21%) and Rakhine (20%). Although the number of people reached reflects a 40 % increase compared to 2022, the health services remained highly limited, fragmented and below standards due to legal, administrative and military impediments. From 1 October to 31 December 2023, health partners reported 221 965 consultations, with more than 50% addresing Primary Health Care, 22% focusing on Maternal and Newborn Care (including 436 deliveries), 10% Mental Health Care and Psychosocial Support and 5% Trauma Care. Additionally, health partners reported 450 consultations related to a disability..."
Source/publisher: Health Cluster and World Health Organization via Reliefweb (New York)
2024-02-18
Date of entry/update: 2024-02-18
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "The MAU tracks market prices in Central and Northern Rakhine State and Chin State. Data are collected from three vendors per product per market in the last week of each month. Data and product specifications are available online through the MPR dashboard at www.themimu.info/market-analysis-unit. KEY FINDINGS Essential food prices dipped in January as rice prices fell 4% and cooking oil prices declined 10-32%; Vegetable prices fell 25-75% across markets, likely due in large part to new supply of local winter crops; Vegetables remained 200-500% above last year, even after falling prices unwound the latest price hikes; Meat and fish prices rose another 10% in January, and they lingered 60-120% above 2023 levels; Prices for hygiene products climbed at least 17% amid retailer reports of dwindling supply; Access to NFIs from outside the region may worsen as roads and town markets remain closed; Lower rice and vegetable prices were a promising sign and suggested that winter crop harvest may be reaching local markets despite mounting challenges. Product-Level Price Changes Essential Foods – Essential food prices dipped modestly in January. Rice prices retreated by 4% or more in most markets monitored, while cooking oil prices fell 10-32% (one-time oil shipments to Sittwe in mid-January likely explain this in part). Prices for pulses rose another 10% or more in several markets. Vegetables – Vegetable prices fell 25-75% across markets, likely due to increased winter supply. Prices for onion, eggplant, garlic, and green chili retreated 25-75% in January, likely due to improved supply from winter harvest. Lower prices may also owe in part to a shift to measuring village prices (vegetables are often cheaper in villages where they are grown than in towns where they are sold with a mark-up for transportation costs).1 Meat and Fish – Meat and fish prices increased 10% or more in most markets in January. Chicken prices rose more sharply than other foods in January and prices doubled in Ponnagyun. Meat/fish prices fell in some cases but rose in general. Sitwe saw notable increases of 10-30% for multiple meat/fish items. Hygiene Products – Prices for hygiene products climbed at least 17% in January amid reports of dwindling inventory. Prices for soap, detergent, and sanitary pads doubled in some cases, and retailers reported low inventories. Prices for hygiene products were fairly stable in Sittwe and Maungdaw towns, but prices were higher in villages where town markets have closed. Other NFIs – NFI prices climbed in January, particularly winter-related items like charcoal and blankets. Prices for charcoal and blankets increased 25-50% in January, while prices also rose in some markets for cooking pots, tarps and towels. Retailers worried about stockouts of NFIs supplied from afar..."
Source/publisher: Myanmar Information Management Unit (Myanmar) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2024-02-16
Date of entry/update: 2024-02-18
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 1.09 MB
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Description: "Since the Armed Forces of Myanmar (Tatmadaw) seized control of the country on 1 February 2021 following a general election that the National League for Democracy party won by a landslide, Insecurity Insight has documented how violence has devastated the health-care system. Starting in late 2022, armed violence has escalated, with the Myanmar military increasingly using aircraft-delivered explosive weapons against communities that strongly resisted the military’s rule. Kayah state has been particularly affected. Forty incidents were recorded in which Myanmar military aircraft dropped explosive weapons that damaged or destroyed clinics, hospitals, pharmacies and rural health centres. Incidents occurred during wider attacks on civilians and opposition groups and often involved other civilian infrastructure being damaged, including homes, monasteries and schools. In addition, at least one health worker was killed and two others injured when the facility that they were working inside was hit by military air strikes. In total, nine health workers were killed and four injured by explosive weapons dropped by Myanmar military aircraft. Staff were harmed while providing medical care to people injured during armed clashes at an IDP camp and in health facilities inside the camp. In one incident in April 2023 a fully functioning hospital was damaged when it was struck by Myanmar military air strikes, injuring a nurse, a patient and three civilians. Two ambulances were damaged and IDPs sheltering near the hospital were further displaced..."
Source/publisher: Insecurity Insight (Geneva) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2024-02-14
Date of entry/update: 2024-02-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
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Description: "HIGHLIGHTS: The situation in Myanmar deteriorated significantly in the last quarter of 2023 with the escalation of armed clashes and increasing of grave violations against children. More than 2.6 million people are internally displaced by the end of 2023, an increase of 1.1 million since the same time in last year. In 2023, UNICEF received 16.7 per cent of its Myanmar Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) appeal of US$ 217.9 million. Despite the huge funding gap and multiple constraints, UNICEF and its partner reached almost 1.8 million children and their families. Despite the funding limitation, measles vaccination reached 93 per cent against the target. UNICEF and its partners able to support children’s education access up to 75 per cent of the target while 63 per cent of WASH supplies and 53 per cent achieved for severe acute malnutrition (SAM) admissions due to the complementary funding and programmatic modalities. SITUATION IN NUMBERS 5,800,000 Children in need of humanitarian assistance 18,100,000 People in need of humanitarian assistance 2,310,900 Internally displaced people after 1 February 2021 306,200 People in protracted displacement before Feb 2021 FUNDING OVERVIEW AND PARTNERSHIPS UNICEF Myanmar appealed for US$217.9 million in 2023 to address the needs of 3.7 million people, including 2.3 million children. At the end of 2023, the Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) remains severely underfunded with a funding gap of 83.3 per cent. UNICEF secured US$36.50 million (US$27.28 million in 2023 and $9.22 million carried over from 2022), representing 16.7 per cent of its 2023 HAC appeal. The humanitarian needs remain high going into 2024 as reflected in UNICEF’s 2024 HAC appeal. In 2023, UNICEF received generous support from Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), the United States Fund for UNICEF, the European Commission’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations Department (DG ECHO), the Government of Canada, the Government of Japan, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Government of Norway, the Royal Thai Government, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) along with the Central Emergency Response Fund, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Czech Committee for UNICEF, the French Committee for UNICEF, the German Committee for UNICEF and Gavi the Vaccine Alliance. UNICEF Myanmar also received internal allocations from global humanitarian thematic funding and the Emergency Programme Fund (EPF) loan to support the provision of the humanitarian response. Additionally, UNICEF provided humanitarian leadership and cluster coordination and strengthened protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA). With this support, UNICEF delivered life-saving humanitarian assistance and ensured critical services reached almost 1.8 million children and their families in need. For the year 2024, UNICEF will scale up programmes and approaches to reach more vulnerable children and communities. UNICEF expresses its sincere appreciation to all private and public sector donors for their contributions in supporting the children of Myanmar..."
Source/publisher: UN Children's Fund (New York) via Reliefweb (New York)
2024-02-14
Date of entry/update: 2024-02-14
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Description: "A military coup in Myanmar in February 2021 has led to widespread conflict and has had a severe impact on its health care system. Many health care workers have been involved in civil disobedience and protests against the coup, including boycotts. Organisations such as the WHO and Insecurity Insight have also reported on attacks on health care in the country. Since February 2021, the UK government has provided over £120mn in humanitarian and development assistance in Myanmar. On 29 of February 2024, Lord Crisp (Crossbench) is scheduled to ask the following question for short debate: Lord Crisp to ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the role that the United Kingdom could play in supporting health workers in Myanmar, and contributing to the reconstruction of the country’s health system. 1. The 2021 military coup Headed by Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s National League for Democracy (NLD) took power following elections in 2015 after decades of military rule.[1] Elections in 2020 led to further NLD gains and the military made an accusation of electoral fraud. In February 2021, Myanmar’s military commander in chief Min Aung Hlaing launched a military coup that overthrew the elected government. A civil disobedience movement (CDM) developed following the coup. The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Thomas H Andrews, stated that this led to the development of a national unity government: Following the formation of CDM, members of parliament who had been elected in the November national elections but prevented from taking their oath of office by the junta established the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw. From the Committee emerged the broader and more inclusive National Unity Government in April, to provide leadership, build international support and serve as the legitimate representatives of the people of Myanmar.[2] Militias formed in opposition to the coup, including as part of the ‘People’s Defence Force’ (PDF) under the National Unity Government.[3] The UK government has said that a wide range of people were involved in the protests: In response to military rule, people from a range of backgrounds and professions took part in large scale protests across Myanmar throughout 2021. Sources differ on the scale of the protests from daily figures of 10s to 100s of thousands depending on the location and timing. However, the UN summarised that by March 2021 millions of people had protested across 100s of towns. ACLED [The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project] recorded over 6,000 anti-coup demonstration events throughout 2021. In 2022, direct action continued but evolved to include civil disobedience, flash mobs, silent strikes and smaller anti-junta protests across the country.[4] The response of the military has included violence and arrests: Military response to opposition includes violent oppression of peaceful protests, arbitrary arrests of protestors and family members, property raids and seizures (particularly of NLD members), and to a lesser extent enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. Threats, harassment, violence, and direct attacks occur against those associated with or perceived to support pro-democratic or anti-junta groups, and on civilians in areas where there is conflict between the military and armed groups.[5] In a written statement in February 2023 marking two years since the coup, minister of state at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, said the coup had led to millions needing humanitarian assistance: The consequences for domestic and regional stability are clear; over 17 million people are now in need of humanitarian assistance—a staggering increase of 16 million in just two years; over 1.5 million people are displaced within Myanmar, with a million more in neighbouring Bangladesh, Thailand and India; illicit economies are thriving; and democratic gains have been reversed. Recent figures indicated Myanmar suffered some of the most intense violence in the world in 2022, with conflict-related deaths second only to Ukraine. There is a clear trajectory of increasing violence, human rights violations and abuses, to which the UK has responded with a range of tools.[6] Ms Trevelyan said the UK condemned the “brutal actions” of the military regime and supported “all those working peacefully to restore democracy in Myanmar”. She said that the military must engage with the National Unity Government and respect the “democratic aspirations of the people of Myanmar”: We support all those working peacefully to restore democracy in Myanmar. The military must engage in inclusive and meaningful dialogue with the full range of opposition voices, including the National Unity Government (NUG), and respect the democratic aspirations of the people of Myanmar. In 2022, UK ministers spoke regularly with counterparts in the NUG. We call on the military to immediately end its campaign of violence and release the thousands of people it has detained arbitrarily, including Aung San Suu Kyi. The military must engage in inclusive and meaningful dialogue with the full range of opposition voices in order to respect the federal, democratic aspirations of the people of Myanmar.[7] In a January 2024 answer to a written question asking when the UK government had last raised the treatment of pro-democracy advocates in Myanmar at the UN, the government said it had co-sponsored a resolution at the UN general assembly and supported the International Criminal Courts investigation of acts committed against the Rohingya: On 15 November 2023 the UK co-sponsored a UN General Assembly resolution calling on the Myanmar military to release all those who have been arbitrarily detained on political grounds. We will continue to seek opportunities to raise our concerns at the UN and other multilateral fora. We support the International Criminal Court Prosecutor’s initiative to investigate acts committed against the Rohingya. In November, we jointly filed a declaration of intervention at the International Court of Justice in The Gambia’s case alleging Myanmar has perpetrated genocide against the Rohingya, in order to set out our interpretation of the relevant provisions of the Genocide Convention before the Court.[8] 2. Impact of the coup on Myanmar’s health system The World Health Organization (WHO) has said “the crisis has spread in such a way” that the entire population of Myanmar, 56 million people, are now facing some level of need.[9] The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has stated that a third of the population, 18.6 million people, are now estimated to be in humanitarian need.[10] The OCHA’s ‘Humanitarian needs and response plan’ (December 2023) for Myanmar estimates that 12 million people will need humanitarian health assistance in 2024. The OCHA has stated that whilst the provision of public essential health services has “partly resumed” in large urban areas, overall access to health care, essential medicines and medical supplies continues to be “fragile, fragmented, and uneven”.[11] The OCHA says that this is exacerbated by long-term inequalities and that the health system is deeply politicised, which is affecting the return of health workers. This in turn hinders access to health care particularly for girls, women, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. The WHO has also reported that whilst the situation has improved in some large cities, overall health service access is still severely constrained: The health services remain significantly impacted by the increasing conflicts and security and economic stress. While a reversal in the trend in the provision of services is observed in some large cities, such as Nay Pyi Taw and Yangon, since the pandemic and the events of February 2021, the overall access to health services remains severely constrained and fragmented, with a heavy reliance on local partners supporting their own communities.[12] The WHO has said that prior to the current situation Myanmar had made progress in reducing the prevalence of communicable diseases, including malaria and tuberculosis.[13] The WHO said Myanmar had also shown “remarkable progress with regard to key sustainable development goals (SDG) targets of maternal mortality, newborn mortality and child mortality”.[14] However, it has stated that the established monitoring systems, such as District Health Information System 2, that allowed for an evidence-based determination of the functionality of Myanmar’s current health system “are non-functional”. The WHO’s country office therefore developed “alternative, ad hoc monitoring systems” to allow it to monitor access to health services: The data had been collected by observation from 360 townships by WHO field-based staff and Myanmar Country Office staff since April 2021. WHO, in collaboration with the World Bank, has conducted a phone survey across Myanmar to analyse the current situation regarding access to health care and medicines, and private sector providers’ response. Increased challenges to availability and affordability of essential medicines were observed while difficulties in transporting supplies to conflict-affected areas were also noticed.[15] The WHO reported that the Covid-19 pandemic had impacted medical training resulting in the “closure of all training institutions throughout the year 2020 with no graduation of the health workforce cadres, adding to the constraints”.[16] The WHO has characterised health care in Myanmar as facing the following challenges: In Myanmar, people are facing heavily restricted access to formal health services, including those run by public hospitals and de facto government clinics. Moreover, a large share of households continues to depend on health care services that are provided by private health care facilities while self-care remains a key approach adopted by them. Additionally, ethnic health organizations (EHOs) continue to fill significant gaps in health care provision. Lack of primary health care in villages, high cost of secondary health care at hospitals and movement restrictions in availing tertiary health care in capital cities continue to hinder access to health services. These restrictions are causing life-threatening suffering, notably mental and psychosocial burden, and death from medical emergencies. Minorities and other ethnically vulnerable populations continue to face severe constraints and a fragmented health care system in the wake of Covid-19 and the political changes in February 2021. Although Myanmar was hit by the deadliest wave of Covid-19 during June–September 2021, severely disrupting health sector functioning, the third and fourth waves in 2022 continued to put the health system under strain. The health system was crippled by a limited bed capacity, challenges to making oxygen and essential medicines available, and an inadequate health workforce, leading to excess death and disability. However, since then, the testing capacity and the vaccination rate have increased, which in turn have improved the level and development of seroprevalence.[17] The WHO has said that nearly half of Myanmar’s population (46%) is reported to be facing poverty, with “serious repercussions for the cost of health care”. It has said, that particularly in conflict areas, access to health care has been put out of the reach of common people by: significant shortages of key essential medicines continuing supply chain disruptions high inflation rates (about 20% in 2022–23) The WHO also said that a “continued depletion of tax revenue” had resulted in budgets cuts to the health sector.[18] The WHO has said the “total collapse” of the health management information system has meant that the availability of data is constrained. This has led to health programmes related to diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDs seeing a reverse in data collection and analysis used to monitor these diseases and assist with their prevention and control. The WHO has said that a new law had forced several NGOs to either shut down or reduce their operations: Declaration of a new Registration Law, mandating civil society organizations including health facilities and associations in 2022, has forced a sizeable number of NGOs to either shut down or partially close operations. The new law has crippled their functions, restricting access to financial resources from donors, in a considerable manner.[19] The UNHCR stated that the law made “registration compulsory for both national and international non-governmental organizations and associations”.[20] 2.1 Health workers in Myanmar Particular concern has been raised about the impact of the current situation on health workers in Myanmar. BBC News reported that organised resistance to the February 2021 coup “started with health care workers announcing a boycott of state-run hospitals”.[21] The WHO has also said that health workers “were among the first to express dissent with regard to the military takeover through civil disobedience; this involved 50% of the health workforce in the public sector”.[22] It said this led to a “significantly reduced health workforce in the public sector”. The WHO has said that the ‘national health workforce account’ could not be updated due to “limitation in engagement with the de facto authority since 2021”. There have also been attacks on health services following the coup. The WHO has said that there have been 385 attacks on health care reported via its surveillance system since the coup: Since February 2021, more than 385 attacks on health care have been documented via the WHO’s Surveillance System for Attacks on Health Care (SSA). These attacks have led to at least 58 deaths and 188 injuries. Each attack is deeply concerning as it affects access to and availability of essential health services–especially for women, children and other vulnerable groups.[23] The non-governmental organisation Insecurity Insight has reported that there have been 1,087 attacks on Myanmar’s health system since the 1 February 2021 coup.[24] It has said “at least 880 health workers have been arrested, 97 killed and 117 injured undermining health care providers’ ability to maintain safe staffing levels to effectively meet patient needs”. The OCHA has said that whilst the numbers of attacks reported differ between organisations they continue to be among the highest globally: Attacks on health care are monitored by a number of organizations, notably World Health Organization and the non-governmental organization (NGO) Insecurity Insight. Across all tracking efforts, reported attacks on Myanmar’s health care system continue to be among the highest globally in 2023, varying between at least 66 to 330 depending on the different definitions and levels of verification used. Even considering likely underreporting, indicative records shows that at least 14 health workers were killed and 21 wounded in 2023, with local aid workers most at risk.[25] The non-governmental organisation Physicians for Human Rights has said that attacks on health care workers “include arbitrary arrests, detentions, and violence committed against all types of health care workers, ranging from doctors and nurses to emergency medics and volunteers”.[26] In a report published in January 2022, Physicians for Human Rights reported that at first attacks were primarily targeted at health workers involved in nationwide protests: Initially, attacks primarily involved Myanmar security forces taking action against health workers participating in nationwide protests, the Civil Disobedience Movement [CDM], and the provision of medical care to injured protesters and bystanders.[27] However, the organisation has said that over time the attacks changed: Over time health care workers believed to have ties to the NUG [National Unity Government] or PDFs [People’s Defence Force] were targeted, including during raids of health facilities and charity organizations accused of aiding injured PDF members or supporters. Attacks by other armed actors on health care workers have emerged, particularly against those who have continued or returned to their civil servant roles and have reportedly pressured staff participating in CDM to return to work, or are believed to be military informants.[28] The OCHA’s humanitarian response plan has said that an estimated 372 medical teams are needed to meet humanitarian needs across Myanmar, “with a current gap of 202 teams”.[29] The OCHA has said the effective provision of health assistance is being undermined by a series of factors, including armed conflict and limited funding: Amid the continuation and escalation of armed conflict, limited funding and legal, administrative and security barriers persist in undermining the effective provision of adequate health assistance to an increasingly vulnerable population.[30] Number of workers in Myanmar’s health system before the coup In a section on the status of Myanmar’s health system “pre-crisis”, the WHO expressed concern that the density of health workers in the country was one of the lowest in the South-East Asia region. Prior to 2021, the WHO had observed a density of 17.8 health workers per 10,000 population in Myanmar. It has said an average of 22.8 health workers per 10,000 population is required to deliver a package of health services, compatible with the health Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).[31] The MDGs were 8 goals that UN members agreed to try to achieve by the year 2015.[32] They have been superseded by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).[33] The WHO now estimates that 44.5 health workers per 10,000 population are required to “adapt services to the standards” of the SDGs. However, the WHO has described Myanmar as having one of the lowest health worker availability levels in the region, with issues including the even deployment of staff: Comparing health worker densities across countries in the South-East Asia Region and with the thresholds just described, Myanmar is one of the countries with the lowest health worker availability; it is only above Bangladesh. Beyond the overall limited availability of human resources in the system, deployment is also suboptimal since it is based on norms linked to facility nomenclature and size rather than on need or performance. The resulting allocation leads to insufficient personnel in some areas and exceeding capacity in others, along with inadequate skill mix, as proven by the limited number of complete critical care teams to run ICU beds during the COVID-19 crisis.[34] 3. UK government assistance to Myanmar In March 2023, Lord Crisp (Crossbench) asked the government in an oral question what support it was providing for health workers in Myanmar “who are caring for patients outside the areas controlled by the military government of that country”.[35] Responding for the government, then minister of state at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Lord Goldsmith, said that Myanmar’s health system had been in crisis since the coup and the UK was a leading donor on supporting health care needs in the country: My Lords, Myanmar’s public health care system has been in crisis since the coup. We are concerned about Myanmar’s level of basic health care services and childhood immunisation rates. The UK is a leading donor on supporting health care needs in that country. This financial year, the UK has provided £13.95mn for health care in Myanmar, which is being delivered by the UN, by civil society and by ethnic health care organisations. This support is saving the lives of vulnerable women and children.[36] Lord Goldsmith also said the UK government supported health professionals in Myanmar who were risking their lives: We applaud the Myanmar health professionals who are risking their lives to continue treating patients. We commend the NHS volunteers who are sharing their skills and knowledge with colleagues and friends in Myanmar, taking huge risks in doing so. I absolutely pay tribute to them. Since the coup, we have provided around £100mn to support those in need of humanitarian assistance, to deliver health care and education for the most vulnerable and to protect civic space. In 2021–22, we provided nearly £50mn in aid to Myanmar, including £24mn of life-saving assistance for 600,000 people. I am not in a position to comment on future expenditure, but I think it is very clear from our recent track record that this remains a priority focus for the FCDO.[37] As part of its approach to increase transparency in the government’s aid spending, the FCDO publishes the ‘UK–Myanmar Development Partnership Summary’ (17 July 2023). This provides an overview of the department’s development activity, development priorities, and financial information (including budgets and breakdowns of spend) in Myanmar. This sets out information on key programmes, including the ‘Myanmar-UK health partnership programme’: [The] Myanmar-UK Health Partnership programme (MUHP)—£6mn—aims to promote equitable access to health services for people from the most disadvantaged areas in Myanmar—especially in ethnic and conflict-affected areas—and to enhance the health partnership between the UK and Myanmar. The key intended impacts of the programme are: a reduction in maternal, newborn and child illness and deaths; and a reduction in the burden of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), drug-resistant tuberculosis and malaria through supporting stronger local health responses including in partnership with UK institutions.[38] In December 2023, the government said it had provided over £120mn in humanitarian and development assistance in Myanmar, “focussed on life-saving assistance, emergency health care, water, hygiene and sanitation services, and education”.[39] In July 2023, the government provided the following breakdown of spending on official development assistance (ODA) by year: From 1 Feb 2021 to 31 Mar 2022: we provided £8mn In financial year 2021/22: we provided £49.5mn In financial year 2022/23: we provided £57.3mn In financial year 2023/24: our allocated budget is £30.1mn (we have spent £5.13mn so far).[40] 4. Further reading OCHA, ‘Myanmar humanitarian update No 35: 2023 year in review’, 12 January 2024 Medicins San Frontieres, ‘Health workers struggle to respond amid severe restrictions in Rakhine state’, 16 January 2024 Physicians for Human Rights, ‘“Our health workers are working in fear”: After Myanmar’s military coup, one year of targeted violence against health care’, January 2022..."
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Source/publisher: House of Lords Library - UK Parliament
2024-02-13
Date of entry/update: 2024-02-13
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Description: "REGIONAL PROFILE Countries across East Asia and the Pacific (EAP) frequently experience extreme weather events and natural hazards, including earthquakes, floods, tropical cyclones, and volcanic eruptions, which can lead to sudden-onset disasters. In FY 2023, USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (USAID/BHA) provided nearly $168 million in assistance— nearly $117 million of which supported emergency response activities—in 18 countries across the region. USAID/BHA partners provided life-saving assistance, including food and health care, to people affected by sudden-onset disasters and conflict. USAID/BHA also provided more than $50 million for standalone early recovery, risk reduction, and resilience (ER4) programs to address the root causes of food insecurity, improve emergency preparedness and response capacity, and help communities build resilience across the region. HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN FY 2023 The primary drivers of humanitarian needs in EAP during FY 2023 were the complex emergency in Burma and natural hazards including eruptions of volcanoes in Papua New Guinea and the Philippines; Tropical Cyclone Mocha’s effects in Burma; and Tropical Cyclones Kevin and Judy’s effects in Vanuatu. In Burma, violent clashes following the military coup d’état against the civilian government in February 2021 continued to prompt mass displacement, exacerbate humanitarian needs, and limit access to food and essential services in FY 2023. As of September 2023, an estimated 1.7 million people remained internally displaced and in need of humanitarian assistance due to violence prior to and following the coup d’état. Additionally, Tropical Cyclone Mocha’s landfall over Burma’s Rakhine State on May 14 adversely affected 7.9 million people in the country. In Vanuatu, Tropical Cyclones Kevin and Judy made landfall over several islands between late February and early March, affecting an estimated 250,000 individuals and causing more than 2,200 people to shelter in evacuation sites. Volcanic activity at the Philippines’ Mayon Volcano in June resulted in the temporary evacuation of nearly 20,000 people. In addition, volcanic activity from Papua New Guinea’s Bagana Volcano adversely affected more than 12,000 people, including the temporary displacement of more than 3,300 people to evacuation centers in July..."
Source/publisher: US Agency for International Development (Washington, D.C.) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2024-02-05
Date of entry/update: 2024-02-05
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Description: "Myanmar: An estimated 18.6 million people in Myanmar need humanitarian assistance in 2024. Intense armed conflict, widespread and systematic violence, political and economic instability, displacement prompted by conflict and natural hazards, and widespread protection risks mainly drive the humanitarian crisis in the country. Myanmar has been facing this deepening crisis since the military coup in February 2021, which resulted in conflict between the military junta forces, along with pro-military armed groups, and anti-military armed groups comprising ethnic armed organisations and anti-coup resistance groups. The armed conflict has significantly escalated since late October 2023. Since the coup, nearly 2.3 million people have been displaced within the country, taking the number of IDPs to nearly 2.6 million as at 22 January 2024. Almost 13 million people need food security assistance, and around 12 million need assistance in accessing health assistance and protection..."
Source/publisher: ACAPS via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2024-02-02
Date of entry/update: 2024-02-02
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Description: "OVERVIEW In Myanmar, the humanitarian situation remained precarious following the escalation of violence since 26 October 2023 with armed clashes, artillery shelling, and indiscriminate shooting reported in about two thirds of the country. According to the UN, the number of displaced people inside Myanmar now exceeds 2.6 million. Almost 800,000 people have been newly displaced since late-October, out of whom 164,000 have either returned to their places of origin or fled for a second time across the North-West, North-East, South-East and Rakhine State. Deepening violence, rising poverty levels, and deteriorating living conditions are having a devastating impact on people’s lives. The situation has also been further compounded by the closure of roads and waterways, movement restrictions and telecommunication challenges, all of which are undermining humanitarian actors’ engagement with affected communities and limiting people’s access to critical services. UNHCR and partners are exploring ways to adapt to the volatile situation and respond to the urgent needs on the ground. In Thailand, some 1,400 refugees were sheltered in two Temporary Safety Areas (TSA) in Mae Hong Son Province (170 in Mae Sariang District and 1,249 in Mueang District), according to the Mae Hong Son Border Command Centre. In December, 968 refugees residing in different TSAs returned to Myanmar. Kyaw Pla Kee TSA in Mae Sariang was also closed during the reporting period. In India, around 59,200 individuals from Myanmar’s North-West region have sought protection since February 2021. Out of this population, some 5,500 individuals are in New Delhi and have registered with UNHCR. Since November 2023, more than 6,500 people have arrived in the Champhai and Siaha districts of Mizoram and 2,000 people in Manipur’s Kamjong District. New arrivals are currently living in cramped conditions in community halls, schools as well as with host families whose resources are already over-stretched. District administrations, NGOs and community-based organizations are providing critical humanitarian support. Food, water, core-relief items (CRIs), and shelter are the most immediate needs although resources are limited..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
2024-01-26
Date of entry/update: 2024-01-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "The MAU tracks market prices in Central and Northern Rakhine State and Chin State. Data are collected from three vendors per product per market in the last week of each month. Data and product specifications are available online through the MPR dashboard at www.themimu.info/market-analysis-unit. KEY FINDINGS Essential food prices skyrocked in December, as prices for cooking oil and pulses doubled; Vegetable prices added 50% to last month's hikes, as some prices doubled once more; Meat and fish prices rose 23% in many cases, and most NFI prices started the year at least 7% higher; Rathedaung and Maungdaw saw the most price hikes, but no markets were spared rising prices; Cooking oil and pulses are increasingly out of reach for many households following December's price hikes; Village-level access to goods will grow uncertain, as armed conflict shutters markets in multiple towns; Disruptions in Sittwe will affect supply regionwide, although high prices may reach crisis-levels soonest in Rathedaung and Muangdaw where hikes have surged. Product-Level Price Changes Essential Foods – Essential food prices skyrocketed in December as prices for pulses and cooking oil doubled. Most markets monitored saw cooking oil prices double in December, while prices for pulses popped 43% in some markets and 100-200% in others. Rice prices spiked in Sittwe and Maungdaw, although they held steady elsewhere. Vegetables – Vegitable prices bounded higher, often adding 50% increases to last month's price hikes. Most markets saw garlic, green chili, and onion prices climb 50%, 80%, and 200%, respectively. Prices for eggplant, long bean, and watercress typically rose 20-40%. These increases compounded November's increases of 100-300%. Rathedaung saw the largest vegetable price hikes in December. Meat and Fish – Meat and fish prices again rose slower than other foods, but they too added at least 23% in most cases. Price hikes for meat/fish were more moderate in Sittwe—and prices were fairly stable in Minbya—but elsewhere prices lurched higher. Dried fish rose 11-62%, fish paste rose 33-140%, and shrimp climbed 67-110%. Hygiene Products – Prices for most hygiene products climbed at least 14% in December. Toothpaste prices rose 11-34% in December, while prices for sanitary pads rose 5-73%. Soap and detergent prices were stable or rising in December, but retailers reported stockouts of some common soaps. Other NFIs – Prices for other NFIs also climbed by 7% or more in December, and charcoal prices doubled. Charcoal prices increased 36-100% in December, although prices held stable in Sittwe. Retailers in several markets reported stockouts of blankets. Most other NFIs saw price increases of 4-18%, while Rathedaung registered the deepest price hikes..."
Source/publisher: Myanmar Information Management Unit (Myanmar) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2024-01-19
Date of entry/update: 2024-01-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "A new wave of fighting has gripped Myanmar over the past two months. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is providing medical humanitarian assistance in Shan, Kachin and Rakhine states, where we have witnessed healthcare facilities damaged or abandoned, and hundreds of thousands of newly displaced people attempting to flee for safety. On 13 November the conflict reignited in Rakhine state, breaking a year-long informal ceasefire. Since then, severe movement restrictions are preventing MSF from running any of the 25 mobile clinics that deliver around 1,500 patient consultations a week. Community health workers provide vital care For the past nine weeks, despite our attempts to find solutions to these blockages, such as providing tele-consultations between patients and doctors, our community health workers are some of the only people with direct access to our patients. Ann Thar Clinic in Min Bya supports over 4,000 displaced people from both Rakhine and Rohingya communities. MSF teams have been unable to run the clinic since 13 November. On 17 November, Min Bya General Hospital, a hospital that MSF uses for emergency referrals came under fire. “My name is Aung Aung*. I am a community health worker from Ann Thar clinic. The difference here before and after the current conflict is very clear. I was able to do my work regularly and peacefully before, but after the current fighting, I can’t. “Instead, I am constantly worrying that something might happen, feeling insecure while on the street, and so I take detours using the fields. It’s not safe anymore,” says Aung Aung. “I’m a community health worker, so my medical skill set is limited. In situations like these, what I can do is to call the doctors and look after the patients according to their instructions. But sometimes, mobile connections are not working, so I have difficulty reaching them. “There are patients with non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension, too, but we don’t have medicines for them now. I’m still unsure how our team is going to arrange it. Currently, we have medicines for antenatal care and epilepsy patients,” says Aung Aung. “Rising petrol prices are one of the major challenges we face as well. If people wanted to go to the town to pay a visit to a clinic it would cost them around 60,000Ks (around US$29) for a round trip. The town is only five miles from our village. So, the travel cost would be more expensive than their actual healthcare expenses. This rise in cost has happened since the fighting broke out. It was only 2,000 Ks – 2,500Ks (around US$1) before. I am worried and concerned for our patients here in the village. In the future, for emergency patients, and for those who need a monthly prescription, they will face a lot of difficulties. As long as the roads are blocked and fighting continues, clinics and pharmacies in Min Bya town will remain closed.” Violent attacks and mass displacement Min Thu* is a community health worker in Kyein Ni Pyin camp for displaced people in the Pauktaw area of Rakhine state. Kyein Ni Pyin camp is home to over 7,500 people, most of whom are Rohingya who have been displaced since 2012. Pauktaw has been one of the most severely impacted townships of Rakhine state, confronted by heavy attacks and mass displacement. The Pauktaw hospital was forced to close and movements in and out of Pauktaw, including to the camps, are practically impossible. MSF and other organisations are facing serious obstacles to provide any form of assistance, and transport of patients in need of lifesaving emergency care is increasingly challenging. “My name is Min Thu*, I am a community health worker with MSF and I provide health education for people in the camp. I help with almost everything, including translation for patients during clinic opening days. When there are emergency patients, I refer them to the clinic as well. “We face challenges in transportation and food because of the current conflict. We do not receive rations regularly and the prices are high. We were able to move around before the fighting if we informed the authorities of our movement, but now it’s completely prohibited,” says Min Thu “We are not able to open our clinics like we used to before, which is affecting our patients in many ways. For emergency patients, we try to contact MSF doctors on the phone to ask for advice and try following any instructions given by them. However, it is very hard when they cannot see the patients in person. The doctors just have to prescribe or advise what to do according to what they hear from the patients, and we follow the instructions over the phone from the doctors and help treat the patients. “We fear for the future. If we are not able to open our clinics due to the travel restrictions and conflict, our patients will be severely impacted.” The constant threat of conflict In Rathedaung, there are many camps for displaced people close to the town, where mostly ethnic Rakhine people who have been displaced since 2019 due to past conflict are living. When recent fighting broke out in the area, the people in these camps fled into more rural areas for safety, including MSF’s community health workers. “Currently, there is fighting near our camps. People from the camps in the city area had to evacuate to other places. There was heavy firing near our camps, so everyone had to escape and seek shelter elsewhere, including myself,” says Yan Naing*, MSF community health worker. “It’s inconvenient and challenging for us to settle in different places because we’re constantly on the move, and scarcity of basic commodities has a negative impact on us as well. [When we are displaced] there is also no electricity, so we have to conserve our phone batteries. “I don’t think we can go back to the city yet due to the intense clashes. People are afraid to move around because we hear rumours from other areas about civilians getting arrested or being used as human shields,” says Naing. "Shortages in food supplies are also impacting people. My only concern right now is about health and food for the people." - YAN NAING, MSF COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER IN RATHEDAUNG “We have patients with non-communicable diseases in our camps, and they are some of our regular patients. They have been coming to our clinic for a long time. “Since there are transportation blockages, patients who need to go the clinic might not be able to do so. Shortages in food supplies are also impacting people. My only concern right now is about health and food for the people,” says Naing. Unprecedented violence across Myanmar The level of violence across Myanmar in the past few months is unprecedented and is severely impacting people living in and around the fighting areas where lifesaving services are either non-functional or limited and dangerous to reach. In Rakhine state, communities are already heavily reliant on humanitarian assistance and live with imposed restrictions that limit their freedom of movement. Assistance that was permitted in the state before the conflict was lifesaving, especially for communities in many of the rural areas, which our mobile clinics were serving, and who otherwise have no other affordable options for medical care. Access for humanitarian organisations into Rakhine state has always been meticulously controlled, but the continuation of these current blockages will have a catastrophic impact on people’s health. Our community health workers are seeing patients lacking their regular medication, with difficulties speaking to doctors, as well as patients being blocked from accessing specialised healthcare. According to the latest data from the Global Camp Coordination and Camp Management cluster, there have been over 120,000 newly displaced people in Rakhine since 13 November, and this number shows no sign of slowing down. Hospitals in central Rakhine have been hit during heavy firing or abandoned by staff forced to flee the area. Two hospitals in Central Rakhine where our teams usually take emergency patients are no longer functioning, while another, Min Bya General Hospital, was damaged on 17 November. In northern Rakhine, some emergency referrals have been possible through the support of our community health workers. Health facilities are operating, but some are functioning with only a skeleton team and limited medical supplies, or else they are shifting their resources into more remote areas to support displaced people looking for safety. With access routes blocked and without authorisations to provide assistance, we cannot run our 25 mobile clinics. These restrictions are impacting other humanitarian organisations, too, with many reporting that they cannot deliver regular interventions. All parties to the conflict should ensure that healthcare facilities and humanitarian workers can continue to operate and must guarantee safe access to healthcare for people in Rakhine. *Names changed to protect identity..."
Source/publisher: Médecins Sans Frontières
2024-01-16
Date of entry/update: 2024-01-16
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Description: "Introduction: The villagers in Southeast Burma (Myanmar) have been facing conflict for as long as they can remember. Generations have grown up amidst the fighting, and have lived their whole lives under a fear of attacks. The 2021 coup reinvigorated the open and direct violence of the Burma Army, under the command of the State Administration Council (SAC), in locally-defined Karen State. These attacks are deliberately directed towards civilian areas and communities, including by indiscriminately shelling villages and plantations. From January to October 2023 alone, KHRG recorded more than 192 incidents of indiscriminate shelling committed by the SAC, which killed and wounded villagers, destroyed civilian houses, buildings, and plantations, affected livelihoods, and caused displacement. This briefing paper investigates the consequences of SAC shelling in civilian areas and its impacts on the lives of rural villagers in Southeast Burma. The first section gives an overview of the history of violence and oppression in the region by the Burma Army. The second section presents the immediate consequences of shelling on villagers, including deaths and injuries, the destruction of property, and livelihoods harmed. The third section analyses longer-term impacts, including displacement, persistent fear among villagers, restricted access to education, and the heightened risk of unexploded ordnance (UXOs). Finally, a security and legal analysis of the current situation is conducted, and recommendations addressed to relevant stakeholders are presented..."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group
2023-12-25
Date of entry/update: 2024-01-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "HIGHLIGHTS Throughout the three quarters of 2023, the health cluster has continued collectively responding to the humanitarian crisis. Together, health partners have reached 697 146 people in need. The State/Region with the largest number are Kayin (26%) and Kachin (20%), making the Southeast and Northeast areas with the most people reached. The people reached represents “unique beneficiary” who have benefitted from one or several humanitarian activities. Furthermore, the health cluster have conducted eight trainings: on data reporting (4/5W and EWARS), on communicable diseases (cholera, dengue and vaccine preventable diseases) and on priority life-saving health services in humanitarian settings. Finally, on 31 August, the Health Cluster was aligning its structure to the revised humanitarian architecture, with four humanitarian areas which are Northeast (Kachin & Northern Shan), Northwest (Chin, Magway, Mandalay & Sagaing), Rakhine (Rakhine & Paletwa) and Southeast (Bago East, Bago West, Eastern Shan, Kayah, Kayin, Mon, Southern Shan, & Tanintharyi)..."
Source/publisher: Health Cluster and World Health Organization via Reliefweb (New York)
2024-01-11
Date of entry/update: 2024-01-11
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Description: "Highlights More than 2.6 million people nationally are internally displaced and in need of life-saving assistance. The escalation of conflict has a disproportionate impact on children with suffering mental health and psychosocial impacts from witnessing or experiencing violence, as well as new or prolonged displacement. A total of 858 casualties have been reported nationwide in the first nine months of 2023, injured by landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW); 22 per cent of the casualties were children. 29,980 people received mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) at child-friendly spaces, community centres, from mobile teams, and by remote counselling. The funding gap of 84.8 per cent is severely affecting UNICEF’s capacity to respond effectively; especially children who need basic social services, will not be able to receive humanitarian assistance. Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs At the end of 2023, more than 2.6 million people are internally displaced with the need for life-saving assistance. More than 660,000 people are estimated to be newly displaced in northern and southern Shan, Rakhine, the southeast and the northwest regions. In addition, at least 378 civilians have reportedly been killed and 505 injured since the escalation of armed conflict that began in late October. The key challenge for humanitarian workers is the restriction of movement, including the use of roadblocks. Inflation and the depreciation of the local currency is affecting the flow of commodities, depleting stocks in the markets and sharply increasing the price of essential items. The lack of fuel is affecting transportation, telecommunications, the agricultural and industrial sectors and is impacting the delivery of supplies to internally displaced persons in conflict-affected townships. Telecommunications and internet services in Kachin have been extremely unreliable, with limited or no access in some areas as well as in the northwest and Kayah impacting the displaced population’s access to services and information. The escalation of conflict has a disproportionate impact on children. Children suffer mental health and psychosocial impacts from witnessing or experiencing violence, as well as new or prolonged displacement. In northern Shan, the conflict remains intense with continuous fighting across several townships. Artillery shelling and multiple airstrikes have increased the number of civilian casualties, with unverified reports of 130 civilians killed and 210 injured since the fighting escalated. Some 104,300 people are newly displaced in northern Shan, as well as in Kachin and Mandalay, while almost 20,000 people have returned home, particularly to nearby villages at Lashio township. Lashio airport has been closed for seven weeks and access by road is worsening, with increased restrictions on humanitarian supplies at various checkpoints. All townships in Rakhine State continue to be affected by severe blockades, movement restrictions, arbitrary arrests, and artillery shelling; 37 civilian deaths and 121 injuries were reported. Arbitrary arrests have escalated across Rakhine, with more than 190 people placed in detention; humanitarian workers have also been affected by this. Some 114,700 people have been newly displaced due to the ongoing fighting. Across the northwest and central Myanmar, the intensifying conflict has resulted in 118 civilian deaths and 73 injured with more than 314,000 people newly displaced. More than one million people are now displaced in Sagaing region, and more than 60 per cent of the population displaced after February 2021 remains in the northwest region. Humanitarian workers and some 110 civilians have been reportedly arrested since early December. Landmines and unexploded ordnance pose a major risk in the northwest. An estimated 150,000 internally displaced people in Kawlin and Tigyaing townships in Sagaing have no access to humanitarian assistance. In the southeast, intense clashes are increasing, especially in Kawtkareik, Kyainnseikkyi and Hpapun in Kayin and Nyaunglebin and Kyaukkyi in Bago East. More than 136,000 people have been newly displaced since the escalation began with 93 civilians reported dead, and 101 injured, many of them along the Shan-Kayah border. Access to, and transportation of, essential supplies are heavily restricted, especially in Kayah..."
Source/publisher: UN Children's Fund (New York) via Reliefweb (New York)
2024-01-10
Date of entry/update: 2024-01-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Summary of crisis: It has been two-and-a-half years since the Myanmar military staged a takeover and established themselves in power, officially as the State Administration Council (SAC). The country has since been in a state of emergency, extended again for six months on 31 July 2023. Mass protests against the armed forces started immediately after the takeover, with a wider, peaceful civil disobedience movement, including the health sector. The protest grew into organized armed resistance with escalation in fighting across the country. This resulted in massive displacement across Myanmar and an unprecedented political, socioeconomic, human rights and humanitarian crisis for the population. The Emergency Relief Coordinator activated the countrywide health, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), shelter/non-food items (NFI), education, food security, nutrition and protection clusters on 21 August 2021. Twenty-five million people are estimated to be living in poverty because of the political situation and the legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic. We see a reversal of many of the development gains made in the 2010s and early 2020s. The conflict continues, escalating across multiple states and regions in Myanmar, particularly in the North-west and the South-east, leaving people displaced and in severe humanitarian needs, with no signs of abating. The countrywide humanitarian crisis occurred against a backdrop of long-standing communal conflicts in Rakhine, Kachin and Northern Shan, which had prompted the Emergency Relief Coordinator to activate the health, WASH and shelter/NFI clusters on 15 January 2013 in Rakhine and Kachin. The protracted emergency between Rakhine ethnic groups and self-identified Rohingya populations commenced in June 2012, with acute exacerbation in October 2016 and August 2017. The protracted emergency due to communal conflicts between the Myanmar Military and ethnic armed organizations in Kachin had recurred between mid-2011 and mid-2018, following a 17-year ceasefire. While there were fewer incidents of armed clashes after 2018, these recurred following the 2021 military takeover and continued in 2022 and 2023. The protracted emergency due to communal conflicts between the Myanmar Military and ethnic armed organizations started in Northern Shan in mid-2011, and resulted in massive internal displacements in September 2019, and following the military takeover in June 2021 and December 2022. Forced military recruitment remains a major concern in Northern Shan. Already in dire need of humanitarian assistance, an estimated 1.6 million people across five states and regions of Myanmar bore the brunt of the extremely severe Cyclone Mocha, which crossed the coast near Sittwe in Rakhine at mid-day on 14 May 2023. With winds reaching 190–250 km/hour, Mocha was one of the fiercest cyclones the country had ever faced. It brought heavy rains, floods, winds and tidal surge, reaching 5–7 feet, across the coast and low-lying areas in Rakhine. It continued further inland, affecting Chin, Magway, Sagaing and Kachin. The latest field observations show that at least 52 townships have been affected across Rakhine, Chin, Magway, Sagaing and Kachin; 135 467 houses, 1452 schools, 315 health facilities and 75 297 latrines have been impacted on the sites of observations. Of the 315 health facilities affected, 151 were situated in villages and 52 at internally displaced persons (IDP) camp/site clinics. Myanmar occupies the highest rank in the INFORM Risk Index for hazard and exposure, scoring 9.2/10. The country scores 10/10 for hazards and exposure to human conflict, and has a vulnerability score of 5.5/10, with development, deprivation and inequality being the gravest concerns. It has a score of 6.1/10 for lack of coping capacity, which is largely institutional. The country ranks 16th on the INFORM risk list because of high hazard and exposure, vulnerability and lack of coping capacity (ACAPS, 2023). While the economic condition in the country has stabilized in the first half of 2023, with most indicators suggesting slowly increasing economic activity, the Myanmar economy is still operating well below pre-pandemic levels, in sharp contrast to the rest of the WHO South-East Asia Region. Several factors are constraining the pace of recovery: household incomes remain weak, limiting the ability of domestic demand to drive growth; high prices and shortages resulting from import restrictions make it difficult for many businesses to source essential inputs; power outages have become prominent; and investment remains weak, with new business registrations at a low level. Overall, GDP is projected to increase by 3% by September 2023, still around 10% lower than that in 2019. The absence of a more pronounced rebound is indicative of the severe supply and demand constraints that continue to limit economic activity (World Bank, 2023). Further information about the political, socioeconomic and security context in Myanmar can be found in the Myanmar Humanitarian Need Overview (HNO) 2023- https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/90298 Finally, Myanmar presents unique geographical conditions with 2.9 million people living in 49 townships that are defined as hard-to-reach and hardest-to-reach, according to road accessibility across seasons. Particularly since February 2021, these townships, associated with the conflict-affected ones, are facing large disparities in terms of access to health care, delivery of medicines and medical devices, and referrals to specialized care..."
Source/publisher: Health Cluster and World Health Organization via Reliefweb (New York)
2024-01-09
Date of entry/update: 2024-01-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "In Rakhine State, 157,169 individuals have been displaced across 12 townships due to the ongoing AA-Tatmadaw conflict that started in 2019. Additionally, 10,331 individuals have been displaced in Paletwa township in Chin State, bringing the total number of displaced persons to 167,500. Out of them, 118,786 individuals are newly displaced since the escalation of armed conflict on 13 November as of 25 December. In collaboration with partners and other UN agencies, UNHCR is responding to the humanitarian needs and continues to provide assistance to affected communities. Since January 2023, UNHCR has provided core relief items, emergency shelter support, dignity kits and cloth masks to some 51,619 individuals in Mrauk-U, Kyauktaw, Ponnagyun, Myebon, Sittwe, Pauktaw, Paletwa, Buthidaung and Rathedaung townships..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
2024-01-02
Date of entry/update: 2024-01-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: 9.11 MB 10.15 MB
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Description: "HIGHLIGHTS: The situation of children has worsened and remains a significant concern in Myanmar, with ongoing and escalating conflict leading to multiple displacements and the deterioration of social services in conflict-affected communities. Cyclone Mocha, which hit in May 2023, caused widespread destruction in five states, and seasonal monsoons negatively impacted already vulnerable communities. More than 18.6 million people, including 6 million children, are in need of humanitarian assistance. UNICEF's humanitarian strategy focuses on working with local civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations and other United Nations agencies to broaden the humanitarian response for children in all conflict-affected states and regions. For 2024, UNICEF is appealing for $208.3 million to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance to 3.1 million people, including 2.1 million children. UNICEF aims to reach 850,000 people with critical WASH supplies; 350,000 children and women with primary health care services; and more than 890,000 children with education. HUMANITARIAN SITUATION AND NEEDS The worsening situation of children remains a significant concern in Myanmar, with ongoing and escalating conflict leading to multiple displacements and the deterioration of social services in conflict-affected communities. Nearly 2 million people were displaced internally as of the end of October 2023, including 306,200 people who had been displaced prior to the military takeover in February 2021. Adding to this, in 2023, Cyclone Mocha caused widespread destruction in five states, and seasonal monsoons negatively impacted already vulnerable communities. Altogether, more than 18.6 million people, including 6 million children, require humanitarian assistance. Grave child rights violations persist, mainly due to the indiscriminate use of heavy weapons, airstrikes, explosive ordnance and recruitment and use of children. Attacks on schools and hospitals continue at alarming levels. Approximately 4.5 million children need education support because of disruption to safe learning opportunities.12 Women and children face significant risks of violence, including gender-based violence, exploitation and abuse. Children and adults with disabilities are especially vulnerable and have limited access to services that meet their disability-specific needs. A deteriorating economic situation has limited livelihood opportunities, further worsening the plight of the most vulnerable people. More than 55 per cent of children live in poverty, while three quarters of displaced households’ basic needs are unmet. Access to water and life-saving services has deteriorated: a significant number of children are still not able to access basic health and nutrition interventions due to insecurity and other forms of restriction. The under-five mortality rate of 42 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022 remains the highest in the region, and up to 75 per cent of children aged 6–23 months do not eat a minimum acceptable diet. Although immunization coverage increased to approximately 70 per cent in 2022 from 37 per cent in 2021, an estimated 1 million children missed basic vaccines from 2018 to 2022. Camp closures and the forced return or relocation of displaced people, particularly in Kachin, Shan and Rakhine States pose protection risks for children. Armed clashes, widespread presence of landmines and unexploded ordinance and a lack of basic services remain obstacles to return. And the proposed Rohingya repatriation from Bangladesh in the absence of conditions for voluntary and safe returns will present further protection concerns in 2024. Military operations, ongoing hostilities and administrative constraints (e.g., travel authorization-related delays and movement restrictions) impede access of humanitarian actors to people in need, impacting the timely delivery of programme supplies. The politicization of humanitarian assistance compounds this challenge..."
Source/publisher: UN Children's Fund (New York) via Reliefweb (New York)
2023-12-11
Date of entry/update: 2023-12-28
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: 2.72 MB
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Description: "SITUATION ANALYSIS Description of the crisis Cyclone Mocha caused significant damage in Myanmar, particularly in areas that are already grappling with civil unrest, a high number of internally displaced people, armed clashes, and fragile economic conditions. The cyclone that brought about intense wind and heavy rainfall led to significant flooding and damages in Rakhine, Chin, Magway, Ayeyarwady, Mandalay, and Sagaing states and regions. The states of Rakhine, Chin, and Magway regions were particularly hard hit, prompting the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) to respond. The MRCS, operating as an independent humanitarian organization, mobilized resources and personnel in accordance with the Myanmar Red Cross Society Law of 2015 to provide emergency aid, including medical assistance, shelter, and essential supplies to the affected communities. This cyclone occurred in an already challenging humanitarian context in Myanmar. OCHA's 2023 Humanitarian Needs Overview projected that over 17.6 million people would require humanitarian assistance in Myanmar in 20231 . As per MRCS's branch analysis, the cyclone affected around 1.1 million individuals from more than 237,000 households across the country. A large number of semi-permanent and temporary shelters were damaged or destroyed, leaving over 200,000 houses in need of repair. Critical infrastructure, including water systems, sanitation facilities, hospitals, clinics, schools, and transportation networks, suffered severe damage or complete destruction. Livelihoods were disrupted, with the loss of livestock and floods impacting croplands. The aftermath of the cyclone has led to a rise in the prices of basic goods, affecting the physical and mental health of the affected population. Healthcare access is disrupted, compounded by shortages of medicine. Summary of response Overview of the host National Society and ongoing response The Myanmar Red Cross Society is an independent humanitarian organization that operates impartially and neutrally. Its role as an auxiliary to the state in the humanitarian field, operating in line with the Red Cross Red Crescent Fundamental Principles, is enshrined in the Myanmar Red Cross Society Law of 2015. The MRCS has a strong presence with over a thousand trained Emergency Response Team (ERT) volunteers and 44,000 members nationwide, including 7,994 core Red Cross Volunteers (RCV) active at the community level. The organization has 23 warehouses strategically located throughout the country to support preparedness and response efforts. It also has regional and state branches across the country and a substantial presence in various operational hubs in Rakhine State, under the management of the MRCS Rakhine Operations Management Unit established over the past decade. During this reporting period, 962 volunteers were deployed to aid the most affected communities since the cyclone made landfall. The MRCS has established communication channels with local authorities, communities and other stakeholders in the affected areas through its local staff, volunteers, and branches. This enables them to reach vulnerable communities and provide immediate humanitarian assistance. Through its community presence, MRCS has access to the ground and has collected data as well as assessed the impact of Cyclone Mocha in Rakhine State and Magway and Ayeyarwady regions in particular. In anticipation of the cyclone, the MRCS activated its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) one week before landfall and initiated preparedness measures and early actions well in advance. The national MRCS EOC has also regularly communicated and received information from the State and Branches EOC. As a result, MRCS was on standby and ready to mobilize the volunteers and dispatch the NFI items. Prior to landfall, MRCS volunteers in the projected path and impact zone assisted with evacuations, conducted awareness campaigns and gathered preliminary data. After the cyclone made landfall, on 14 May 2023, MRCS branches mobilized their volunteers to engage in rescue operations, clear roads and debris, provide first aid and psychological first aid, and collect initial observations and data. MRCS also mobilized its existing operational resources to respond to the aftermath, deploying trained expert personnel to provide assistance and support services such as logistics and supply chain directly. The response in Rakhine state has focused on communities whose vulnerability was increased by Cyclone Mocha as part of the MRCS ongoing humanitarian activities in Rakhine. As of 17 November 2023, MRCS has reached 290,003 people from 58,000 households in relief assistance, including, shelter, livelihood, health and hygiene items, and multi-purpose cash assistance. A total of 19,586 individuals from 4,277 households received shelter assistance through the distribution of tarpaulins, family kits, and blankets. In the hardest-hit region of Rakhine State, MRCS distributed a total of 982,507 litres, of which 919,237 litres from water trucks and 63,270 litres in the form of 1L bottles, of clean drinking water, along with 19,000 litres of domestic water to affected communities, reaching 50,042 households (250,210 people). To uphold the dignity of the affected communities, hygiene parcels for families, specialized hygiene kits for men, and dignity kits for women were distributed in various affected regions, including Rakhine, Magway, Yangon, Ayeyarwady, Bago, and Mandalay. 12,586 individuals were reached with these items. Additionally, MRCS distributed 468 sets of children's clothing to support affected children. MRCS's mobile health clinics in Rakhine have provided assistance to 1,826 individuals since it started on 17 May 2023. In the initial response to Cyclone Mocha, 19 people received first aid and ambulance service from MRCS. Furthermore, 1,989 individuals attended health education organized by MRCS. Lastly, a total of 451 million MMK or CHF 193,930 in multi-purpose cash grants (MPCG) were distributed to 2,328 households benefitting 10,381 people. It is worth noting that some households received multiple support, thus a comprehensive approach was adopted when calculating the total people reached to avoid double counting. Operational coordination meetings are regularly organized to update the partners in collaboration with the IFRC, involving in-country partners and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), to provide technical and planning support to MRCS for the response. MRCS, IFRC, and ICRC meet in Movement tripartite meetings at a strategic level. The regular tripartite security cell meetings are being used for regular risk analysis and security planning. Moreover, MRCS and IFRC are observers in HCT meetings and Cluster coordination as part of their external coordination efforts. The development of the Federation-wide Operational Strategy involved a shared leadership approach, drawing upon the expertise of the IFRC network and past experiences from drafting the Unified Plan. To ensure efficient communication and reporting, the monitoring and reporting mechanisms are coordinated under one single reporting system, aiming to streamline reporting channels between the MRCS and the IFRC members. In addition, the IFRC mobilized five rapid response personnel (surge) for the operation, including for the combined Myanmar Shelter/ NFI/ CCCM Cluster to enhance and complement the existing coordination structure. The MRCS, supported by the IFRC network, has been actively engaged in long-term programming in Rakhine state since the large-scale violence in 2012. Despite some challenges in maintaining continual access to communities in need (as faced by most humanitarian actors), MRCS has been a well-recognized humanitarian actor, advocating with relevant stakeholders based on its humanitarian mission. In alignment with its established functions under national law, the MRCS, with IFRC support, is actively involved in humanitarian diplomacy. This involves securing access to reach populations in need during the response operation and ongoing programmatic actions. The IFRC continues to provide strategic and operational guidance, collaborating with other humanitarian actors as needed, to enhance the National Society's capacities, ensuring it remains and is perceived as an effective and efficient principled humanitarian actor. The 5 in-country Partner National Societies (Swedish Red Cross, Finnish Red Cross, German Red Cross, Norwegian Red Cross, and Danish Red Cross) together with 9 other Partner National Societies contributed to Cyclone Mocha Operation through this Federation-wide Emergency Appeal. The Myanmar Red Cross Society expresses its gratitude to all contributing partners for their support thus far. The ICRC is also providing support to the MRCS for its response, as reported separately2 ..."
Source/publisher: International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies
2023-12-26
Date of entry/update: 2023-12-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Yangon, MYANMAR / Bangkok, THAILAND, 20 December 2023 – During conflicts, women and girls bear the brunt with increased risk of gender-based violence and loss of access to life-saving sexual and reproductive health supplies and services. In Myanmar, 9.2 million women and girls are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, and over the last three years more than 2 million people have been internally displaced, of which more than half are women and girls. UNFPA, the UN's sexual and reproductive health agency, is on the ground in Myanmar working closely with UN agencies and partners to ensure women and girls continue to receive life-saving services, including psychosocial support to survivors of gender-based violence. “I recognize the selfless dedication and commitment of our staff and partners on the ground in Myanmar, working under extremely challenging circumstances. Our work is saving lives, and together, despite the challenges, we can and will stay and deliver for the women and girls of Myanmar to ensure their health, protection, and dignity is upheld at all times”, said UNFPA Regional Director for Asia-Pacific, Mr. Pio Smith, concluding a three-day visit to Myanmar, during which he met with UNFPA personnel, partners, donors, civil society, and youth organizations. During his visit, Mr. Smith noted the operational challenges that UNFPA and its partners face in effectively and efficiently delivering life-saving services to women and girls within the current political context in Myanmar. As part of his visit, Mr. Smith also met with authorities in Nay Pyi Taw where he discussed the impending operational challenges, and stressed on the urgent need for visas to be issued to UNFPA staff and for UNFPA and its partners to be granted travel authorization to the affected areas across the country to ensure continued and undisrupted delivery of life-saving services to women and girls in Myanmar. During the discussions, Mr. Smith reaffirmed UNFPA’s stance on the 2024 census, noting the UN agency’s inability to support the census given the current political and conflict context in Myanmar, a decision rooted in UNFPA's commitment to ensuring data collection is transparent, neutral, and respectful of human rights. UNFPA's dedication to supporting the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls in Myanmar remains unwavering, noted Mr. Smith, reaffirming UNFPA’s continued commitment to stay and deliver. This pledge reflects the enduring mission to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fully realized, at all times, especially in challenging environments..."
Source/publisher: United Nations Population Fund (New York)
2023-12-20
Date of entry/update: 2023-12-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "This rapid Market Snapshot is a suppliment to the MAU Market Price Report in Southeast Myanmar and provides further township-level data on market functionality, activity, access, and supply. Data were collected through observation and KIIs with retailers during Dec. 5-8, 2023. Reports available at www.themimu.info/market-analysis-unit. KEY FINDINGS Town markets remained partly-functional, but challenges were growing and safety issues were paramount; Pekon and Kawkareik had few remaining sellers, and availability of many goods was limited; Demoso, Kawkareik, and Pekon saw market closures at times but nonetheless continued to function; Shipping costs were up 50-200% in Pekon, and leadtimes were doubling across markets; Supply limits were most notable for essential foods like rice and cooking oil but also for some NFIs; Vegetable prices were up 8-67% across markets, while essential foods were up a relatively modest 2-8%; Retailers worried most about safety in/near markets and damage to market infrastructure, although transportation, supply, and demand were also common concerns Market Summaries Demoso Village Market (Cherry Kone) - Village markets in Demoso Township continued to supply goods from neighboring townships to area villages. Many products remained available, although retail and customer activity was greatly reduced. Larger village markets in the area (e.g., Chery Kone, Be Kin, Se Bu) continued to serve area villages and import goods from Pinlaung Township; however, frequent road closures made restocking unpredictable, and lead-times increased from one day to five days. Retailers reported facing many challenges and continued to worry most about poor safety and security in the township. Hsiseng Town Market - Hsihseng market remained operational, and goods were relatively well-stocked. The town market remained operational with no known damage or forced-closures in recent weeks, and retailers described the area in/around the market as safe. Retailer and customer activity was slightly reduced, but the market continued to do commerce with nearby villages and townships (lead-times increased from one half-day to one day). Most foods and NFIs remained available, although retailers reported limited supply of clothing, and NFI prices were up 4-14% in the past month. Although goods remained available, retailers worried about the security environment and their ability to continue stocking items. Kawkareik Town Market - Kawkareik market saw periodic market closures and dwindling supply amid increased conflict events in the area. Observers reported unspecified damage to the market which had closed at times in recent days due to security incidents. Retailer activity and customer traffic was severly reduced as many buyers and sellers left town (and visiting traders and customers from neighboring villages and townships had dwindled). Food items were in limited supply, and prices were rising in the past month. Cooking oil prices were up 8%, vegetables were up 8-67%, and prices for hygiene products were up 6-9%. Pekon Town Market - Pekon market faced occasional closures, and security remained a major concern. Although there was no reported damage at Pekon market, the market operated only in the mornings and had closed periodically in recent days. During closures, some retailers or traders operated from nearby markets in Pinlaung Township. Although shipping from Pinlaung Township remained possible at times, transportation costs were up 50-200%. Supply of essential foods and NFIs were limited, including rice and clothing. Essential food prices were up a modest 3-6% in the past month, but vegetable prices rose 9-40%, and NFI prices were up 5-19%. Retailers worried about transportation and supply, but they worried most about local security..."
Source/publisher: Myanmar Information Management Unit (Myanmar) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-12-19
Date of entry/update: 2023-12-19
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Description: "This rapid Market Snapshot is a suppliment to the MAU Market Price Report in Rakhine State and provides further township-level data on market functionality, activity, access, and supply. Data were collected through observation and KIIs during Dec. 5-8, 2023. Reports available at www.themimu.info/market-analysis-unit. KEY FINDINGS Most town markets remained operational, but cus-tomer traffic was typically down by half or more; Minbya, Ponnagyun, and Rathedaung had few sellers still active in/around the markets; Periodic market closures affected Minbya, Mrauk-U, and Kyauktaw, but retailers still sold from home/wards; Shipping costs were often up 150-400% due to move-ment restrictions, and this stymied restocking efforts; Dwindling supply was most severe for essential foods, particularly cooking oil and in some cases rice as well; Food prices were up sharply, with rice up 4-47%, cook-ing oil up 4-88%, and vegetables often up 50-400%; Retailers often worried about transportation limits and their inability to restock essential foods and NFIs, although some retailers worried most about basic safety. Market Summaries Kyauktaw Town Market - Kyauktaw market experienced occasional closures, and retailer activity was severely reduced. Many products remained available, but prices were up 88% and 100-400%, respectively, for cooking oil and vegetables as supplies dwindled. Retailers faced numerous concerns, and market functionality varied from day to day due to conflict-related events. Maungdaw Town Market - Maungdaw market remained operational, but rice and cooking oil were scarce and expensive. The town market remained operational and many goods were available, but essential foods were becoming scarce. Rice prices were up 36-47%, and vegetables were up 50-250%. Retailers said 400% increases in shipping costs would limit supply. Minbya Town Market - Minbya market activity was severely reduced, and retailers worried most about personal safety. Supply of cooking oil and certain NFIs was particularly scarce, and prices were up 33-200% for various food items. Retailers cited broad operational challenges, and shipping costs increases of 200% prevented retailers from restocking most items. Mrauk-U Town Market - Mrauk-U market remained operational in the morning, and many products remained available. The market was closed on occasion due to conflict-related events, and retailers said customer traffic had dwindled. Resupply of goods remained difficult due to shipping cost increases of 150%. Rice and cooking oil prices were up 11-54%, while prices for vegetables were up 60-300%. Paletwa Town Market - Paletwa market remained operational, but retailers reported broad challenges. The market remained open throughout the day and many products were available, but price increases were large and retailers said rice supply in particular was limited. Retailers faced a broad set of challenges, such as declining inventories and 700% increases in shipping costs. Ponnagyun Ward Market - Damage to Ponnagyun market pushed customers to smaller ward markets where supply was severely limited. The town's morning-only ward markets (and retailers located outside the main market) struggled to supply essential foods, meat/ fish, and NFIs. Retailers were most concerned with limited inventories and 1000% increases in shipping costs. Rathedaung Town Market - Rathedaung market operated only in the morning, and retailer/customer activity was severely reduced. Supply limits were particularly severe for food items like cooking oil, and vegetables—while available—saw prices rise 50-200%. Retailers worried about 150% increases in transportation costs and poor demand as village customers no longer visited the town market to buy goods. Sittwe Town Market - Sittwe market remained operational, but rice and cooking oil inventories were severely limited and customer traffic was low. Retailers emphasized numerous serious challenges as transportation limits cut off regional traders from this commercial hub. Vegetable prices—often supplied from nearby townships—were up 50-800%..."
Source/publisher: Myanmar Information Management Unit (Myanmar) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-12-18
Date of entry/update: 2023-12-18
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Description: "Foreword As we publish this 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP), escalating fighting, surging displacement and extreme protection threats are now impacting vast swathes of the country, compounding the devastating impacts of Cyclone Mocha in May, and placing the people of Myanmar in increasing peril. Three years on from the military takeover, the humanitarian landscape for 2024 is grim with a third of the population – 18.6 million people – now estimated to be in humanitarian need. Children are bearing the brunt of the crisis with 6 million children in need as a result of displacement, interrupted health-care and education, food insecurity and malnutrition, and protection risks including forced recruitment and mental distress. The economic situation is placing families in increasing financial distress and coping capacities are stretched to the limit. Interruptions to agriculture and rapid inflation are making it increasingly difficult for people to access and afford adequate food, raising the spectre of climbing malnutrition. The health system is in crisis and millions are without safe shelter or drinking water. Women, girls, persons with disabilities and stateless Rohingya people are among those impacted the most by this dangerous environment. Development gains are concurrently under extreme threat with poverty now back at levels not seen for 15 years. This Plan paints a deeply disturbing picture that demands global attention and a dramatic increase in funding. Humanitarians require almost a billion dollars to reach 5.3 million people who have been prioritized for urgent assistance. We cannot afford a repeat of the gross underfunding seen in 2023 with only 29 per cent of requirements received. This lack of funding and severe access constraints meant that an estimated 1.9 million people who had been prioritized for support missed out on assistance altogether, while most of the 3.1 million people who were reached with some support did not receive the intended multi-sectoral assistance required to fully meet their needs. Brave aid workers – the majority of them local organizations on the front line of the response – remain committed to staying and delivering and have scaled-up wherever they can over the past three years. However, de-politicization of aid, as well as significantly expanded access and greatly increased funding will be critical to preventing the suffering of everyone prioritized for support in this Plan. Complementary funding is also needed across the nexus to address the persistent growth in humanitarian needs. The absence of large-scale preventative and resilience-building interventions by the broader development community is placing unprecedented pressure on humanitarian caseloads. To reverse current humanitarian trends, greater funding is simultaneously needed in 2024 for broader community development. We thank our generous donors for their ongoing solidarity with the people of Myanmar as needs continue to spiral. But in 2024, we need donors to dig deeper and speak louder to amplify the voices of affected people on the world stage. Millions of lives are at stake and we all must do everything we can to prevent Myanmar becoming a forgotten emergency..."
Source/publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-12-18
Date of entry/update: 2023-12-18
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Description: "OVERVIEW: In Myanmar, the humanitarian situation deteriorated following a significant escalation in violence across the country. According to the UN, the number of displaced people inside the country now exceeds 2.1 million. In many parts of Myanmar, a shortage of various goods and supplies across multiple states and regions has been reported as vital roads and supply routes remain blocked. Many people remain cut-off from communications, which has impeded access to services and heightened protection risks and vulnerabilities. UNHCR and partners are continuing to deliver life-saving assistance to displaced and affected communities where possible despite the challenges posed by the ongoing clashes and movement restrictions. In Thailand, the Royal Thai Government reported that over 2,300 refugees were sheltered in three Temporary Safety Areas (TSAs) in Mae Hong Son province as of 30 November. Some 4,400 people returned to Myanmar in November following the closure of the TSAs. However, another 1,000 refugees who returned to Myanmar on 10 November came back to Thailand on 16 November after the resurgence of conflict in Kayah State. There are currently no new arrivals in Mae Hong Son TSAs. Sao Hin TSA in Mae Sariang District closed on 16 November as did Mae Ki TSA in Khum Yuam District on 25 November although Nai Soi TSA remains open. In India, approximately 57,100 individuals from Myanmar’s North-West region are reported to have sought safety in India since February 2021. Out of this population, some 5,500 individuals are in New Delhi and have registered with UNHCR. Over 6,000 individuals are estimated to have made their way to India following the recent escalation in conflict in Myanmar since late October. Since then, more than 5,000 Myanmar nationals have reportedly arrived in Mizoram and nearly 1,300 in Manipur. District administrations, NGOs and community-based organisations (CBOs) provided immediate humanitarian support such as food, water, and shelter. New arrivals are staying in cramped conditions in community halls, schools as well as with host families who are unable to support arrivals for long. Currently, the district administrations, CBOs and NGOs are providing food, shelter, core-relief items (CRIs), water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and health support although resources remain limited, and more funding is needed to scale up this assistance as well winterization support to new arrivals..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
2023-12-15
Date of entry/update: 2023-12-15
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Description: "Highlights: • Fighting between the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) and various groups, including Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) and People’s Defence Forces (PDFs), persists across much of the country. • More than 660,000 people are estimated to have been newly displaced since the escalation of armed conflict on 27 October, with some people displaced several times and others already starting to return home. Total current displacement now stands at 2.6 million people nationwide. • The volatile context is generating significant protection risks including increased civilian casualties, arbitrary arrests, exploitation, forced recruitment and forced labour. • Food, safe shelter, non-food items and hygiene kits, basic health services and protection support remain priorities with shortages of essential supplies being reported in many areas due to commercial and humanitarian transport blockages. • Despite insecurity, access, and telecommunication challenges, provision of essential humanitarian assistance to affected people continues where possible using a variety of flexible approaches. Humanitarian partners have now reached more than 80 per cent of those displaced in northern Shan. • The UN and partners continue to seek to access a greater proportion of affected people. An inter-agency mission was completed to Wa earlier in December and another is approved for the delivery of assistance to IDPs in southern Shan. • Despite surging needs, the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan is just 29 per cent funded days before the end of the year. An urgent injection of funds is desperately needed to sustain the response into the new year. Situation Overview Conflict between the MAF and multiple armed groups, including EAOs and PDFs, persists in many parts of the country involving armed clashes, airstrikes and artillery shelling and causing a surge in civilian casualties, displacement and destruction of civilian properties in numerous townships. Unverified field reports indicate that at least 378 civilians, including men, women, and children, have reportedly been killed and 505 others have been injured since the escalation began in late October. Since the intensification, more than 660,000 people are estimated to have been newly displaced in northern and southern Shan, Kayah, Rakhine, Chin, Sagaing, Mandalay, eastern Bago, Kayin, Mon, and Tanintharyi. There have been reports of some displaced people returning home while others have moved multiple times for safety. Some are reportedly reluctant to leave current displacement sites in northern Shan due to the risk of forced recruitment. Total current displacement nationwide now stands at a record 2.6 million people. The movement of people and transportation of goods is being heavily curtailed, while interruptions to phone and internet services are impacting on the sharing of civilian safety information and humanitarian operations. The lack of humanitarian and commercial access to transport routes is creating a scarcity of food, shortages of essential household items, soaring commodity prices and a fuel crisis in affected areas. Partners have identified the most urgent humanitarian needs across conflict-affected areas as food, safe shelter, non-food items and hygiene kits, basic health services and protection support. Faith-based organizations and local responders, in collaboration with international organizations, continue to provide lifesaving assistance to displaced and affected communities wherever access is possible. Despite an extremely challenging operational context, including supply stockpiles that are heavily depleted due to underfunding, access constraints and the rapid and unpredictable escalation of needs, humanitarian partners are reaching growing numbers of affected people. The vast majority of displaced people in northern Shan (82,000) have now received assistance and work continues to expand the response in other impacted areas such as the Northwest where 50,000 people have already been reached. A rapid response allocation of US$7 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) will provide survival support to people most affected in the coming weeks..."
Source/publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-12-15
Date of entry/update: 2023-12-15
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Description: "Highlights: • More than half a million people are estimated to have been newly displaced due to the escalation of armed conflict since 26 October, although figures are fluid due to returns and redisplacement, while communication challenges are making numbers difficult to verify. This adds to the 2 million people who were already displaced before the current escalation of violence. • Fighting between the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) and various groups, including Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) and People’s Defence Forces (PDFs), persists in about twothirds of the country. • Intense clashes have been reported in many townships across northern and southern Shan, Rakhine and Chin, Sagaing, Magway, Kayah, eastern Bago and Kayin in early December, causing further humanitarian needs and challenges. • Despite insecurity, access, and telecommunication challenges, provision of essential humanitarian assistance to affected people continues where possible using a variety of flexible approaches by humanitarian responders and partners. • In northern Shan, an estimated 85 per cent of the newly displaced population in northern Shan have received some form of basic humanitarian assistance at least once although this is not sufficient to fully meet their needs. • Extensive needs and gaps remain in providing regular support to all people in need with displaced people in some parts of the country normally heavily reliant of humanitarian assistance for their survival. • The UN and partners are exploring pathways to access a greater proportion of affected people, particularly at the China-Myanmar border. • Key challenges include road closures, movement restrictions, as well as the safety and security of aid workers. The response is further complicated by a fuel crisis, serious banking issues, and soaring commodity prices. • In Rakhine, high market prices and the scarcity of food and household items have added layers of hardship for entire populations and vulnerable communities, including internally displaced people (IDPs) who have been facing the consequences of years of conflict and the aftermath of Cyclone Mocha. • The 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) is grossly under-funded with only 29 per cent of required funding received from the donor community. An urgent injection of support is critical to enable humanitarians to respond effectively and at-scale to the escalating needs in Myanmar..."
Source/publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-12-08
Date of entry/update: 2023-12-08
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Description: "Highlights: More than 500,000 people have been newly displaced and are in urgent need of humanitarian support due to the intense fighting between the Myanmar Armed Forces and various ethnic armed organizations in many parts of the country. Nearly 150,000 people have been newly displaced in the northwest and in Mandalay since early November. Shortage of essential items, rising prices and fuel crisis exacerbating the humanitarian situation. UNICEF and partners have reached 477,543 affected people with WASH supplies and services includes 75,774 girls and 77,506 boys. A total of 534,983 children below the age of one were vaccinated against measles and rubella, while 73,742 people receiving primary health care services. Situation in numbers 5,800,000 children in need of humanitarian assistance 18,100,000 people in need (HAC 2023) 1,858,600 Internally displaced people after 1 February 2021 (UNHCR) 59,500 People displaced to neighbouring countries since 1 February 2021 306,200 people living in protracted displacement before February 2021 Funding Overview and Partnerships UNICEF Myanmar appealed for US$217.9 million in 2023 to address the needs of 3.7 million people, including 2.3 million children. During this reporting period, UNICEF secured US$32.45 million (US$23.23 million in 2023 and $9.22 million carried over from 2022), representing 14.9 per cent of its 2023 Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) appeal. UNICEF received this generous support from the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), the United States Fund for UNICEF, the Humanitarian Aid Department of the European Commission (European Commission/ECHO), the Government of Canada, the Government of Japan, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Government of Norway, the Royal Thai Government, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), the World Health Organization (WHO), the French Committee for UNICEF, Gavi the Vaccine Alliance and UNICEF global humanitarian thematic funding. With these resources, UNICEF and partners continue to deliver much-needed services in nutrition, health, HIV/AIDS, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), education, child protection, gender-based violence in emergencies, social protection and cash-based programming, social behaviour change and accountability to affected populations. UNICEF also provided humanitarian leadership, cluster coordination and strengthened protection against sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA). As of reporting period, the funding gap stands out at 85 per cent, which is severely affecting UNICEF’s capacity to respond. Without these resources, targeted populations, especially children, who need basic social services will not be able to receive humanitarian assistance. UNICEF continues its efforts to mobilize resources and expresses its sincere appreciation to all private and public sector donors for their contributions to supporting the children of Myanmar. Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs Intense fighting between the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) and various ethnic armed organizations has been escalating in many parts of the country, particularly in northern Shan, Rakhine, Kayah, Sagaing and Chin. The situation remains volatile with continued fighting and large-scale civilian displacement, including amongst children. At the time of reporting, more than 500,000 people had been newly displaced within northern and southern Shan, Kayah, Rakhine, Chin, Sagaing, Mandalay, eastern Bago, Kayin, Mon and Tanintharyi since late October, with 283 people dead including children and 334 injured. Tension remains because of the fighting; humanitarian work has been suspended while the people who have been displaced, and who are in urgent need of humanitarian support, move from one township to another in search of safety. Movement restrictions have led to significant increases in commodity prices, as well as food and fuel shortages. Armed clashes across different townships have also disrupted the rice harvest. In northern Shan, armed clashes continued in several townships, resulting in 95 dead and 152 injured and an upsurge of internally displaced people to nearly 84,000 in 16 townships.2 Many families have fled to the China-Myanmar border in northern Shan, Pyin Oo Lwin township in Mandalay and Mansi township in Kachin. An increasing number of people are fleeing from Laukkaing, Chin Shwe Haw and Kunlong to places along the border with China and to Namtit, the principal town of the Wa Self-Administered Division of Shan State. There are 50,000 displaced people in Laukkaing with minimal humanitarian assistance. Lashio Airport remains closed and roads from Lashio to other conflict-affected areas are totally blocked. The road from Lashio to Mandalay and southern Shan is passable, though complicated by the presence of multiple checkpoints. Telecommunications and the Internet are accessible in Lashio but limited in other areas, particularly in the townships bordering China such as Monekoe, Kunlong and Namhkan. The State Administration Council (SAC) has imposed martial law in eight townships, including Lashio, Hseni, Kutkai, Namhkan, Muse, Laukkaing, Kunlong and Konekyan, which is exacerbating the challenges civilians already face. Armed hostilities have escalated in Rakhine state with intense clashes between the MAF and the Arakan Army, including in Pauktaw, northern townships in Rakhine, in central Rakhine and in Paletwa, southern Chin. There have reportedly been civilian casualties and displacements in several townships due to artillery shelling and gunfire. Main roads and waterways movement have been blocked, resulting in the suspension of humanitarian aid. Since 13 November, 69,000 people were newly displaced in Buthidaung, Maungdaw, Minbya, Mrauk-U, Myebon, Pauktaw, Ponnagyun, Rathedaung and Paletwa townships with at least 20 fatalities and more than 85 injuries3. The security situation in Pauktaw township remains alarming, with more than 20,000 people displaced since mid-November and with at least 12 fatalities.4 Hundreds of people remain trapped, unable to move to safer areas. In the southeast, fighting has progressively spread in Loikaw, Demoso, Hpruso in Kayah, at the Shan-Kayah border, Kayin, Mon states and eastern Bago, resulting in at least 78 civilian deaths and 55 injuries. More than 180,000 people have been displaced since the escalation began and are in need of urgent relief aid.5 Humanitarian access in Kayah remains extremely restricted due to the ongoing conflict, aerial bombardment and heightened scrutiny of partners at checkpoints. Attacks on civilians and displacement sites have also been reported in Loikaw township in Kayah, with the main airport closed and martial law in effect. An estimated 21,000 people have been displaced in Kayah state, with some 1,000 internally displaced persons in the eastern part of Loikaw urgently needing shelter, food, WASH services and health care.Fighting has been intensifying and more than 16,000 people from Kyarinnseikkyi in Kayin and Kyaikmaraw in Mon states are displaced and are in immediate need of humanitarian assistance. The main road between Kyaikmaraw-Chaung Nakwa and Mudon-Chaung Nakwa has been blocked. In Kachin State, intense fighting has been reported in the townships of Bhamo, Hpakant, Mansi, Momauk, Myitkyina, Shwegu, Tsawlaw and Waingmaw, leading to cutting-off of telephone and internet services. Myitkyina-Mandalay Road has been blocked intermittently since mid-November. In the northwest, armed clashes have affected 40 townships, including Falam and Matupi in Chin; Madaya in Mandalay; and Indaw, Kawlin, Pinlebu, Tamu and Tigyaing in Sagaing and in Magway region. Nearly 150,000 people have been newly displaced in the northwest and Mandalay since the fighting began to escalate in early November. Hostilities have killed 90 civilians, and injured 42, including children, and destroyed more than 100 houses. Humanitarian access remains restricted due to roadblocks and fighting; disruption of telecommunications and closure of Kale airport. About 5,000 internally displaced persons from Falam township have been displaced to the India-Myanmar border area in Chin. Of them, some 3,000 internally displaced persons have reportedly crossed the border to seek refuge in India, while the remainder is seeking safety in forest areas within Falam township..."
Source/publisher: UN Children's Fund via Reliefweb (New York)
2023-12-08
Date of entry/update: 2023-12-08
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Description: "LAW’s multidisciplinary research seeks to understand if there is any continuing impact(s) of the sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) that was committed by the Myanmar military against Rohingya survivors to determine whether such SGBV can constitute genocide. Context: Several international efforts since the 2017 ‘clearance operations’ have documented the perpetration of SGBV against the Rohingya. Separately, studies have analysed a broad range of mental health outcomes among the Rohingya population in the aftermath of the ‘clearance operations’ and during the accompanying humanitarian response. This research breaks new ground by exploring the connection between the SGBV experienced by Rohingya in Myanmar and their current psychological state. In essence, there is a lack of clinical evidence that delves into the enduring impact of the systematic SGBV committed against Rohingya in Myanmar, particularly in terms of its consequences for not only survivors’ mental health but also their reproductive capacity and its impact on the community as a whole. To shed light on these aspects, this research focused on three questions: What is the physical and psychological impact of the SGBV during 2017 ‘clearance operations’ on Rohingya victims and survivors? What is the impact of such SGBV on the individual survivors’ familial relations, and is there any impact on the Rohingya society? Can SGBV against Rohingya – through its perpetration and long-term physical and psychosocial consequences – constitute a crime of genocide under the international law? Between August 2022 and March 2023, a multi-disciplinary team comprising psychologists, a medical doctor, and lawyers undertook the research and analysed the medical and psychosocial data collected from survivors and examined the findings within the applicable legal framework. The research focuses on the experiences of female, male, and hijra survivors of SGBV who were forcibly displaced from Myanmar over six years ago and currently reside in refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Key Findings: The research found that the scale of physical injuries from SGBV committed during the 2017 ‘clearance operations’ resulted in long-term consequences, including permanent damage to survivors’ genitalia, which has impacted their ability to procreate. All survivors described severe psychological injuries which has left them in a state of extreme emotional distress. The SGBV also damaged individual survivors’ intrafamilial relationships including their ability to be intimate with their partner, their relationship with extended family networks, and with the broader community. In particular, the use of sexual violence negatively impacted survivors’ parent-child relationships and their psychological capacity to procreate. The research also found that the systematic nature of the SGBV was destructive to the social fabric of the community in at least three ways: – Firstly, severe ostracisation of the female survivors from family and kinship resulted in the loss of their cultural identity. – Secondly, the real and symbolic emasculation of men by instilling powerlessness and diminishing their social role. – Thirdly, the forced reorganisation of the Rohingya family unit and lineage, and erosion of future social alliances such as marriage within the community. Recommendations are as follows: Efforts to hold Myanmar accountable for the serious international crimes against the Rohingya including SGBV, must be advanced on an urgent basis. Improved protection measures are necessary to ensure Rohingya SGBV survivors’ continuous engagement in international justice proceedings. Fund and establish quality and long-term specialised support for Rohingya SGBV survivors across genders. LAW dedicates this research to the Rohingya victims and survivors of sexual and gender-based violence perpetrated in Myanmar. LAW is grateful to those who participated in this research, confided in us, and shared the harrowing experiences they suffered and continue to suffer. Their courage to speak out and pursue justice is deeply moving – we must have the courage to seek justice with them..."
Source/publisher: Legal Action Worldwide (Genève)
2023-12-06
Date of entry/update: 2023-12-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "On this International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the United Nations reiterates its unwavering commitment to promoting the rights, dignity, and well-being of persons with disabilities, particularly amidst the complex political and humanitarian landscape of Myanmar. In alignment with this year's theme, "United in Action to Rescue and Achieve the SDGs for, with, and by Persons with Disabilities", we emphasize the need for concerted efforts to dismantle barriers of persons with disabilities and cultivate an inclusive society. In Myanmar, persons with disabilities, especially women and children, face significant challenges. The 2019 Myanmar Inter-Censal Survey reveals a disability prevalence rate of 12.8%, with states like Chin, Rakhine, and Ayeyawady reporting rates as high as 20.6%. Women and girls with disabilities experience compounded vulnerabilities, including restricted access to essential services and heightened risk of gender-based violence (GBV). The voices of the estimated 5.9 million people living with disabilities in Myanmar, representing about 13% of the country's population[1], are not mere statistics but vital narratives that demand attention and respect. Their unique perspectives and experiences enrich our society, and acknowledging their significance is a crucial step towards a truly equitable and inclusive community. Education and Healthcare: Cornerstones of Empowerment Education and health are the fundamental right and key drivers for empowerment. The United Nations, working with partners and communities, strives to create an inclusive educational environment, ensuring that every child, regardless of ability, has access to quality education. In conflict situations, special attention is given to providing adapted learning environments that cater to diverse learning needs. The United Nations is committed to ensuring comprehensive, quality and accessible health services for all, including persons with disabilities. From maternal healthcare, sexual and reproductive health services to mental health and psychosocial support, our programs aim to address the specific needs of individuals including displaced people in conflict-affected areas, leaving no one behind. Economic and Social Inclusion: Promoting Equality The United Nations champions economic and social inclusion as a vital pathway to overall inclusivity. We advocate for economic opportunities that fully integrate persons with disabilities, ensuring their skills and contributions are acknowledged and valued in the workforce. Social inclusion is equally critical. Through community engagement and awareness initiatives, we work towards breaking down societal barriers, fostering an environment of understanding and acceptance that embraces persons with disabilities and their rights. Inclusive Responses in Conflict Situations: Prioritizing the most Vulnerable In conflict settings like Myanmar, children and women with disabilities face exacerbated vulnerabilities. Displacement heightens their risk and limits access to essential services. They face limited access to critical services, including sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), and an increased risk of gender-based violence (GBV). The United Nations is committed to prioritizing and strengthening protection mechanisms for these marginalized groups with compounded vulnerabilities. This involves ensuring their safety, access to life-saving services, and providing inclusive support systems. Strategic Approach: Collaboration & Partnership In collaboration with communities, civil society organizations, and organizations for persons with disabilities, we are mainstreaming disability inclusion in humanitarian responses, addressing the specific challenges faced by persons with disabilities in conflict settings. Our strategic and collective efforts are directed towards creating protective, supportive, and empowering environments across humanitarian-peacebuilding-development nexus. Aligned with Disability Inclusion Strategy[2], the United Nations is committed to ensuring inclusivity and leaving no one behind. United for Action As we commemorate this International Day of Persons with Disabilities, let us unite in action to rescue and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for, with, and by persons with disabilities. The United Nations remain committed to working collaboratively with partners and stakeholders to build a more inclusive and equitable society where the rights and contributions of every individual are recognized, respected and celebrated..."
Source/publisher: UN Country Team in Myanmar
2023-12-03
Date of entry/update: 2023-12-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Highlight: Conflict between the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) and various groups, including Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) and People’s Defence Forces (PDFs), continues in many parts of the country. More townships across the Northwest and Southeast have been affected by widening conflict, causing fresh displacement and civilian casualties. More than half a million people in multiple states and regions have been newly displaced due to the escalation of fighting since 26 October. This adds to the 2 million people who were already displaced before the current escalation began. Despite insecurity, access, and telecommunication challenges, small-scale provision of essential humanitarian assistance to affected people continues where possible using a variety of flexible approaches. In northern Shan, an estimated 50,000 people displaced in Laukkaing township, on the border with China, have only been able to receive minimal assistance. Humanitarian partners are working to negotiate access and provide assistance. Key transport routes in townships experiencing active fighting nationwide have been blocked both by the MAF and EAOs, restricting people’s movements to safer locations and hampering humanitarian access. Lashio and Loikaw airports remain closed. In Rakhine, commodity prices are rising due to shortages of food and daily household items in local markets, caused by blockages of roads and waterways both within and into the state. As of the end of 2023, the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for the year is only 29 per cent funded. An urgent injection of funding is critically needed to enable humanitarians to respond effectively and at-scale to the escalating needs. Provisional approval has been granted for a CERF Rapid Response Allocation of up to US$7 million to address needs generates by the recent escalation of conflict and surging displacement..."
Source/publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-12-01
Date of entry/update: 2023-12-01
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Description: "Highlight: • Conflict between the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) and various groups, including Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) and People’s Defence Forces (PDFs), continues in many parts of the country. • Fighting has been particularly intense in northern Shan, Rakhine, Sagaing, Chin and Mandalay. • In Rakhine, armed clashes have again escalated in Pauktaw township, where more than 20,000 people have been newly displaced to safer locations since mid-November. Access here is heavily constrained. • As of 22 November, there are nearly 335,000 people in multiple states and regions who have been newly displaced as a result of the escalation of fighting since 26 October. More than 2 million people are now displaced nationwide. • Key transport routes in townships with active fighting have been blocked both by the MAF and EAOs, restricting people’s movements to safer locations, as well as hampering humanitarian access. In addition to Lashio and Loikaw, the airport in Kale is now closed. • Despite insecurity, access and telecommunication challenges, small-scale provision of essential humanitarian assistance to affected people continues where possible using a variety of flexible approaches. • While the US$1 million from the Myanmar Humanitarian Fund is being disbursed to local actors to support those responding to emerging needs in northern Shan, needs in the Northwest, Southeast and Rakhine are increasing by the day and require immediate response. Urgent additional donor support is critical given the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan remains severely underfunded with only 28 per cent of requirements received this year. Situation Overview Intense hostilities continue between the MAF and various armed groups, including EAOs and PDFs, across multiple states and regions. Nearly 335,000 people have been newly displaced within northern and southern Shan, Kayah, Rakhine, Chin, Sagaing, Mandalay, eastern Bago, Kayin, Mon, and Tanintharyi due to the surge in conflict since late October. This displacement is creating urgent needs for immediate and ongoing support to both newly displaced and protracted IDP populations, as well as host communities. In addition, almost 200 civilians, including men, women, and children, have reportedly died and 263 others have been injured in the fighting and related insecurity. Northern Shan • In northern Shan, fighting continues in several townships, resulting in significant civilian casualties (48 fatalities and 136 injuries reported). More than 320 houses and other civilian properties have reportedly been damaged or destroyed in 6 townships. As of 22 November, the number of new IDPs from the current fighting has risen to nearly 82,000 people who are now taking refuge in 141 sites across 15 townships. Most of the displaced people are staying in religious compounds including monasteries and churches, while others are sheltering in host communities, forested areas or paddy fields along the China-Myanmar border in northern Shan, as well as in Pyin Oo Lwin township in Mandalay and in Mansi township in Kachin. • Partners are actively delivering essential aid, including cash, food, and healthcare, to those in need, where access has been possible. Humanitarian assistance has reached about half of the IDPs however, there remains a gap in humanitarian support for some locations in Namhkan, Nawnghkio, Mansi and Pyin Oo Lwin townships due to security situation and access restrictions. In Laukkaing township, 30,000 people, who have been displaced on the border with China, have only been able to receive minimal assistance. Partners are managing to transport some supplies to Lashio, though there is still a high unmet need for cash, food, health supplies, shelter materials, NFIs, and dignity kits among the new IDPs. Rakhine • Intensified fighting between the MAF and the Arakan Army (AA) in Pauktaw township in central Rakhine, has escalated since the AA's offensive on 21 November. The clashes, involving ground artillery, naval, and air strikes, have left control of the area uncertain. An artillery shell landed near a Rohingya IDP camp in Pauktaw township without causing any casualties. Nearly 20,000 people from Pauktaw town and nearby villages have been displaced to northern Pauktaw and the southern island, the latter of which also hosts 26,000 Rohingya IDPs from the 2012 violence who have been cut off from aid since 10 November. Approximately 100 civilians were reportedly rescued by the AA from Pauktaw town on 22 November, while around 500 remain trapped in the downtown area. Pauktaw is currently inaccessible, with entry points blocked. Urgent humanitarian and protection assistance, including food, cash, water purification tablets, fuel, emergency healthcare, and medical supplies, is needed. There are ongoing advocacy efforts to secure humanitarian access to the newly displaced, including in Pauktaw, and resume services to those in Rohingya IDP camps. Northwest • In the Northwest, armed clashes between the MAF and EAOs/PDFs have escalated since late October in 25 townships across Sagaing, Chin, and Mandalay, causing further displacement and civilian casualties. Approximately 33,000 people are newly displaced from Madaya in Mandalay, Matupi in Chin, and Kale and Taze in Sagaing, contributing to the nearly 150,000 people who have been displaced since early November. These hostilities are thought to have resulted in 60 civilian deaths, 16 injuries including children, and the destruction of 74 houses in Chin, Mandalay, and Sagaing. Reports of arbitrary arrests in Myaing in Magway and Madaya in Mandalay have been received, with fears of detainees being used as porters in military operations. Humanitarian access is hindered by ongoing fighting, roadblocks, and movement restrictions in multiple townships. Kale Airport in Sagaing closed on 21 November following an explosion the previous day, with no reopening date announced. The region faces a fuel crisis, particularly in Kale and Tamu townships, and banking issues pose additional challenges for humanitarian efforts..."
Source/publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-11-23
Date of entry/update: 2023-11-23
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Highlight The conflict between the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) and various groups, including Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) and People’s Defence Forces (PDFs), remains intense in many parts of the country. The escalation is now the largest in scale and most extensive geographically since the early 2021 military takeover, impacting multiple areas, particularly northern and southern Shan, Sagaing, Kayah, Rakhine, and southern Chin. As of 21 November, there are more than 286,000 people who have been displaced as a result of the intensification of fighting since 26 October. The security situation in Pauktaw township in Rakhine remains alarming, where more than 20,000 people have been displaced to safer locations within the township since mid-November and hundreds of people have also been trapped and have not been able to move to safer areas. Key transport routes in townships with active fighting have been blocked both by the MAF and EAOs, restricting people’s movements to safer locations, as well as hampering humanitarian access. Despite insecurity, access and telecommunication challenges, provision of essential humanitarian assistance to affected people continues in northern Shan using a variety of flexible approaches. Humanitarian partners in the Northwest, Southeast and Rakhine are assessing new needs to respond to the fluid situation. Various preparedness measures, including the pre-positioning of stocks, are ongoing. While the US$1 million from the Myanmar Humanitarian Fund is being disbursed to local actors to support those responding to emerging needs in northern Shan, needs in the Northwest, Southeast and Rakhine are increasing by the day and require immediate response. Urgent additional donor support is critical given the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan remains severely underfunded with only 28 per cent of requirements received this year. Situation Overview Intense hostilities continue between the MAF and various armed groups, including EAOs and People’s Defence Forces (PDFs), across multiple states and regions. This escalation is the largest and most geographically widespread since the 2021 military takeover. Armed clashes have expanded into more areas, including densely populated urban centres, posing a heightened risk to the safety and security of civilian populations across the country. More than 286,000 people have been newly displaced within northern and southern Shan, Kayah, Rakhine, Chin, Sagaing, Mandalay, eastern Bago, Kayin, Mon, and Tanintharyi due to the recent surge in conflict. This displacement represents a significant humanitarian concern, with urgent needs for immediate and ongoing support to both newly displaced and protracted IDP populations, as well as host communities. In addition, 187 civilians, including men, women, and children, have reportedly died and 246 others have been injured..."
Source/publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-11-21
Date of entry/update: 2023-11-21
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Description: "Yangon, Myanmar – Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is gravely concerned for the welfare of communities caught up in Myanmar’s escalating conflict, particularly in Shan, Kachin and Rakhine states where we are present and witnessing the direct impacts. Yesterday, our team in Shan received reports that Pang Hseng Hospital, a facility that MSF has supported in the past, was hit by a drone strike. Thankfully no injuries were reported, but this is only because the hospital recently became non-functional when hostilities escalated at the end of October. Since the fighting erupted, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), more than 60,000 people have been displaced within the state, and most are completely cut off from humanitarian assistance. MSF, alongside other humanitarian organisations and local health authorities is managing to provide services in some areas, but continued fighting and access restrictions mean only a fraction of the number of people in need of assistance can be reached. Many people escaping violence in other areas of Shan state have now fled to Lashio, northern Shan, where MSF is already present providing life-saving HIV and TB services to communities with limited access to treatment. MSF conducted a “rapid needs assessment” of people who have been displaced in the areas we could reach and together with other organisations have been able to donate non-food items and hygiene kits, provide psychological first aid, and medical consultations for women and children. MSF is also witnessing increasing numbers of missed appointments at our clinic sites where patients come for their regular medication for HIV. Missed appointments mean patients are without their life-saving medication, risking their health, leaving them vulnerable to drug resistance and developing other opportunistic infections. In Rakhine state, the resumption of conflict after the breakdown of a ceasefire brokered last November, has put a halt to MSF’s regular mobile clinics, where our teams treat 1,500 patients on a weekly basis. Route blockages and blanket travel restrictions due to active conflict in areas where we run these clinics are making it impossible for MSF teams to even support emergency referrals for critically ill patients. This is occurring only six months after a devastating cyclone hit the state. Communities are still recovering from its impact. In Kachin state, while the intensity of the conflict we witnessed a few weeks ago has abated for now, patients returning to our clinics for sexual and reproductive healthcare services and HIV/TB care tell us they fear making the journey to us because of the risk of being caught up in violence along the way, and because of the fear of airstrikes and shelling. On 25th September, a four person MSF team visited Hpakant General Hospital in Kachin state to prepare a space as part of our support to our HIV cohort transferred to the local health authorities. Armed men began shooting outside the compound, eventually making their way inside the hospital and severely injured one patient. We are witnessing an unacceptable disregard for the protected nature of hospital infrastructure. With growing medical and humanitarian needs across the country, we implore all parties to ensure the safety of patients and healthcare workers in conflict areas, and to allow safe and unimpeded access to people who have been left without life-saving services while their communities are caught in the crossfire..."
Source/publisher: Médecins Sans Frontières
2023-11-18
Date of entry/update: 2023-11-18
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "KEY DISPLACEMENT FIGURES: 95,600 Estimated refugee outflows to neighbouring countries since 1 February 2021 1,124,800 Refugees and asylum-seekers from Myanmar in neighbouring countries as of 30 June 2023 1,670,200 Estimated total internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Myanmar, displaced since 1 February 2021 Source: UN in Myanmar 1,976,400 Estimated total internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Myanmar as of 2 October 2023 Source: UN in Myanmar OVERVIEW In Myanmar, increased armed conflict and monsoon floods continue to trigger new displacement and exacerbate humanitarian needs. According to the UN, over 1.9 million people remain displaced within the country, with 47 townships in the North-West and the South-East still under martial law. Airstrikes, indiscriminate shelling, landmines, widespread arson, forced recruitment and raids on civilian targets, including homes, schools, health facilities, places of worship, as well as villages and internally displaced people (IDP) sites continued. Heavy rains and flooding temporarily displaced thousands, mostly in the North-West and the South-East. Prolonged humanitarian access constraints are impacting the provision of protection and life-saving services and straining the resilience of affected communities. In Thailand, according to the Royal Thai Government (RTG), as of 2 October, 7,259 refugees were sheltered in five Temporary Safety Areas (TSAs) across three districts (3,790 in Mae Sariang, 821 in Khun Yuam and 2,647 in Mueang) in Mae Hong Son Province. The conflict across the border in Kayah State reportedly subsided in early September and moved further away from the Thai-Myanmar border. In Mae Hong Son, the RTG recorded that a total of 2,673 individuals have returned to Myanmar since July 2023, including 2,130 in September. Further south, following fighting in the Tanintharyi region, the RTG reported 374 new arrivals between 20 and 22 September in Ranong Province who returned to Myanmar on 24 September. Humanitarian access to the TSAs remains limited and is granted on a case-by-case basis. In India, around 50,600 individuals* from Myanmar’s North-West region have sought protection in the country since February 2021. Of this number, 5,438 individuals are in Delhi and have registered with UNHCR. The number of reported new arrivals to Manipur remains minimal. Due to the changing weather and frequent rains, health problems relating to common colds and fever have been reported among arrivals in the districts of South Mizoram. Community-based organisations (CBOs) and NGOs are facilitating patient referrals to public primary health centres. According to CBOs and humanitarian organizations on the ground, medicine and food are urgent needs..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
2023-10-31
Date of entry/update: 2023-11-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Intense fighting continues in northern Shan State following the coordinated attacks by a group of ethnic armed organisations on 27 October. The insurgency is spreading across the country, with different opposition forces launching attacks against military outposts in Kachin, Sagaing, Magway and Kayah. The Myanmar military focused on airstrikes, killing and injuring scores of civilians. On the morning of 13 November, the Arakan Army attacked two Border Guard posts, suggesting the insurgency has spread to Rakhine State. UN OCHA reports that the fighting has led to the displacement of some 90,000 people, with refugees also fleeing into China. DG ECHO partners are responding to the enormous humanitarian needs of the displaced, currently providing cash assistance, core relief items, psychosocial support and mine risk education..."
Source/publisher: European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations
2023-11-13
Date of entry/update: 2023-11-13
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Description: "This regular update, covering humanitarian developments up to 8 November, is produced by OCHA Myanmar in collaboration with the Inter-Cluster Coordination Group and UN agencies. Response figures are based on self-reporting by organizations to clusters. The next humanitarian update will be issued end of November 2023. HIGHLIGHTS & KEY MESSAGES A combination of active conflict, monsoon floods, and access barriers is worsening the humanitarian situation facing vulnerable communities nationwide. A new front of conflict has intensified in Northern Shan where fighting between Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) and the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) has displaced almost 50,000 people since 26 October. More than two million people are now internally displaced nationwide, many of them multiple times, eroding their coping capacity with each move. Relentless monsoon floods, especially in the Southeast, have caused severe economic and agricultural losses, exacerbating an already critical humanitarian situation as a result of conflict. Administrative and physical restrictions are amplifying suffering by delaying or forcing the cancellation of aid deliveries. Local and international humanitarian partners remain committed to staying and delivering, reaching at least 2.5 million people by end of September 2023. The combined US$887 million Humanitarian Response Plan and Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeals remain critically underfunded, with only 28 per cent of the required funding received. Immediate additional financial assistance and the easing of access restrictions are imperative for the humanitarian community to address urgent needs. SITUATION OVERVIEW Active conflict, monsoon floods, underfunding and restrictions on humanitarian activities are contributing to deteriorating living situations for vulnerable communities, including internally displaced people. More than two million people remain internally displaced nationwide, with many having experienced repeated displacement. Displaced families are enduring precarious conditions while they are on the move, often seeking refuge in the jungle without proper shelter. Almost half of the country's population is estimated to be living in poverty and an estimated 12.9 million people are estimated to be severely or moderately food insecure. Affected people are facing heightened protection risks, particularly due to contamination by explosive ordnance, including landmines. This multifaceted crisis has not only deepened the needs of vulnerable groups but has also severely restricted their access to essential services and humanitarian assistance. Relief efforts of both local and international humanitarian organizations have been obstructed. In the face of these formidable obstacles, partners remain resolute in their commitment to assisting those in need. By the end of September, they had reached at least 2.5 million people, responding to escalating needs through diverse and flexible access approaches, including growing numbers of people in the Northwest and an expanded proportion of IDPs. However, despite escalating needs, the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) and the Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeal remain severely underfunded, leaving thousands of desperate communities without the vital support they require..."
Source/publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-11-10
Date of entry/update: 2023-11-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Highlights Intense fighting, including artillery shelling and airstrikes, has continued in several townships in northern Shan since the attack by an alliance of Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) and others against military and police bases on 26 October 2023, causing additional civilian casualties and displacement. As of 9 November, almost 50,000 people in northern Shan were forced into displacement in religious compounds with relatives. Many have also moved towards the border with China and others are still trying to cross. Key routes into Lashio township remain blocked both by the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) and by EAOs, and all travel routes to northern Shan remain restricted. Phone and internet services have been disrupted outside Lashio township and the main airport in Lashio remains closed hindering people’s movement, humanitarian access and communications with people in need. Fighting has also escalated in the Northwest in early November. About 40,000 people have been subsequently displaced due to active fighting in the Northwest. In northern Shan, faith-based organizations, community-based organizations (CBOs) and civil society organizations (CSOs), in collaboration with humanitarian partners, continue to provide basic essential humanitarian assistance. US$1 million from the Myanmar Humanitarian Fund will be disbursed to support those responding to emerging needs in northern Shan. This support is, however, insufficient to meet the surge in needs. A halt in clashes and unimpeded access by all parties are critical to ensuring the delivery of timely, life-saving services to people in need. Situation Overview Intense fighting has continued between the MAF and various EAOs, as well as People's Defense Forces (PDFs) across multiple townships in northern Shan since 26 October, leading to additional civilian casualties and surging displacement. Fighting escalated following a series of attacks on MAF and police bases by a coalition of EAOs—namely the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), and the Arakan Army (AA), calling themselves the ‘Three Brotherhood Alliance.’ Consequently, 17 civilians were reportedly killed and 39 were injured, while at least 200 civilian houses were reportedly damaged in 6 townships. Two weeks on, nearly 50,000 people have reportedly been displaced and are currently sheltering in 100 locations in religious compounds or with relatives across 10 townships in northern Shan. According to media reports, several hundred people reportedly crossed the border into China because of ongoing fighting and many others are still trying to cross, but partners can not verify exact numbers. Key roads to Lashio town have either been closed or blocked by the EAOs or the MAF causing shortages of essential items and price hikes. Major transport routes have been cut off, including the strategic Lashio-Muse highway, leading to a healthcare access crisis that is already reported to have resulted in several deaths. Phone and internet services have been disrupted outside Lashio township and the main airport in Lashio remains closed hindering people’s movement, humanitarian access and communications with people in need. On November 6, a bomb allegedly planted by an EAO exploded at the privately owned CB Bank in Lashio. This incident severely disrupted the bank's operations, leading to all commercial banks reducing operations to only three hours a day. Consequently, there is a significant reduction in the availability of cash in the region. The mobile money application ‘KBZ PAY’ is currently offering limited services, and the only other available mobile banking option, 'WeChat,' operates exclusively along the Myanmar-China border, not in the main urban areas of Lashio. As a result, prices of basic commodities are on the rise. The increasing price of basic commodities as a result of transport and cash flow challenges will further diminish the purchasing power of cash-based assistance provided by humanitarian partners. In addition, an escalation in fighting has also been reported since early November across multiple townships in the Northwest. On 3 November, the joint forces of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the Arakan Army (AA), the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF), as well as local PDFs launched coordinated attacks against MAF bases and security positions in Homalin, Kale, Kalewa, Kawlin, Kyunhla, Wuntho, and Tamu townships in Sagaing, as well as Gangaw township in Magway. Intense fighting with airstrikes and artillery shelling occurred in Kawlin town, culminating in the joint forces reportedly seizing the town from the MAF on 6 November. According to local media, approximately 50,000 people from Kawlin town initially fled their homes to safer locations due to the heavy fighting during the first week of November. As of 9 November, 40,000 people remain displaced, while about 10,000 people have returned home. Humanitarian partners are closely monitoring the security situation and trying to verify the exact number and locations of the newly displaced people as well as their needs to provide appropriate assistance..."
Source/publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-11-09
Date of entry/update: 2023-11-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "HIGHLIGHTS January: The Myanmar Humanitarian Response Plan 2023 was published on 25 January. We estimated10 M people in need for health assistance of which 23% targeted in the displaced, returned, stateless and other crisis affected population groups. February: Partners were trained on the updated 4W/5W (Who, What, Where, When, Whom) March: The Preparedness and Response technical working group established emergency scenarios and minimal pre-positioning medicine and medical supplies for the monsoon. March was also the month for repoting: 375K people were reached by the Health Cluster. April & May: Northeast, Northwest, Rakhine and Southeast dis-cussed monsoon risks using the WHO Strategic Toolkit for Assessing Risks (STAR) such as floods, landslides, outbreaks, along with the risks of conflicts. On 11-12 May, a Cholera Readiness workshop was con-ducted with over 90 participants. 14 May & June: We remember the extremely severe Cyclone Mo-cha which crossed the coast on 14 May 2023 affecting people in Rakhine, Northwest and Kachin causing extensive devastation leav-ing hundred of thousands crisis-affected people without shelter as the monsoon was approaching. June: June was the mid-year reporting. Health partners have reached more than 558K people in need. The details informa-tion is illustrated in this bulletin. The Cluster will continue responding to its mission of collectively preparing for and responding to humanitarian and public health emergencies to improve the health outcomes of affected populations through timely, predictable, appropriate and effective coordinated health action..."
Source/publisher: Health Cluster, World Health Organization
2023-11-02
Date of entry/update: 2023-11-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Executive Summary The primary objective of this CAR Assessment on Sagaing Region is to support the Nexus Response Mechanism (NRM) and its partners in assessing current needs, priorities, and dynamics for the purposes of response planning. However, it is also designed as a public document, to be made available to the wider Myanmar aid community to better enhance understanding of local contexts, present community perceptions, and identify thematic and geographic dynamics and issues. It is not intended as a comprehensive or project-level needs assessment - it is instead intended as a broad and holistic assessment of the humanitarian, development, and political situation and operating environment in Sagaing Region. Prior to the February 2021 coup, the predominantly Bamar Sagaing Region was largely peaceful, and although it was underdeveloped and impoverished it was also highly agriculturally productive. Since the coup, Sagaing Region has become one of, if not the, epicentre of the Myanmar crisis. Sagaing Region’s population was heavily supportive of the National League for Democracy (NLD), and mass protests against the coup quickly turned to SAC crackdowns, and anti-coup armed group formation in the form of NUG-aligned People’s Defence Forces; indeed, Sagaing hosts more PDFs than any other region in the country. Now, the region is characterised by widespread violence, daily human rights abuses, regular village raids and burnings, and one of the largest ongoing displacement crises in the world. Responding to this context should be considered one of the paramount challenges facing the international Myanmar aid community; this is complicated by the fact that Sagaing region poses one of the most severe access challenges in Myanmar. Direct programming in Sagaing region is complicated not only by ongoing conflict conditions, but by political barriers imposed by the SAC and the fact that the large majority of pre-conflict CSOs in Sagaing Region have been dissolved. However, local responders do exist; albeit in a variety of forms. New CSOs have been established throughout Sagaing, with varying capacities, and largely funded by local and international private donations. New NUG-aligned revolutionary governance structures also exist, having largely supplanted SAC structures in many parts of the region, and vary widely in capacity, authority, and reach. New education and healthcare networks have formed, although they operate under considerable constraints and should by no means be considered sufficient for the needs facing the population. There are three key thematic considerations in Sagaing Region: › Sagaing region hosts the largest number of displaced people in Myanmar. Much of this displacement is temporary, with IDPs fleeing from their villages during conflict, raids, and crackdowns. Much of it is not; hundreds of villages have been fully or partially destroyed, and many displaced people will not return to their villages of origin for the foreseeable future. The displacement situation in Sagaing region is now a long term concern, with few prospects for durable solutions. › Local livelihoods have been devastated by the conflict; that said, there are still opportunities to contribute to local livelihoods provision, and doing so is essential. Agriculture is the cornerstone of Sagaing’s economy. Producers are under significant pressure due to skyrocketing costs and access restrictions, and many are wholly unable to farm their fields due to conflict and displacement. That said, Sagaing region is still producing agricultural goods, and markets do remain largely functional even in areas that have fallen out of the control of the SAC; indeed, some parts of Sagaing region are exporting crops to other parts of Myanmar. These functional local agriculture systems are critical to not only the population reliant on them for livelihoods, but the population of IDPs that are now reliant on locally produced agricultural goods. › SAC education and healthcare systems have largely collapsed in much of Sagaing Region. NUG-linked systems and local education and healthcare networks are functional in many locations, and are attempting to fill gaps; private clinics also remain functional in some locations. However, their capacity is limited by both funding and access constraints. Moreover, both alternative healthcare and education providers appear to be seen by the SAC as indistinguishable from local armed revolutionaries; as such, they are regularly targeted by security forces. These systems are under severe pressure and face numerous risks; however, they are also critical to meeting skyrocketing needs..."
Source/publisher: Center for Operational Analysis and Research
2023-11-01
Date of entry/update: 2023-11-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 4.04 MB
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Description: "Security and Conflict Incidents   
Source/publisher: Center for Operational Analysis and Research, United Nations Office for Project Services
2023-10-31
Date of entry/update: 2023-10-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 1.82 MB
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Description: "At least 287 attacks on Myanmar's health care system have been documented by Insecurity Insight between 01 January-18 September 2023. Access the data on HDX. See where incidents happened on this interactive map. Numbers may change if or when further information is made available. Past incident reports: 20 September-03 October 2023; 06-19 September; 23 August-05 September; All Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC) factsheets: 2022; 2021; 2020 If you have additional information on an incident documented here, or a new incident, please get in touch. Join our Myanmar mailing list for regular updates. Help support the protection of health care by sharing this resource. Please copy and paste this link: bit.ly/04-17Oct2023MMRHealth Documented incidents As reported on 04 October 2023: In Nyaunglebin district, Bago region, the transport of medicines and fuel was blocked and the transport of rice and cooking oil was restricted by the Myanmar military following heightened clashes between the Myanmar military and a joint force of ethic armed organisations and local resistance forces in the area. Source: Democratic Voice of Burma 05 October 2023: In Kyat Pyin village and village tract, Mogoke township, Thabeikkyin district, Mandalay region, two pharmacy owners (husband and wife) were arrested by the Myanmar military on accusations of providing the local resistance forces with medicine. Source: Facebook 09 October 2023: In Munglai Hkyet IDP Camp, Nam Sang Yang village tract, Waingmaw township, Myitkyina district, Kachin state, a local clinic was damaged in an night time explosion which killed at least 27 people. The clinic was functioning at the time of the attack. No casualties at the clinic were reported. Source: Democratic Voice of Burma 10 October 2023: In Pale town and township, Yinmabin district, Sagaing region, the township hospital and a school were occupied by the Myanmar military, following raids on villages in the township. Source: Radio Free Asia 10 October 2023: In Htantlang town and township, Hakha district, Chin state, the township hospital and a school were attacked with artillery and airstrikes by the Myanmar military during clashes between the Myanmar military and a joint force of ethnic armed organisations and local resistance forces. The hospital was not functioning at the time of the attack. Since 18 September 2021, many civilians have left the town due to the attack by the Myanmar military. Source: Mizzima 12 October 2023: In Ye-U town and township, Shwebo district, Sagaing region, a traditional medicine hospital was attacked with bombs dropped by drones by the local resistance forces. Since the hospital was occupied by the Myanmar military, it has repeatedly been attacked by the local resistance forces. Source: Khit Thit Media..."
Source/publisher: Insecurity Insight (Geneva) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-10-26
Date of entry/update: 2023-10-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Executive Summary: Under the Myanmar Community Resilience Project (MCRP), the World Bank will be supporting World Food Programme’s (WFP’s) proposed interventions within the scope of its life-saving food and nutrition assistance to conflict-affected populations in Rakhine State in Myanmar. The objective of the MCRP is to improve food security and livelihoods resilience of vulnerable populations in selected areas of Myanmar. WFP interventions under the Project will support targeted relief and nutrition assistance through food transfers and cash-based transfers to populations affected by crisis, as well as provision of specialized nutritious foods to pregnant and lactating women and adolescent girls and children under 5 in Rakhine State. This Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) has been prepared to identify the potential environmental and social risks and impacts of proposed Project activities and propose suitable mitigation measures to manage these risks and impacts. It maps out the general WFP and World Bank policies appliable for the Project, and describes the principles, approaches, implementation arrangements, and environmental and social mitigation measures to be followed. The potential environmental and social risks for project activities are identified as: Potential exclusion of disadvantaged or vulnerable households; Potential exclusion of ethnic minorities due to access challenges or language barriers; Risks to project workers (including health and safety risks, security risks, child labor or forced labor, COVID-19 risks, and sexual exploitation and abuse risks); Risks to community members (including safety and security risks, discrimination or exclusion, COVID 19 risks, and sexual exploitation and abuse risks); Solid waste management risks from inappropriate disposal of food packaging; Food safety risks that may stem from improper storage, transport or distribution of food assistance; and Potential for insufficient stakeholder engagement and grievance management. These risks will be managed and mitigated through the application of: The project’s operational design for targeting and selection of communities and beneficiaries; WFP policies and operational practices (including the Environmental Policy, the Protection and Accountability Policy, the Food Storage Manual, and Standard Operating Procedures on COVID-19, protection for sexual exploitation and abuse, and community engagement mechanisms); The measures included in this ESMF and the Annexes to this ESMF (including simplified Labor Management Procedures, Landmine Procedures, and a Safety and Security Approach); and The Stakeholder Engagement Plan prepared for this project. Implementation Arrangements. The project will support an extension of WFP’s current programs in Rakhine State. WFP will both implement directly and work closely with and through a strong pool of local and international NGOs in implementing and monitoring its program. At WFP, the project will be overseen by the Deputy Country Director (Programme) and will be directly managed by the Head of Programme (both based in Nay Pyi Taw). Cooperating partners (CPs) will act as an implementing partner for some of the activities. The CPs will be mobilized to support WFP in assessing, distributing, and monitoring activities of the project. WFP will retain responsibility and technical oversight of CPs work. Agreements with CPs will include the requirement to comply with the environmental and social mitigation measures outlined in this ESMF. Local contractors, such as transportation companies, will be required to comply with the Project’s environmental and social risk management measures, including the national laws and regulations and the ESMF. Monitoring. WFP’s monitoring activities are guided by WFP’s Standard Operating Procedures for monitoring and tailored tools for distribution and post-distribution monitoring. WFP conducts monthly distribution monitoring focusing on distribution output and process, in addition to three rounds of detailed post-distribution monitoring which focus on the outcomes of WFP operations. WFP teams working to implement the project will ensure that monitoring practices include the environmental and social risks identified in the ESMF and will monitor the implementation of E&S risk management measures as part of regular project monitoring. A separate Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) has been prepared for the Project, based on WFP’s Community Engagement Mechanism Standard Operating Procedures for Myanmar and the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Standard 10 on Stakeholder Engagement. Under its Standard Operating Procedures for its Community Engagement Mechanism WFP already has an operational and accessible community feedback mechanism/grievance mechanism, which has various culturally appropriate means for stakeholders to raise feedback. This grievance mechanism will also be used for the World Bank supported project activities to receive and facilitate resolution of concerns and grievances. The grievance mechanism is also equipped to receive, register and facilitate the resolution of sexual exploitation and abuse complaints, in accordance with the WFP Standard Operating Procedures on sexual exploitation and abuse. WFP has a team of trained focal points to ensure referral of survivors to relevant service providers in a safe, confidential and survivor-centered manner..."
Source/publisher: World Food Programme (Rome) via reliefweb (New York)
2023-10-24
Date of entry/update: 2023-10-24
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Description: "What happened, where and when? Since 4 October 2023, the Myanmar Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH) has been issuing flood advisory warnings and weather system alerts for the water levels of major rivers. From 5 to 9 October, heavy rainfall in the late monsoon season triggered extensive flooding in southern Myanmar. On 9 October, DMH stated that Bago township experienced an unprecedented 7.87 inches (200 millimeters) of rainfall, the highest recorded in 59 years. On 10 October, the Bago River water level reached 4 feet above the danger level which caused widespread flooding in urban and suburban areas. The impact of this flooding has been significant. It has affected families and croplands and led to the displacement of people in areas from Bago City and Yangon, including the townships of Taik Kyi, Hlegu, and Hmawbi. Currently, there is limited first-hand data on needs and sectors relating to the requirements of the affected population due to the current country's complexity. However, food, water, basic household needs, hygiene, and sanitation are immediate needs by looking at current flood impact, pre-existing vulnerabilities, and complexity of the country as well as a request from MRCS regional branches. Similarly, on 12 October, water was discharged from the Se Taw Gyi dam located in Madaya township within the Mandalay region. This discharge followed a period of heavy rainfall, which led to the unexpected flooding of several villages in central Myanmar's Mandalay region. According to reports more than 30,000 people were compelled to evacuate their homes, leaving their possessions behind. The excessive rainfall also resulted in the inundation of the main roads in the Mandalay area. In the neighborhoods of the Myothit wards, Payantaw, and Nadi creeks, water levels surged, causing homes to be inundated..."
Source/publisher: International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies (Geneva) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-10-22
Date of entry/update: 2023-10-22
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "This Situation Update describes events occurring in Htaw Ta Htoo (Htantabin) Township, Taw Oo (Toungoo) District during the period between September and December 2022. This report outlines the struggles of villagers from five areas: Kaw Thay Der, Khoh Hkee, Maw Nay Pwa, Per Htee and Day Loh. The State Administration Council (SAC) arrested travellers, extorted their family members, and increased military movements causing major obstacles for children and teenagers to attend school. Villagers struggled due to a lack of enough income to cover their daily expenses. Many villagers also developed seasonal sicknesses that remained untreated.[1] Introduction This report describes the situation in five areas in Htaw Ta Htoo Township, Taw Oo District, between September and December 2022, namely Kaw Thay Der, Khoh Hkee, Maw Nay Pwa, Per Htee, and Day Loh areas. Villagers reported State Administration Council’s (SAC)[2] increased military activities and livelihood, education, and healthcare challenges. SAC military activities After the SAC seized power in Burma, various human rights violations occurred [again], such as fighting, threats, killing, looting, daily indiscriminate shelling, and arbitrary arrests at checkpoints. Additionally, the SAC arrested local villagers travelling and extorted their family members. This caused a great problem for villagers. The SAC indiscriminately fired artillery weapons and conducted air strikes into villages. [Moreover,] landmines were planted on public roads [leading to villagers’ plantations]. These placed villagers’ lives at high risk. An incident happened on December 15th 2022, in A--- village, Maw Nay Pwa area, Htaw Ta Htoo Township, Taw Oo District. At 1:00 pm, an air strike was conducted [by the SAC] unexpectedly while some villagers were gathering to greet and bless each other [for Christmas]. Children and elderly villagers had to [flee and] hide near the village. A--- village has 63 houses and a population of 439 [villagers]. Many villagers were displaced after the incident and were living far from their plantations. [During December 2022,] they had to travel long distances to purchase and trade food and to bring patients to the hospital. Due to SAC military operations, some villagers [displaced persons coming from other areas in Southeast Burma], who were also sheltering in villages [located in Maw Nay Pwa area], did not dare to return to their hometowns. In addition, securing livelihoods got much harder for villagers as they were not able to find jobs. Villagers [sheltering in the area] were able to eat only when someone [local villagers] provided them [with food]. Every month, local [Karen National Union (KNU)[3]] authorities arranged [to distribute] essential food supplies. Armed conflict and livelihood challenges Between September and December 2022, villagers from the [abovementioned] five areas in Htaw Ta Htoo Township, Taw Oo District, were struggling to secure their livelihoods. Some villagers live in hill areas, while others live in plain areas. Per Htee area is a plain area, while Khoh Hkee, Kaw Thay Der, Maw Nay Pwa and Day Loh areas are situated on the hills. [Villagers from hill areas] grow durian, betel nut, cardamon, and Kaffir lime [for their survival]. From September to December 2022, villagers worked [on their plantations] under danger [at risk to their lives, due to the SAC attacks]. [Due to the climate,] villagers did not harvest good [quality] fruit. Some villagers struggled [to have enough] rice, which is the main food [basis of their diet]. The price of rice also increased. [In addition, villagers had] difficulties in carrying rice [home from shops because the SAC set up check points] on the road. Following fighting [between the SAC and a resistance armed group] in [these] areas, some civilians were afraid [to stay in their villages], so they moved [fled to a new place]. Villagers had to work despite having unsafe [working] conditions. Villagers [felt] worried and burdened due to fighting, air strikes, and shelling. Some villagers encountered difficulties in carrying food as they lived far away from [food markets]. [Villagers had trouble with] purchasing and trading food. Dry food prices were rising, while fruit [that villagers harvested from their farms] could only be sold at low prices [in the market]. Villagers’ income and expenses were not a match. [Villagers had low-income streams and their expenses outweighed their income streams]. Various difficulties followed villagers in their [daily] livelihood activities. Villagers also worried about military operation activities. Farmers from Per Htee area complained about the unstable weather to grow beans and to farm. Farmers had no other income other than from farming. So, some farmers started working abroad [to increase their income]. Villagers [in the area] encountered threats, arbitrary arrests, and physical abuse committed by SAC soldiers while they travelled. Day labourers had to work under dangerous circumstances. Stealing also increased in the [local] area. The five areas all had different [high] prices [in markets]. Villagers had to pay [tax] in various ways [at SAC checkpoints]. Education challenges in Taw Oo District From September to December 2022, the KECD schools that operate in Htaw T'Htoo Township, Taw Oo District are Bu Hsa Hee School which located in Kho Hkee area, Ler Htaw Doh School, located in Maw Nay Pwa area and Htoh Lwee Wah School, located in Htee K'Waw. SAC military activities [in the Township] increased, becoming an obstacle for children and teenagers [to attend school]. Parents worried for children who lived far from the school because SAC soldiers fired [guns] indiscriminately [while the students travelled to schools], resulting in decreasing enrolment during this period. Students who lived in dormitories [at boarding schools], like Ler Htaw Doh school from Maw Nay Pwa area, had difficulties purchasing [a sufficient amount of] food because the price of food was high. As a consequence, some students stopped enrolling in school [,unable to afford the school fee]. Some locally established [community self-funded] schools had connections with the three high schools, [therefore, students could easily attend the high schools after completing their schooling at the locally established schools]. Teachers were teaching [in the community-run schools] at risk to their lives, as SAC soldiers [often] came into schools to patrol. SAC patrolling also brought out worries for teachers to continue teaching and became an obstacle for children and young teenagers to access education. Danger will [continue to] occur to villagers due to the conflict that takes place in the area. Many graduated students went to other countries to seek out job opportunities. Healthcare challenges in Taw Oo District As it was the winter season between September and December 2022, sickness increased, including flu, headaches, and [other] illnesses. When villagers from Khoh Hkee, Kaw Thay Der, and Maw Nay Pwa areas got sick, they were sent to a [nearby] hospital. SAC soldiers patrolling [on the roads] created difficulties for villagers to travel and posed a danger. Some [sick] children did not receive treatment. In addition, many [children] did not receive vaccinations [at all]. Pregnant women also did not receive proper healthcare. Similarly, in Per Htee area, a day labourer who got sick was unable to go for a check-up [at the hospital due to travel restrictions]. Some sick villagers were [only] lying in bed [at home] due to this strict situation. Villagers faced rising travel costs and restrictions, as well as the inability to make extra income. Parents needed money [additional financial support] to look after and take care of disabled children. Communities from the area of Htaw Ta Htoo Township, Taw Oo District did not receive healthcare [treatment]. Villagers from the five areas in Htaw Ta Htoo Township, Taw Oo District, expressed their desire for [KNU] authorities to notice their needs [support services such as safety, health care, livelihood, and education in response to SAC abuses]..."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group
2023-10-19
Date of entry/update: 2023-10-19
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Description: "Changes in context Almost three years since the February 2021 military takeover, the people of Myanmar remain exposed to an unrelenting political, human rights, economic and humanitarian crisis. The dire situation is posing grave protection risks for civilians, limiting access to vital services including health and education, and driving deep food insecurity. The deteriorating humanitarian situation continues to have severe consequences for millions of civilians who are bearing the brunt of widespread insecurity, escalating attacks and clashes, mass displacement, and limited access to critical services. Forced recruitment – including of children – is being increasingly reported. The use of heavy weapons, including air strikes and artillery fire, continues to claim lives and pose risks to the safety and security of civilians, while raids, random searches and arrests are of grave concern. The destruction of civilian properties, particularly homes, combined with the protracted fighting, is prolonging the displacement of IDPs and further degrading people’s already fragile living conditions. The ongoing conflict combined with spiraling inflation, is disrupting livelihood activities and depleting coping mechanisms, resulting in record humanitarian needs this year. In May, the situation was further exacerbated by extremely severe cyclone Mocha, the worst natural disaster on record for Myanmar in nearly a decade. The cyclone and the ensuing flooding devastated communities across Rakhine, the Northwest and Kachin with thousands of homes, productive assets, vast swathes of farmland, and critical infrastructure such as hospitals and schools destroyed or severely damaged. It added an additional 500,000 people to the humanitarian target for 2023 (now 5 million people) and worsened the needs of 1.1 million people already targeted within the HRP..."
Source/publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-10-17
Date of entry/update: 2023-10-17
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Description: "Highlights: Ongoing conflict continues to lead to displacement. Nearly two million people are internally displaced, of whom more than 1.6 million have been displaced since 2021. UNICEF supported for 26,264 children to access to formal and non-formal education, including early learning. UNICEF reached 297,943 affected people with access to clean water for drinking and domestic purposes by the end of September. The 85 per cent funding gap against the 2023 HAC requirement is severely affecting UNICEF’s capacity to respond to the multisectoral needs of targeted populations, especially children in Myanmar. Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs As of September 2023, the total number of internally displaced persons has risen to more than 1.9 million out of a total population of 56 million. More than 1.6 million people have been displaced since February 2021, with more than 50 per cent of them, an estimated 820,800 people, from Sagaing region. Magway region has also been badly affected, with 218,900 people displaced and impacted by regular heavy fighting, air strikes and artillery shelling. An estimated 15,000 people have been displaced and are facing food shortages due to air strikes in Kamma sub township in Magway; humanitarian access is not possible due to security concerns and military operations. In many parts of the country, particularly the northwest, the movement of essential goods and humanitarian access is also still being hampered. The southeast has the second largest number of displaced populations after the northwest with 545,000 internally displaced persons2. Intensified armed conflicts continue in Myawaddy, Kyarinseikkyi, Kawkareik and Hpa-pun, with 8,300 people taking refuge at the Thailand-Myanmar border. In Kachin State, the intensification of armed conflicts and heavy military deployments is mainly in the south and southwest. Mines and unexploded ordnance also continue to pose a significant threat to children, the community, and humanitarian workers. In northern Shan, armed conflicts between the Myanmar Armed Forces and various armed groups in Nawnghkio, Kutkai, Muse and Namhkan townships are continuing to grow, causing people from Muse township to be displaced twice in September. Fighting in Kayah State increased, also resulting in increased displacement, with the number of internally displaced persons reaching 100,500 as of 18 September. Approximately 800 people, including those who had returned from the Thailand border in mid-September and who are living in the camps in Maesae township, Kayah State are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, which humanitarian access is not possible at the moment..."
Source/publisher: UN Children's Fund (New York) via Reliefweb (New York)
2023-10-16
Date of entry/update: 2023-10-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Documented incidents As reported on 21 September 2023: In Maungdaw, Buthidaung, and Rathedaung townships, Rakhine state, the restrictions of transport of medicine, rice, cement, and nails were reinforced by the junta government. Source: VOA Burmese 21 September 2023: In Seik Mu village and village tract, Hpakant township, Mohnyin district, Kachin state, a private general practitioner clinic was used as the site for planned shooting. On the arrival of the junta security force in a civilian vehicle at the clinic for seeking treatment, a joint force of local resistance forces and Kachin Independence Army opened fire at the vehicle, killing two policemen and injuring the remaining three. There is no report about damage to the clinic or casualties of the people at the clinic. The clinic was open at the time of the attack. Sources: Myanmar Now, Shwe Phee Myay News Agency and The Voice of Shan-Ni 23-24 September 2023: Near Yangon city and region, a male prisoner at the Insein Prison died of a heart attack after being denied medical treatment for his condition whilst incarcerated. Source: Radio Free Asia 23 September 2023: In Kyangin town and township, Myanaung district, Ayeyarwady region, two CDM-affiliated health workers were abducted from their home by the junta security forces in a nighttime raid at their house with an alleged reason of illegal provision of health care. The two victims were a couple - the wife was a 25-year-old midwife and the husband a 26-year-old public health supervisor Grade II. Both were charged under Counter-Terrorism Laws and detained at a local police station for interrogation. Sources: Ayeyarwaddy Times and Network Media Group 24 September 2023: In Shwebo town, township, and district, Sagaing region, a male president of an LNGO who was a retired combat medic, was abducted and an ambulance was seized by local resistance forces. He was known to have provided medical care to junta security forces, in his role as the LNGO president. Sources: Myaelatt Athan and Telegram 25 September 2023: In Hpakant town and township, Mohnyin district, Kachin state, local resistance forces entered a functioning hospital and shot three patients dead. The victims were the Military Security Affairs major and two policemen. After the attack, health workers at the hospital were inquired by the Myanmar military. Sources: Kachin News Group, Myanmar Now, Radio Free Asia and Telegram 30 September 2023: At the military checkpoint near Za Wea village and village tract, Tanintharyi township, Myeik district, Tanintharyi region, a LNGO volunteer ambulance driver was abducted and the ambulance was seized by the Myanmar military. The driver was on his way back to Thar Ra Bwin village after dropping off a patient in Myeik town. He had previousl;y been allowed to pass the military checkpoint on 29 September on his way to Myeik town with the patient onboard..."
Source/publisher: Insecurity Insight (Geneva) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-10-09
Date of entry/update: 2023-10-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Source/publisher: Myanmar Information Management Unit (Myanmar) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-10-02
Date of entry/update: 2023-10-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "On 6 October 2023, H.E. Mr. Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara, Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on behalf of the Royal Thai Government, presented a financial contribution of 3.6 million Thai Baht, or approximately 100,000 US dollars, to the UNICEF. The donation is aimed at supporting the UNICEF’s humanitarian programmes in Myanmar, especially on public health challenges in areas along the Thailand–Myanmar border. Ms. Kyungsun Kim, UNICEF’s Representative to Thailand, represented the UNICEF in receiving the donation. The ceremony was attended by senior officials from both sides, including H.E. Mr. Jakkapong Sangmanee, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mr. Sarun Charoensuwan, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Ms. Severine Leonardi, UNICEF Thailand Deputy Representative, and Mr. Trevor Clark, Regional Emergency Advisor, UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office. This financial contribution will support the UNICEF’s activities related to maternal and child immunisation, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) programmes, and nutrition in the Kayin and Kayah States of Myanmar, which border Thailand. It underscores Thailand’s constructive role in supporting the works of the United Nations and Thailand’s strong commitment to supporting humanitarian efforts in Myanmar. It will also help strengthen the public health system along the Thailand–Myanmar border, which will benefit Thai people living in these border areas..."
Source/publisher: Government of Thailand
2023-10-06
Date of entry/update: 2023-10-06
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Description: "EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: This report covers the period January to December 2022 and outlines TBC’s progress based on the organisation’s Strategic Directions for Thailand and Myanmar 2020-22. TBC’s assistance reached over 460,000 men, women and children during 2022.- This included approximately 100,000 in Thailand (80,000 in refugee camps and 20,000 new arrivals outside of camps) and at least 360,000 internally displaced persons in southeastern Myanmar. In Thailand, following a substantial update of the vaccine rollout in most camps, TBC has cautiously resumed in-person camp activities. TBC continued to address the immediate humanitarian needs of those in refugee camps and provided emergency response to recent refugee arrivals outside of camps. Support for Maternal, Infant, Young Child Feeding (MIYCF) nutrition activities persisted, and TBC conducted both the Biennial Nutrition Survey and the Annual Population Survey. Throughout the year, technical support to Camp Committees and the provision of capacity-building trainings were maintained. As both the return and resettlement programmes remain on indefi nite hold, ensuring dignifi ed futures for refugees continues to be a matter of key importance. In Myanmar, TBC’s local partners were able to mitigate the impact of violence and displacement for 360,000 people at an average value of USD 20 per benefi ciary. Emergency relief in the form of cash transfers, food aid, non-food items and/or medical treatment was coordinated for 260,000 civilians. Stabilisation and recovery eff orts were supported to assist another 100,000 civilians through agricultural extension, nutrition promotion, social protection, and health care initiatives..."
Source/publisher: The Border Consortium (Thailand) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-10-05
Date of entry/update: 2023-10-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Context: The State Administration Council (SAC) announced a six-month extension to the State of Emergency (for the third time) on 1st February 2023 which implicitly acknowledges that they do not have sufficient control of the nation to administer the Generals’ proposed sham elections. Martial law was also expanded in 37 additional townships where armed resistance is strengthening across Sagaing, Magwe, Bago and Tanintharyi Regions as well as Kayah, Karen, Mon and Chin States. Since the February 2021 coup, the SAC has killed over 3,800 civilians, detained, and imprisoned over 24,000 human rights defenders and displaced at least 1.5 million people. Economic conditions stabilised slightly during the first half of 2023 compared to deep contraction in 2021 and volatility in 2022. However, electricity outages became even more pronounced and logistical constraints associated with conflict continue to raise costs and investment remains negligible. The shift away from a rules- and market-based system continues to enable privileged access to import licences, foreign exchange, and state contracts for SAC affiliated businesses. Inequalities in welfare have been exacerbated with 48% of farming households reporting acute food security concerns and conditions are particularly severe in conflict-affected areas. Tropical Cyclone Mocha wreaked a path of destruction through Rakhine State and Sagaing Region in May, which displaced or otherwise affected over a million people. However, restrictions imposed by the SAC on the delivery of life-saving aid highlighted an even greater challenge. Given humanitarian access to communities affected by a natural disaster was obstructed, the prospects appear dim that negotiations with the junta will lead to a meaningful response to the complex emergency elsewhere. As the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF’s) operational control of rural areas reduces, its capacity to sustain light artillery units in contested areas has decreased. However, MAF airstrikes were launched in 40 townships across Myanmar during the first quarter of 2023, which reflects the widespread and systematic scale of indiscriminate military attacks in violation of humanitarian law. Such violations of international humanitarian law have been widespread and gained prominence since June 2023 as over 9,000 civilians have fled from air strikes in Me Se and Shadaw Townships into Thailand. At the end of June 2023, UNHCR estimated there were 472,600 internally displaced persons in southeastern Myanmar, which represents an increase of 133,600 people since the end of 2022.3 These are generally considered conservative figures with civil society estimates approximately double the UN’s assessment. UNOCHA reports that USD 292 million was raised for UN Myanmar’s Humanitarian Response Plan in 2022. A total of 4.4 million people were assisted through these formal mechanisms but 60% of beneficiaries were in Yangon or Rakhine State and only 748,000 were internally displaced persons (IDPs). Overall, informal border-based mechanisms are estimated to have reached double that number of IDPs with only 10% of the HRP funding in 2022. The lack of proportionality in funds allocated for border-based agencies remains the primary obstacle to reinforcing the resilience of the most vulnerable communities suffering from the SAC’s commission of atrocities in ethnic administered areas. More than 20,000 people crossed into Thailand during this period. New arrivals, in accordance with Thai Policy, were disallowed official access to the existing nine refugee camps, with many instead kept in tightly controlled “temporary safety areas” (TSA). Numerous concerns have been raised regarding the adequacy of these TSAs as suitable living spaces for individuals. The restricted access to these areas has posed significant challenges in ensuring adequate protection and the provision of humanitarian aid. Many of the newly arrived individuals have been pressured into returning, fully aware that they will not be granted long-term refuge in Thailand. Thailand held a general election on May 14th. The Move Forward Party received the majority share of the vote at 38%, yet ended up excluded from the eventual ruling coalition, led by Pheu Thai, which received 29% of the vote. After a long series of political negotiations, Pheu Thai’s candidate for PM, Srettha Thavisin was elected Prime Minister on 22nd August. 87,114 refugees remain in nine camps in Thailand, representing a 7.5% increase for the sixmonth period. In these camps the COVID-19 vaccination programme continued and by the end of June 57% of refugees over 18 years of age had received at least one dose, with 50% of refugees being fully vaccinated. By end June there were 7,434 cumulative cases of COVID19 among encamped refugees, with 43 deaths from Coronavirus-related illness..."
Source/publisher: The Border Consortium (Thailand)
2023-10-05
Date of entry/update: 2023-10-05
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Description: "OVERVIEW In Myanmar, the situation has continued to deteriorate since February 2021. Over 1.9 million people remain displaced with 47 Townships in the North-West and the South-East still under martial law. Armed clashes, airstrikes, indiscriminate shelling, arson and destruction of civilian property and infrastructure are driving displacement and placing civilians at risk. In the South-East, some 80,000 people have been displaced by heavy monsoon rains and subsequent flooding, according to the latest estimates. Locations across the region have experienced temporary road disruptions due to rising water levels, hampering opportunities to deliver assistance. In Rakhine State, the unofficial ceasefire is fragile with reported increases in restrictions on the freedom of movement in specific townships as well as growing number of security checkpoints. Humanitarian access remains unpredictable, leaving displaced people – including cyclone-affected communities – with extremely limited access to basic needs and life-saving assistance. In Thailand, according to the Royal Thai Government, 9,418 refugees were sheltered in five Temporary Safety Areas (TSAs) across three districts (4,695 in Mae Sariang District, 832 in Khun Yuam District and 3,891 in Mueang District) in Mae Hong Son Province by end-August. Humanitarian access to the TSAs is still limited with UNHCR only being granted access twice to undertake protection assessments. However, in some instances, UNHCR and partners were able to directly distribute Core Relief Items (CRIs) to refugee committees in the TSAs or via the District Office. In India, 150 new arrivals fled from Myanmar’s North-West region to India in August 2023, according to estimates by community-based organizations (CBOs). The total number of arrivals from Myanmar to India follow-ing the events of 1 February 2021 is currently estimated at 54,960. As of 28 August, 5,466 individuals have approached UNHCR in New Delhi for registration since February 2021. Over 450 individuals reportedly returned to Myanmar from Manipur and Mizoram in August and fewer arrivals from Myanmar are expected due to the dynamic situation in Manipur. Food for new arrivals and host communities remains a major gap and the capacity of CBOs and the host community to address this is over-stretched. In remote locations where access to health-care is limited, CBOs are providing mobile healthcare facilities..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
2023-10-04
Date of entry/update: 2023-10-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "HIGHLIGHTS & KEY MESSAGES Ongoing conflict and monsoon floods continue to cause new displacement, civilian casualties, and destruction of civilian properties, further worsening the already dire humanitarian situation in Myanmar. Nearly two million people are now internally displaced in precarious conditions and require lifesaving assistance. The threat to civilians from explosive ordnance is spreading with new data showing that for the first time, landmine casualties have now been recorded in every state and region, except Nay Pyi Taw. Local and international humanitarian partners continue to scale up and adapt in response to the deepening needs, reaching at least 1.8 million people during the first half of 2023. Access and administrative restrictions are causing prolonged delays or postponements of scheduled relief efforts, further compounding the suffering of affected and displaced communities. To date, the combined US$887 million Humanitarian Response Plan and Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeals remain critically underfunded, with only 28 per cent of the required funding received. Provision of additional financial support and easing of access restrictions are imperative for the humanitarian community to address urgent needs. SITUATION OVERVIEW Nine months into 2023, humanitarian needs and protection risks have intensified throughout the country, driven by persistent conflict that has led to unprecedented levels of displacement, extensive property damage, and the expanding presence of landmines, particularly in the Northwest and Southeast. The United Nations Development Programme’s Myanmar Information Management Unit (MIMU), in collaboration with the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), has produced its annual map for 2023 of townships with suspected contamination by anti-personnel landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW). Since 2021, for the first time, contamination by anti-personnel landmines has been reported in all states and regions except Nay Pyi Taw. Now, the latest data reveals that casualties due to landmines have occurred in every state and region of Myanmar, except Nay Pyi Taw and Yangon. Nearly two million people remain internally displaced across the country – many of them multiple times. They face increase risks from explosive ordnance while they are on the move or staying in unfamiliar areas. In addition, more than 63,000 people remain displaced across borders into neighbouring countries since the 2021 military takeover. Humanitarian partners are increasingly concerned about the SAC’s gradual implementation of the national IDP camp closure policy with many people being pushed to return to their places of origin or other locations even where this is against their wishes and is premature given the current security conditions. During the reporting period, approximately 100 out of 500 displaced families living in sites slated for camp closure in Kyauktaw township in Rakhine in 2023, had to return to their places of origin. The remaining IDPs face pressure to return by the end of the rainy season. Displaced families who were moved from the Kyauk Ta Lone IDP camp in Kyaukpyu township to a nearby relocation site, have been facing persistent flooding issues. In total, more than 50,000 IDPs nationwide are estimated to be at risk of premature return in 2023, particularly in Rakhine, Chin and Shan. They face potential protection concerns, lack of livelihood opportunities, absence of social services, and inadequate shelter in villages affected by conflict. Many IDPs are expressing fears about safety in their home villages in conflict areas where there is often ongoing fighting and significant explosive ordnance contamination. Sustained access to those who have been prematurely returned, reclassified or relocated by the State Administration Council under this policy remains crucial so that conditions and needs can be monitored, and assistance is not interrupted. Humanitarians continue to stress that any return, relocation, or reclassification of IDPs from displacement camps and sites must be safe, voluntary, informed and dignified, taking into account the wishes of affected people and the prospects for sustainable solutions that allow them to resume their normal lives. Severe monsoon weather conditions also persist, triggering floods in multiple areas, mostly in the Northwest and Southeast, resulting in the destruction of civilian infrastructure, displacement and new humanitarian needs. Thousands of people sought refuge in evacuation centres or safer areas on higher ground in August, with most of them returning to their homes in September. Nevertheless, many remain in need of support as they have lost their homes and belongings due to flooding. Local and international partners have extended immediate assistance wherever access is possible. Suffering is being exacerbated by significant access constraints, despite sporadic openings in some areas in recent months. Administrative and physical access limitations have intensified in the Southeast and Kachin, curtailing people's ability to access critical services and impeding the distribution of aid to affected communities. In the face of these formidable challenges, at least 1.8 million people received humanitarian assistance in the first half of the year2. However, the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) and Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeal remain severely underfunded, with only a fraction (27 per cent) of the total requirement secured. This shortfall jeopardizes comprehensive assistance delivery and negatively impacts vulnerable communities. Urgent and substantial funding is essential to alleviate suffering and enhance the resilience of the affected communities amid this multifaceted crisis..."
Source/publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-10-02
Date of entry/update: 2023-10-02
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Description: "At least 268 attacks on Myanmar's health care system have been documented by Insecurity Insight between 01 January-04 September 2023. In these incidents, 27 health workers have been killed and health facilities have been damaged 82 times. Most incidents have been attributed to the Myanmar military. Explosive weapons including air and drone strikes, IEDs, and mortar shells have been used in over 60 incidents. These attacks undermine health care providers’ ability to effectively meet patient needs, maintain safe staffing levels and impact the population’s access to health care. Explore this interactive map to see where incidents happened. Access the data on HDX..."
Source/publisher: Insecurity Insight (Geneva) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-09-26
Date of entry/update: 2023-09-26
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Description: "In Rakhine State, 51,590 individuals have been displaced across 10 townships due to the ongoing AA-Tatmadaw conflict. Additionally, 4,472 individuals have been displaced in Paletwa township in Chin State, bringing the total number of displaced persons to 56,062. As of August 2023, a further 4,174 individuals newly displaced remain in Mrauk-U, Kyautaw, Sittwe, Myebon, Minbya, Rathedaung, Buthidaung, and Ponnagyun townships. In collaboration with partners and other UN agencies, UNHCR is responding to the humanitarian needs and continues to provide assistance to affected communities. Since January 2023, UNHCR provided core relief items, emergency shelter support, dignity kits and cloth masks to some 44,917 individuals in Mrauk-U, Kyauktaw, Ponnagyun, Myebon, Sittwe, Pauktaw, Paletwa, Buthidaung and Rathedaung townships..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
2023-09-15
Date of entry/update: 2023-09-20
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Description: "Documented incidents 23 August 2023: In Aungmyaythazan town, Mandalay city and region, an Optometrist, his wife, and son were arrested by junta security forces and authorities from their home, and their optometry clinic and house sealed/confiscated. They were charged with anti-terrorism laws. Sources: Chindwin News Agency, Delta News Agency, Eleven Media Group and Radio Free Asia As reported on 23 August 2023: In Yangon city, district and region, a military doctor was given a death sentence by the Military Court of Myanmar. He was arrested in May 2023 for sharing political posts on his social media and charged with the Defence Act Section 32. Sources: Ayeyarwaddy Times, Democratic Voice of Burma and Myaelatt Athan 24 August 2023: In Ther Thaw Mu – Ther Thaw Kwar village, Kyaukkyi township, Nyaunglebin district, Bago region, a clinic was damaged by bombs dropped from the Myanmar military jet fighters. Sources: Karen Information Centre and Mizzima As reported on 24 August 2023: INGO funding to four private clinics providing free-of-charge cleft-lip/ cleft-palate repair surgery was confiscated by the junta. Source: Khit Thit Media 24 August 2023: In Dauk Yat village and village tract, Bilin township, Kyaikto district, Mon state, a non-functioning hospital occupied by the Myanmar military was attacked by the KNLA and local resistance forces, killing and injuring Myanmar military soldiers. Sources: Burma Human Rights Network, Delta News Agency and Karen Information Centre 28 August 2023: In Kanpetlet township, Mindat district, Chin state, 60 health workers were blacklisted by the local government bodies since they were not affiliated with CDM. Sources: Khonumthung Burmese, Mizzima and Myanmar Pressphoto Agency 29 August 2023: In Zee Taw village and village tract, Shwebo township and district, Sagaing region, a health centre occupied by the local resistance forces was raided by the Myanmar military who seized improvised firearm and explosive devices, local resistance force uniforms, medicines, and vehicles. Sources: Myaelatt Athan and Telegram 29 August 2023: In Zee Taw village and village tract, Shwebo township and district, Sagaing region, an improvised explosive device was detonated at a health centre by the local resistance forces when the Myanmar military entered the facility. Source: Myaelatt Athan As reported on 29 August 2023: In Tachileik town, township, and district, Shan state, a doctor was arrested by the junta police force while on her way to Thailand. She was affiliated with the CDM and reportedly did not have official documents for international travel. Source: Telegram..."
Source/publisher: Insecurity Insight (Geneva) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-09-13
Date of entry/update: 2023-09-13
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Description: "This regular update, covering humanitarian developments up to 25 August, is produced by OCHA Myanmar in collaboration with the Inter-Cluster Coordination Group and UN agencies. Response figures are based on self-reporting by organizations to clusters. The next humanitarian update will be issued in September 2023. HIGHLIGHTS & KEY MESSAGES Ongoing conflict and natural disasters have resulted in new displacement, civilian casualties, and destruction of civilian properties, intensifying the already fragile humanitarian situation in Myanmar. More than 1.9 million people are now internally displaced in precarious conditions and requiring lifesaving assistance. Heavy monsoon rainfall has triggered flooding in Rakhine and in the Southeast where more than 80,000 people have been affected since early August. Transportation and distribution plans for the cyclone response in Rakhine have been approved and some relief items have been distributed. However, the overall humanitarian needs of cyclone-affected communities remain high and more assistance is still needed. Humanitarian access restrictions have increased, notably in the Southeast and Kachin, further hindering timely and efficient aid delivery to affected and displaced communities. Easing of access restrictions and provision of financial support are imperative for the humanitarian community to address urgent needs. Eight months into 2023, the combined US$887 million Humanitarian Response Plan and Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeals remain critically underfunded, with only 25 per cent of the required funding received. The Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, visited Myanmar from 14 to 17 August to raise awareness of the situation in Myanmar and advocate for both expanded space for humanitarian operations and the removal of bureaucratic obstacles. KEY FIGURES 1.9M total people currently internally displaced across Myanmar 1.6M people currently displaced by clashes and insecurity since February 2021 306K people who remain internally displaced due to conflict prior to February 2021, mainly in Rakhine, Kachin, Chin, and Shan 75K civilian properties estimated burnt or destroyed since February 2021 SITUATION OVERVIEW Natural disasters have continued to impact Myanmar adding another challenge on top of active conflict, leading to an increase in displacement and additional hardship for affected people. Simultaneously, bureaucratic, and physical barriers continue to hinder humanitarian partners' access to those in need, often posing safety and security risks for frontline aid workers. In Rakhine, regular humanitarian programming continues but the specific humanitarian cyclone response remains limited in scope. In August, the de facto authorities approved the transportation and distribution plans for cyclone-related assistance to Rakhine that UN agencies and INGOs re-submitted in early July for a second time. Initial distributions of existing relief items in Sittwe to cyclone-affected communities have been approved and food has been distributed to 12 villages during the reporting period with more expected to follow. As part of ongoing advocacy at all levels for greater humanitarian access in conflict-affected areas, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mr. Martin Griffiths, visited Myanmar from 14 to 17 August and met with various stakeholders in Nay Pyi Taw. During his mission, he also visited Rakhine and met with Rakhine and Rohingya communities affected by both conflict and disaster, emphasizing the importance of placing people at the center of humanitarian action and urging the removal of all access restrictions for humanitarian partners. Despite the ongoing operational challenges and financial limitations, Myanmar's humanitarian community remains steadfast in its commitment to stay and deliver aid based on need. The 2023 Mid-Year HRP Dashboard (Jan-Jun 2023) highlights that more than 1.8 million people have been reached with humanitarian assistance in the first half of the year. However, the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) and Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeal remain severely underfunded at only 25 percent of the total requirement, undermining the provision of comprehensive assistance and adversely impacting vulnerable communities. Urgent and more generous funding is pivotal to alleviate suffering and enhance resilience of the people in the face of this multidimensional crisis..."
Source/publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-09-08
Date of entry/update: 2023-09-08
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Description: "Salesians adapt to provide medication and support where needed (MissionNewswire) People in Salesian communities and people who are internally displaced in Myanmar* received medication and other health support thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. While initially wanting to set up a clinic, Salesians had to shift how they provided health services in a country that has been experiencing political turmoil since a military coup in February 2021. Doctors were unable to come to a Salesian clinic and the need was far reaching outside of Salesian communities. As a result, Salesians used donor funding to send medicines to people most in need. If medicine couldn't reach them, Salesians sent funding so that items could be purchased locally to address the overwhelming need. Father Khun Myat Victor, provincial economer in Myanmar, said, "I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for the financial support donors have provided for the poor people who are staying in our communities and in refugee camps in different parts of our country. With their generous support, we provided health support for 500 people." The military takeover of the democratically elected National League For Democracy Government has unleashed an unprecedented political, socioeconomic, and humanitarian crisis on top of the continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, sending the country into a dangerous spiral of conflict and poverty, according to the United Nations. There has been significant displacement, human suffering, asset depletion, rising food insecurity and reversal of many of the development gains made in recent years. Nearly 50% of the population is estimated to be living in poverty. Salesian missionaries are responding to the needs of children, youth and their families who are in crisis. Not only do programs address desperate poverty, but they also serve people whose lives have recently been impacted by natural disasters and a refugee emergency..."
Source/publisher: Salesian Missions
2023-09-05
Date of entry/update: 2023-09-05
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Description: "OVERVIEW The humanitarian crisis in Myanmar deteriorated significantly throughout the first half of 2023. Escalating clashes and attacks have had dire consequences for millions of civilians who are enduring widespread insecurity and aerial bombardment, mass displacement, and limited access to critical services, including health. In May, the situation was further exacerbated by extremely severe cyclone Mocha, the worst natural disaster in Myanmar in over a decade. The cyclone devastated communities across Rakhine, the Northwest and Kachin with thousands of homes, productive assets, vast swathes of farmland, and critical infrastructure such as hospitals and schools destroyed or severely damaged. Cyclone Mocha rolled back some limited gains of recent years especially around agriculture and livelihoods, and added an additional 500,000 people to the humanitarian target for 2023 (now 5 million people). The first half of 2023 also saw surging inflation nationwide that further disrupted livelihood activities and depleted coping capacity, leaving more people than ever needing humanitarian assistance. Between January and June 2023 alone, the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) climbed to nearly 1.9 million (as of end of June) up from just over 1.5 million in late December 2022, increasing needs and further stretching already lean humanitarian resources. The spike in displacement aligns with a surge in conflict during the first half of the year, with the Northwest and Southeast being most affected. Humanitarian operations and personnel were also targeted or heavily affected by conflict, bureaucratic impediments and restrictions. Between January and June, humanitarian organizations reported about 630 access incidents across the country (60 per cent of which occurred in Q2), impeding the delivery of vital assistance and services to affected people particularly in Rakhine, the Northwest and Southeast regions. Despite multiple challenges in the operating context and severe underfunding, humanitarian partners have continued to rapidly scale up in response to the deepening needs, reaching at least 1.8 million people during the first half of 2023. This represents 36 per cent of the 5 million people targeted for assistance through the combined 2023 HRP and Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeal. However, this assistance is not as deep, sustained, or multi-sectoral as planned due to access blockages and this is a major impediment to addressing needs. The Food Security Cluster accounts for the highest proportion of the reported mid-year result (about 1.2 million) followed by the Protection (more than 929,000) and WASH Clusters (around 637,000). These figures are based on self-reporting by partners and the number of operational partners, particularly local organizations who are reporting, has now jumped to 208 (up from 156 in Q1). Despite this improvement, some response efforts are still likely to be missed in these calculations. The coverage of the response reflects the prioritization of the most vulnerable groups, particularly IDPs and ‘non-displaced stateless people’, with partners collectively reaching 42 per cent of the targets for these population groups. The reach for the ‘other crisis-affected people’ and ‘returned, resettled, and locally integrated IDPs’ is much lower at 33 per cent and 10 per cent respectively. Despite the multiple constraints and impediments, partners have prioritized and marginally scaled up responses across some of the areas of highest needs in Rakhine, the Southeast (Kayah, Kayin), and the Northwest (Chin, Magway, Sagaing), and northern Shan during the first half of the year. The 2023 HRP remains drastically underfunded, with only 20 per cent of the requirements received by the end of June, according to FTS (22 per cent funded as of August). This dire funding situation is despite the deepening needs, the surge in displacement, cyclone Mocha impacts, and soaring inflation that have further stretched the grossly insufficient resources across clusters. Heading into the second half of the year, partners will be forced to further reduce coverage and packages of assistance if immediate and sufficient funding is not received, leaving large numbers of vulnerable households without the critical services and support they need to survive..."
Source/publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-08-31
Date of entry/update: 2023-08-31
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Description: "Seventy-eighth session Item 73 (c) of the provisional agenda* Promotion and protection of human rights: human rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs and representatives Summary The present report is submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 77/227 and covers the period from 15 August 2022 to 14 August 2023. In addition to the human rights situation of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities, the report focuses on the continued deterioration of the political, humanitarian and security situation in Myanmar following the military takeover in February 2021, including further restrictions of human rights and the worsening of socioeconomic conditions. There is an urgent need for safe, full and unhindered humanitarian access to vulnerable communities in line with international principles. That urgency has been compounded by the devastation caused by Cyclone Mocha in May 2023. The report highlights the continued brutal repression by the military. Thousands have been killed since February 2021, including children, with reports of increased sexual and gender-based violence committed by the military while civic space continues to shrink. The multifaceted crisis in Myanmar continues to yield serious regional implications, including displacement and the proliferation of illicit activities. Since February 2021, more than 64,000 people have fled and remain outside of Myanmar. More than 1.6 million people have been internally displaced. Rohingya people remained displaced domestically and abroad, including nearly 1 million Rohingya in Bangladesh. While peaceful opposition to the military persisted, armed resistance expanded, adding to an already precarious situation. There has been no meaningful action by the military to address the root causes that led to the forced displacement of the Rohingya population. The United Nations will continue to stand in solidarity with the people of Myanmar and to support their democratic aspirations for an inclusive, peaceful and just society and the protection of all communities, including the Rohingya. As part of this effort, the Organization will seek to further strengthen cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations towards de-escalating the violence and reaching a sustainable political solution in line with relevant General Assembly resolutions and Security Council resolution 2669 (2022). I. Introduction 1. The present report is submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 77/227, in which the Assembly requested the Secretary-General to continue to provide his good offices and pursue discussions relating to Myanmar, involving all relevant stakeholders, and to offer assistance to Myanmar, and to submit a report to the General Assembly on all relevant issues addressed in the resolution at its seventy-eighth session. The present report covers the period from 15 August 2022 to 14 August 2023. 2. During the reporting period, the political, security, humanitarian and human rights situation in Myanmar deteriorated further, and socioeconomic conditions worsened, affecting regional stability, in particular in terms of increased illicit activities. Armed conflict and violence continued to intensify, displacing communities across Myanmar, with many seeking asylum across borders. The devastation caused by Cyclone Mocha in May 2023 and access constraints compounded multiple vulnerabilities in conflict-affected areas. 3. Myanmar remains extremely vulnerable to natural disasters, including cyclones, flooding, extreme temperatures and droughts, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable. The collapse of many rule of law and regulatory safeguards since the military takeover has also resulted in the illegal exploitation of natural resources. 4. The Secretary-General and his Special Envoy continued to condemn all forms of violence and reiterated calls for the military to respect the will of the people, to refrain from repression and to act in the greater interest of peace and stability in Myanmar and the region. In a statement ahead of 1 February 2023, which marked two years since the military takeover, the Secretary-General expressed his ongoing solidarity with the people of Myanmar in support of their democratic aspirations for an inclusive, peaceful and just society and the protection of all communities, including the Rohingya. He called for the release of all those arbitrarily detained, including President Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. 5. The Secretary-General has called for neighbouring countries and other Member States to leverage their influence over the military leadership. The Secretary-General drew global attention to Myanmar as the multifaceted crisis continued to unfold, including through his strong condemnation of large-scale aerial attacks by the military and his expression of deep concern about the ongoing political repression. 6. On 21 December 2022, the Security Council adopted resolution 2669 (2022), in which it demanded an immediate end to all forms of violence throughout the country and urged restraint and de-escalation of tensions, while acknowledging the central role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including its five -point consensus on Myanmar. The Council further urged the military to immediately release all arbitrarily detained prisoners, including President Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, and reiterated its call to uphold democratic institutions and processes and to pursue constructive dialogue and reconciliation in accordance with the will and interests of the people of Myanmar. The Council also requested the Secretary-General, in coordination with the ASEAN Special Envoy, to report orally to the Council by 15 March 2023. The Council convened a private meeting on 13 March 2023 and heard briefings from the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, in her capacity as the representative of the ASEAN Chair, and from the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General. The Council also met twice in closed consultations to consider the situation in Myanmar during the reporting period. 8. On 15 December 2022, the annual General Assembly adopted by consensus resolution 77/227 on the situation of human rights of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar. 9. The Special Envoy briefed the General Assembly on 25 October 2022 and 16 March 2023, and called for regional unity and international coherence in support of a process led by Myanmar to end the violence and return to the path of democracy. The Special Envoy also emphasized the need for the delivery of humanitarian assistance through all available channels and the protection of civilians. 10. The Special Envoy visited Myanmar from 16 to 18 August 2022 and met with the Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar armed forces, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, to press for full and unimpeded humanitarian access and stress that progress depended on an end to the violence and visible and significant improvements in the lives of the people of Myanmar. Following the execution of pro-democracy activists in late July 2022, which the Secretary-General strongly condemned, the Special Envoy urged the Senior General to impose a moratorium on executions. She also reiterated the call of the Secretary-General for the release of all political prisoners. The Special Envoy further highlighted the responsibility of Myanmar to create conditions conducive to the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return of refugees. Her visit was preceded by consultations with a range of stakeholders, including the National Unity Government and key ethnic armed organizations. 11. The Special Envoy visited Bangladesh from 22 to 26 August 2022 to engage with refugees in Cox’s Bazar and highlight the need for greater responsibility-sharing, while recognizing the continued generosity of that country. On 21 and 22 February 2023, the Special Envoy visited Saudi Arabia to discuss potential cooperation with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on educational opportunities for Rohingya refugees. The Special Envoy also visited Indonesia from 4 to 6 April to strengthen cooperation with the ASEAN Chair and the ASEAN Special Envoy on Myanmar. She visited China and India from 1 to 3 May and on 9 and 10 May, respectively, to call for strengthened regional unity to respond to the crisis in Myanmar. 12. The Secretary-General and his Special Envoy repeatedly cautioned against proceeding with any electoral process without a genuine, inclusive political dial ogue and conditions that permitted citizens to freely exercise their political rights without fear or intimidation, as this risked further exacerbating violence and instability. 13. On 11 November 2022, ASEAN leaders attending the fortieth and forty-first ASEAN Summits reaffirmed the need to implement the five-point consensus “in its entirety” and requested ASEAN foreign ministers to develop “an implementation plan that outlines concrete, practical and measurable indicators with a specific timeline”. In his address to ASEAN leaders, the Secretary-General reiterated his support for ASEAN playing a vital role in contributing to multilateral solutions to respond to the political, security, human rights and humanitarian situation in Myanmar. 14. ASEAN leaders met again from 9 to 11 May 2023 and, in a statement by the Chair, reiterated their “unified position” that the ASEAN five-point consensus remained their “main reference” in addressing developments in Myanmar, and supported the Chair’s continued engagement with all stakeholders in Myanmar to find a peaceful and durable solution. In a statement following their meeting of 11 and 12 July 2023, ASEAN foreign ministers “urged all parties involved to take concrete action to immediately halt indiscriminate violence, denounce any escalation, and create a conducive environment for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and inclusive national dialogue”. 15. The United Nations is committed to staying in Myanmar and addressing the multiple vulnerabilities arising from the actions of the military since February 2021. Humanitarian and community resilience needs increased significantly during the reporting period, while the United Nations and other operational partners faced greater constraints and risks in delivering assistance. Despite these factors, the United Nations continued to deliver support to the people of Myanmar and scaled up the response, reaching 4.4 million people in 2022 and a further 1.8 million people in the first six months of 2023. The State Administration Council continued to limit access to affected populations in many parts of the country, including in the wake of Cyclone Mocha, which caused significant damage in many parts of Myanmar. In May, unidentified assailants attacked an ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management convoy under military escort, underscoring the challenges in delivering assistance in a complex security environment. Since February 2021, the military has enacted numerous measures, including an extension of the state of emergency and the introduction of martial law in 47 townships as of the end of February 2023, alongside Internet shutdowns in over 20 townships, eroding civic space and restricting the exercise of human rights, such as the rights to freedom of opinion and expression and freedom of peaceful assembly and association. During the reporting period, the introduction of an organization registration law established new, cumbersome administrative steps to register and re-register civil society organizations and international non-governmental organizations, and imposed severe criminal penalties for non-compliance, including prison sentences. 16. Elections initiated by the State Administration Council appear unlikely to occur this year. The military had pledged elections as part of its five-point road map, but the efforts of the State Administration Council to consolidate control included revisions to the election law that led to the dissolution of some of the most popularly supported political parties, including the ousted National League for Democracy. The extension of the state of emergency, and the sustained offensive against the resistance, including ongoing aerial bombardment in civilian populated areas, continued to drive conflict and violence throughout the country. 17. The State Administration Council continued its engagement with select ethnic armed organizations signatory to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement, inviting their leaders to what it described as peace talks in Nay Pyi Taw. Key ethnic armed organizations, especially those engaged in active conflict, including several signatories to the Agreement, declined to participate. The State Administration Council has excluded key resistance movements, including the National Unity Government, as well as the National Unity Consultative Council and the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, foreclosing the opportunity for genuine and inclusive dialogue. The State Administration Council continues to designate the National Unity Government, the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, and the People’s Defence Forces as “terrorist organizations”. 18. Ethnic states in border areas, as well as central Myanmar regions, including Sagaing and Magway, remain among the most affected by armed conflict, refl ecting sustained opposition to the Myanmar military. Resistance forces, including selfdeclared People’s Defence Forces in these areas, have increased their collaboration with established ethnic armed organizations, and some of these forces have grown increasingly sophisticated, utilizing new technologies and accessing regional arms markets. Some resistance groups are also carrying out attacks on targets they perceive as pro-military as the State Administration Council continues to support and reportedly increasingly rely on militias that work alongside security forces. Such groups include the Pyu Saw Htee militia, which includes military veterans and supporters active in Sagaing and Magwe, as well as several other militias allegedly responsible for targeted killings, notably of civilians, elsewhere in the country. 19. Despite efforts by the Myanmar armed forces to assert control, popular support for the resistance persisted, which also affected key allies, including the Border Guard Forces. In June, armed personnel from the military-aligned Border Guard Forces in Kayah State broke ranks and fought alongside resistance forces against military targets. The defection, assessed by some as the first substantial defection from the Border Guard Forces since the military takeover, reflected the competing pressures faced by some allies of the Myanmar armed forces. 20. Throughout the reporting period, there continued to be credible reports of aerial bombardments, large-scale burning of villages, killings of civilians, and sexual and gender-based violence by the Myanmar armed forces. There were also reports of resistance groups using violence and committing human rights abuses. The Secretary - General has called on all sides to exercise maximum restraint and to desist from any form of violence and focus on reducing the suffering of the people as a prerequisite for sustainable peace. 21. Reflective of growing social cohesion across ethnic and political party lines, several key ethnic armed organizations, the National Unity Government and civil society organizations articulated several proposals aimed at fostering domestic political coherence and responding to the increasing humanitarian and protection needs of the most vulnerable communities, including by working with the Un ited Nations, ASEAN and neighbouring countries. 22. For example, National Unity Government and National Unity Consultative Council members, including representatives of women’s groups, labour groups and ethnic armed organizations, formed a joint coordination committee on humanitarian assistance to coordinate policy in relation to the delivery of aid to communities affected by human-made and natural disasters. The National Unity Government and several key ethnic armed organizations, including the Chin National Front, the Karen National Union and the Karenni National Progressive Party, conducted a joint humanitarian assessment of the most vulnerable areas of Myanmar and shared it with international actors. This group, together with humanitarian civil society organizations, continued to promote an inclusive humanitarian forum led by Myanmar aimed at addressing vulnerabilities through all channels, including credible, locally led organizations. 23. In Rakhine State, there was some incremental improvement in freedom of movement for the Rohingya owing to improved intercommunal relations in certain areas. However, no discernible efforts were noted on the part of the military to address the structural issues that impede the peace and prosperity of Rakhine State and that disproportionately affect Rohingya communities. 24. Civil and citizenship documentation remained inaccessible for the vast majority of the Rohingya owing to complicated and lengthy procedures, as well as prohibitive costs. Citizenship application remains contingent on possessing the National Verification Card or Identity Card for National Verification, which continue to designate Rohingya as “Bengali”. Rohingya communities continued to face significant challenges in registering the births of their children and updating household lists, which affects their freedom of movement, access to services, school enrolment and civil and other key documentation, including with regard to housing, land and property. 25. Cyclone Mocha caused significant damage in Rakhine State, with Rohingya in internally displaced persons camps among the worst affected. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimated that almost 5.4 million people were in the cyclone’s path in Rakhine and north-west Myanmar. In response, humanitarian partners issued a flash appeal to assist 1.6 million people in the affected areas, including 1.1 million already targeted as part of the Myanmar humanitarian response plan for 2023. The combined humanitarian response plan and flash appeal for 2023 would assist 5 million people and require $887 million. As at 14 August 2023, the combined response plan was only 25 per cent funded. 26. The retraction by the State Administration Council of initial approval for the cyclone-related distribution and transportation plans of the United Nations and the temporary suspension of travel authorizations for humanitarian organizations in Rakhine impeded the humanitarian response and compounded the already dire living conditions of the cyclone-affected population. Despite restrictions, humanitarians reached almost 607,000 people with food assistance in Rakhine, and more than 274,000 people with shelter support, while support was provided in other areas, including health care, nutrition, and short- and long-term recovery and communitybased resilience support. The Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator ad interim for Myanmar called on the State Administration Council to urgently reconsider its decision to deny access. 27. The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Myanmar, Noeleen Heyzer, concluded her assignment on 12 June 2023. The Secretary-General is thankful to Ms. Heyzer for her tireless efforts on behalf of peace and the people of Myanmar..."
Source/publisher: UN General Assembly
2023-08-14
Date of entry/update: 2023-08-31
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Description: "Documented incidents 11 August 2023: On the highway connecting Shwegyin town, near Puzun Myaung village, Swea Da Lwe village tract, Nyaunglebin township, Bago region, two ambulances were attacked with small firearms, injuring a male aid worker and damaging the roof and windows of one of the ambulances. The junta authorities accused an ethnic armed group and local resistance forces of the attack. Sources: Myaelat Athan, Popular News Journal and Telegram 12 August 2023: In Kanbalu town, township, and district, Sagaing region, a female midwife and four family members were stabbed and killed at their home by an unidentified armed group. The midwife was not affiliated with the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM). After being warned by the local resistance forces to be affiliated with CDM, she moved to the town. The junta authorities accused the local resistance forces of the attack. Sources: Delta News Agency, Mandalay Free Press and Popular News Journal 12 August 2023: On the highway connecting Falam town and Hakha town in Chin state, an ambulance leaving Falam town for Ramthlo village, Falam township was blocked by the Myanmar military while on its way to rescue seven civilians wounded in an air and ground attack of the village by the Myanmar military. Source: Chin Human Rights Organization 12 August 2023: At the military checkpoint in Dawei town, township, and district, the restrictions of transport of medicine and rice from Dawei town to the villages in the east of this town was reinforced with a warning that the people would be arrested and vehicles would be seized if they were found with medicine and rice cargoes. The restrictions have been in place since late 2021. Sources: Khit Thit Media and Tanintharyi Times 13 August 2023: In Tha Khut Ta Nei village and village tract, Budalin township, Monywa district, Sagaing region, a rural health centre, a monastery, market stalls, and civilian houses were torched in a two-day raid on the village by the Myanmar military. Sources: Mandalay Free Press, Myaelatt Athan and Myanmar Now 13 August 2023: In Pauk Kan village and village tract, Wetlet township, Shwebo district, Sagaing region, a rural health centre, a school, and civilian houses were attacked by the Myanmar military air force, injuring four civilians. The impact on the health facility and health workers was reported to be not known at the time of report. At the time of the attack the health facility was functioning with CDM-affiliated health workers. Sources: Kachin News Group, Khit Thit Media and Myaelatt Athan 14 August 2023: In Chanayethazan town and township, Mandalay city, district, and region, a CDM-affiliated obstetrician was arrested from her home by the junta authorities and security forces. Sources: Facebook, Irrawaddy and Telegram As reported on 15 August 2023: In Thin Gan Nyi Naung village and village tract, Myawaddy township and district, Kayin state, civilians were denied access to health care at a station hospital due to Border Guard Force and Myanmar military members receiving health care at the hospital and for the security reason of the junta forces. Source: Myanmar Pressphoto Agency 15 August 2023: On the highway connecting Monywa town and Mandalay town, near Myay Ne village and village tract, Monywa township and district, Sagaing region, a doctor, who was a political prisoner, was killed in a landmine attack on a convoy of five military trucks transferring prisoners from Monywa Prison to prisons in Myingyan town and Mandalay town. He was arrested on 24 September 2021 and sentenced to 11-year imprisonment for allegedly providing health care to civilians in areas affected by armed clashes, and for supporting local resistance forces. Sources: Mandalay Free Press and Radio Free Asia As reported on 16 August 2023: In Mese town, township, and district, Kayah state, a township hospital was damaged during armed clashes between the Myanmar military and a joint force of ethnic armed groups and local resistance forces that took place between 13 to 15 June 2023. The ceiling and window glasses were damaged and bullet holes on the walls of the hospital buildings. Artillery fire was used by both sides and airstrikes were conducted by the Myanmar military. Source: Myanmar Now 18 August 2023: In Nam Poke village and village tract, Mohnyin township and district, Kachin state, a female nurse and six civilians were injured during artillery shelling by the ethnic armed organisation Shan-Ni Army. Source: Mekong News 18 August 2023: In Mahaaungmyay town and township, Mandalay city, district, and region, the Mingalar Private Hospital was ordered to temporarily close for three months starting 25 August 2023. The junta’s order does not mention any reasons; however, the hospital employed two CDM-affiliated doctors arrested in February and August 2022. Sources: Delta News Agency, Mandalay Free Press and Radio Free Asia 19 August 2023: At the military checkpoint near Za Wea village and village tract, Tanintharyi township, Myeik district, Tanintharyi region, the Myanmar military blocked the transport of medicine, rice, and fuel from Myeik town to Tanintharyi town. Sources: Dawei Watch and Tanintharyi Times 20 August 2023: In Htee Paw So village and village tract, Hpruso township, Demoso district, Kayah state, a rural health centre was damaged during artillery shelling by the Myanmar military. Source: Kantarawaddy Times 21 August 2023: In Mindat town, township, and district, Chin state, a district hospital and three public schools were ordered to temporarily close down. The junta’s order does not mention any reasons; however, there were heightened clashes in the downtown area of Mindat town, and an ambulance owned by the hospital was seized from the hospital by the ethnic armed organisation Chin Defence Force on 20 August. At the time of the attack, the hospital was functioning, but only in a low profile. Before this attack, six health facilities with in-patient service, 40 health facilities with out-patient service, and 180 schools in this township were under the control of the ethnic armed organisation. Sources: Delta News Agency, Irrawaddy, The Mindat Post and Zalen 22 August 2023: In Myawaddy town, township, and district, Kayin state, a fully-functioning district hospital was damaged by a drone armed with explosives to drop two bombs. The roofs of mortuary and public latrines were damaged. The junta authorities accused the ethnic armed group Karen National Union and local resistance forces for the attack. Source: Telegram..."
Source/publisher: Insecurity Insight (Geneva) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-08-28
Date of entry/update: 2023-08-28
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Description: "Six years after an unprecedented exodus of Rohingya people from Myanmar to Bangladesh, medical needs in the world's largest refugee camp remain pressing and care increasingly inadequate. In a global context marked by multiple large-scale humanitarian crises, international funding allocated to the humanitarian response for these one million stateless people is under increased pressure year on year. A very worrying situation for these people, who rely almost entirely on humanitarian aid due to their lack of legal status, which prevents them from working legally to sustain themselves or their families. Despite being one of the largest healthcare providers in the camps, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has reached capacity in several areas, and we are now obliged to set stricter admission criteria to cope with the overwhelming medical needs of patients coming to our facilities. We are therefore calling on international donors to significantly scale up their financial contributions to provide adequate support and prevent further irreversible consequences on the physical and mental health of Rohingya people. Six years after the exodus In just a few weeks in August 2017, more than 700,000 men, women and children fled the mass violence perpetrated against them by the Myanmar military in Rakhine State in northwestern Myanmar. They found refuge in the hills of Cox's Bazar district in Bangladesh. The Bangladeshi people organised the reception of their neighbours, as they did on previous occasions. Six years later, what was a temporary solution to offer refuge to people escaping harrowing violence, has become a protracted crisis with no meaningful solution on the horizon. Although the camps now have better roads, more latrines and drinking water than at the initial peak of the emergency, people still live in overcrowded shelters, and the construction of permanent structures is not allowed. Fires have destroyed hundreds or thousands of shelters, presenting an ongoing, but preventable risk to the safety of people living in the camps. As the area is prone to natural disasters, shelters made of bamboo and plastic sheeting are often damaged and destroyed by strong winds, torrential rains and landslides. Added to this environment of extreme vulnerability is the impossibility of evacuating the camps to safer areas, as was the case during Cyclone Mocha in May this year. Most of our hospitals had to close for two days, their semi-permanent structures threatening to collapse. Less and less funds reach the world’s largest refugee camp For the time being, the return of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar remains a dream: they need guarantees of their rights, including recognition of their citizenship and a return to homes on their land. Time seems to stand still. Life in the camps feels like a never-ending day. Camps have been surrounded by fences and barbed wire since the outbreak of COVID-19. Rohingya people are not allowed to work or leave the camps. Access to food, water and healthcare for one million stateless people depends on international humanitarian aid. But aid is increasingly under-funded by international donors. Over the past two years, the commitment of UN member states to the humanitarian funding appeal has been dwindling: from around 70 per cent in 2021 to 60 per cent in 2022, and around 30 per cent so far in 2023. In March, the World Food Programme’s food rations were cut from the equivalent of US$12 per person per month to US$10, and then again to just US$8 in June. Our teams witness difficulties faced by health centres run by various organisations dependent on this funding for human resources, drug supplies and the ability to ensure patient follow-up. Regular maintenance of water and sanitation infrastructure is also a challenge, making hygiene conditions and access to drinking water problematic in many camps. Growing medical needs strain services Unsanitary living conditions complicate the health situation considerably, leading to various health issues. Last year, patients with dengue fever increased tenfold on the previous year, and at the start of 2023, we saw the highest weekly increase in patients with cholera since 2017. Forty per cent of people living in the camps suffer from scabies, according to the results of a long-awaited survey presented by the camps’ health sector coordination in May. This is well above the World Health Organisation’s recommended threshold of 10 per cent to start a mass drug administration for scabies outbreaks. This situation has put an increasing strain on MSF’s services over the past two years. Our teams have been treating the consequences of difficult living conditions since the influx six years ago: infectious diseases, respiratory, intestinal and skin infections. But over the years, we have also seen a growing need to treat long-term illnesses linked to a chronic lack of access to healthcare for the Rohingya in Myanmar, such as diabetes, hypertension, or hepatitis C. The number of patients arriving at the outpatient department of the ‘hospital on the hill’, built by MSF in the middle of the camps in 2017, increased by 50 per cent during 2022. This situation goes hand in hand with several health centres closing in the area in the past year due to a lack of funding and a rampant scabies epidemic. In this hospital as well as in our mother-and-child hospital in Goyalmara, we saw an unusually high rise of paediatric admissions from January to June 2023 compared to the same period last year. In July, while the annual peak season of medical needs was only just starting, our paediatric hospital admissions were at capacity. How will patients cope? MSF is not directly affected by the crisis in funding from international donors, but the capacity of our services to absorb the ever-increasing demand for care is reaching its own limits. The growing number of consultations inevitably puts pressure on our human resources, hospital bed management and drug supplies. As long as the Rohingya in Bangladesh are contained to camps and trapped in a cycle of dependency on humanitarian aid, it is imperative that international donors significantly scale up their financial contributions to provide adequate support and prevent further irreversible consequences on their physical and mental health..."
Source/publisher: Médecins Sans Frontières
2023-08-23
Date of entry/update: 2023-08-23
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "In Rakhine State, Myanmar, the productive fields are left unharvested. Normally teeming with agricultural workers—the majority of whom are women and girls from the local villages—the fertile landscape has become another deadly battlefield. Landmines, planted after the military coup in 2021, are causing soaring numbers of civilian casualties. Women and girls who dare to venture into rural fields alone, also face threats of sexual violence. A UN Women survey of 2,200 women in Myanmar found that half of them were afraid to leave their immediate neighbourhoods. In Rakhine and Kachin States, the risks of violence are associated with shrinking mobility of women and girls. But staying at home has its own challenges. Rates of gender-based violence (GBV) are growing in households, as tensions rise over severe hunger and poverty. “There are no opportunities and no income, so the women and girls are beaten,” says Win*, a representative of a local women’s organization in Myanmar. The lifeline: Only local partners can reach women and girls impacted by GBV At a time when women and girls desperately need humanitarian support, external borders have been closed to international humanitarian workers. Instead, it is local women-led and women’s rights organizations and other local actors that have stepped up to shoulder the delivery of critical services to crisis-affected communities, often at great personal risk. Since 2021, UN Women has supported 91 local women’s organizations in Myanmar through training on leadership, representation, advocacy skills, and awareness raising on humanitarian decision-making mechanisms and processes, contributing to increased access to tools and resources available in humanitarian planning and response processes and mechanisms. The work has been carried out in partnership with UNFPA, through a grant from the Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF). More than 30 per cent of that funding has directly supported local women-led and women’s rights organizations. Without them, says Rowena Dacsig, programme specialist for UN Women Myanmar, women and girls in Myanmar would be missing their last remaining lifeline. Beyond the military checkpoints of Kachin and Rakhine States, local women-led and women’s rights organizations have delivered critical services to women and girls who have experienced or are at risk of GBV, such as psychosocial counselling and humanitarian items like dignity kits, which include basic sanitary and hygiene supplies. Local organizations have also been supported by UN Women to provide livelihood services, including financial skills development training and agricultural activities to 4,094 GBV survivors and women at risk, many of whom are now responsible for household income and earnings as husbands and sons are recruited by armed groups. “Only those organizations which have local partners can carry on with their work”, says Dacsig. “Otherwise, the services to survivors and those at risk of GBV, including in internally displaced persons camps, would have ceased completely. Without these local partners, we’d be totally blind to the needs of women and girls in Myanmar because little to no information is coming out of these communities.” In return, she adds, UN Women and UNFPA have also supported local women’s organizations through trainings on topics such as protection against sexual abuse and exploitation, upholding accountability within affected populations, and conducting risk assessments and gender analysis to inform delivery of critical services, for example, in relation to protection and livelihoods. * Name has been changed to protect the privacy of the individual. About the CERF Global Grant for Gender-based Violence Prevention and Response The Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) is a United Nations emergency facility established in 2005 to enable humanitarian responders to deliver life-saving assistance whenever and wherever crises strike. In 2021, UN Women and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) were allocated USD 25 million by the CERF Global Grant to strengthen the response to and prevention of gender-based violence in emergencies..."
Source/publisher: UN Women (New York)
2023-08-16
Date of entry/update: 2023-08-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Documented incidents 25 July 2023: In Myawaddy town, township and district, Kayin state, the house of a doctor was sealed and confiscated by the junta authorities. By the time of this attack, the doctor was not at his home after he went into hiding after being charged with the Counter-Terrorism Law. Source: Eleven Media Group 27 July 2023: In Wi Yaw village and village tract, Thaton township and district, Mon state, a sub-rural health centre, along with two monasteries, 13 civilian houses, and two vehicles were damaged due to the artillery shelling by the Myanmar military. Sources: Khit Thit Media and Irrawaddy Burmese As reported on 01 August 2023: In Kyet Su Kyin village and village tract, Yesagyo township, Pakokku district, Magway region, a doctor left the station hospital due to having frequently been questioned by the junta security forces, about whether he had provided health care to the local resistance forces. He was not affiliated with the Civil Disobedience Movement. Source: Radio Free Asia 02 August 2023: In Hpakant town and township, Mohnyin district, Kachin state, a 42-year-old medical doctor was arrested by the junta security sources from his private general practitioner clinic. He was accused of having employed a doctor affiliated with the CDM at his clinic, having promoted the CDM, and having provided health care to injured protestors in 2021. He was charged with Section 505 (A). He was not affiliated with CDM. Sources: Democratic Voice of Burma, Chindwin News Agency, Kachin News Group and Kachin News Group II 04 August 2023: In Dawei town, township, and district, Tanintharyi region, four civilians (two females and two males) were abducted by the junta security sources at the military hospital while they were seeking health care at the facility. The two men were detained at the local battalion of the Myanmar military, and the two women were at the local police station. Source: Delta News Agency 06 August 2023: In Mahaaungmyay town and township, Mandalay city, district, and region, the junta security forces and militia took away the materials from a private clinic which had been sealed and confiscated in April 2022. Source: Mandalay Free Press..."
Source/publisher: Insecurity Insight (Geneva) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-08-15
Date of entry/update: 2023-08-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Being separated from your loved ones is a heavy burden to bear and many detainees deal with this every day. Often, the hope of being reunited with their families one day helps them cope with their tough circumstances. But upon release, many of them find their journey back home difficult because of high transport costs and unstable security conditions in some areas. Through the Safe Return Home programme, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Myanmar supports released detainees to reach home in a safe and dignified way. Our teams meet with the released detainees and provide them with money for transport, allowance for food and temporary accommodation besides necessary information. Between January and June 2023, we supported 1,487 people after their release from detention, helping them to reunite with their families. It is a small but significant support for those who are re-entering society. "After being released from detention in Malaysia, we were sent back to Myanmar. We quarantined for seven days in Yangon before returning home to our villages by buses, motorbikes and boats," says U Thein*, who received support from the ICRC. A new chapter Being able to embrace their loved ones is often the first step towards a new start for those who are released. "This is a new beginning in many ways," says Ko Min*, as he looks forward to returning to his village in Rakhine State. Ko Min plans to rebuild his home and support his community when he gets back. He shares that his village was severely affected when Cyclone Mocha hit Myanmar in early May 2023. "Some people in my community were farmers, some were daily wageworkers, and some were fishermen. The cyclone destroyed all our means of earning livelihoods. I am just thankful that my family is safe even though it has been a very difficult time," he says. Despite the continued suspension of visits to prisons, the ICRC in Myanmar provides some support to inmates and their families through services such as helping families clarify the whereabouts of missing relatives when they are believed to be detained, helping families travel to prisons and safely deliver parcels to their loved ones and helping released detainees return home safely..."
Source/publisher: International Committee of the Red Cross (Geneva)
2023-08--15
Date of entry/update: 2023-08-15
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Description: "HIGHLIGHTS According to the UN, an estimated 1,927,200 internally displaced people (IDPs) were reported across the country, including 1,599,200 displaced after 1 February 2021. In the North-West, displacements continued following frequent airstrikes and arson attacks. Some 48,000 cyclone-affected people still require humanitarian assistance with urgent repairs needed on over 9,000 damaged or destroyed shelters. In Chin, Magway and Sagaing, humanitarian access became increasingly difficult due to the escalating conflict. In Rakhine and Chin (South) States, 150,000 shelters remained in poor condition in Rakhine State after Cyclone Mocha. Explosive remnants of war and debris as well as saltwater contamination and poor drainage and sanitation are immediate challenges that have elevated the risk of malaria and waterborne illnesses such as dengue and acute watery diarrhea in several Townships. In Kachin and Shan (North), persistent clashes saw many people flee their homes in search of safety within Kayah State or across the Thai border, leaving many at heightened risk of indiscriminate attacks and shelling, arbitrary arrest and abduction. Access to basic services, including healthcare and education, was extremely limited for new IDPs. Food security was another significant concern with access to livelihood areas reduced due to movement restrictions imposed by armed actors, concerns that farmland had been contaminated with unexploded ordnance as well as fears of forced recruitment. In the South-East, clashes, airstrikes and indiscriminate and targeted shelling were reported in Kayah, Kayin, Mon and Shan (South) States and Bago (East) and Tanintharyi Regions. The destruction of civilian infrastructure in villages and IDP sites, including homes, hospitals, schools, and places of worship, continued to be pervasive. The alleged use of civilians as human shields in Kayin and Mon States and Tanintharyi Region have also been reported..."
Source/publisher: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva) via Reliefweb (New York)
2023-08-09
Date of entry/update: 2023-08-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "This document presents the situation of the population in Pauktaw Internally Displaced People (IDP) camps and SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL’s intervention to ensure continuous access to water during the water scarcity period. SI started operating in Rakhine State during the emergency phase following cyclone Giri in 2010. It then responded to the humanitarian crisis resulting from the two waves of inter-communal violence in 2012. Since February 2013, SI has been working in Pauktaw IDP camps (ANYC, NC1, NC2, KNP) and village (ANYV) hosting Rohingyas, providing Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services. In the camps, people are exposed to harsh climate and very poor land with limited access to water, which greatly reduces their access to livelihoods and prevents them from meeting their basic needs. Due to geographical, hydrogeological, and climatic parameters, 25,812 Rohingya displaced in Pauktaw township suffer from annual potable water scarcity. The water shortage occurs during the dry season from midApril to early rainy season in June. They are located in low coastal plains on islets surrounded by brackish and salt water, and thus highly exposed to floods and cyclones. In addition, its hydrogeological characteristics led to groundwater depletion and saltwater intrusion in several areas. During the dry season, potable water is also not available. Although climate change could increase rainfall, it will become less predictable. The main areas’ water source is rainwater collected in ponds, with an average rainfall of 4.5 metres per year. The seepage and evaporation lead to the loss of two-thirds of the water collected, hampering the ability to uphold basic humanitarian standards (15 litres per day and per person, as per Sphere Standards). The combination of demographic growth, influx of Rohingyas, and limited land availability suitable for pond construction in camps, results in the ponds drying up about 3 months a year. Improving rainwater harvesting and storage remains the most practical solution for increasing and optimizing the amount of water available after the monsoon..."
Source/publisher: Solidarités International (Paris) via Reliefweb (New York)
2023-08-08
Date of entry/update: 2023-08-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Documented incidents 12 July 2023: At an IDP camp near former Daw Noe Ku village, Shadaw township, Loikaw district, Kayah state, a newly-built local clinic, a school, and some civilian houses were damaged in airstrikes conducted by the Myanmar military; one civilian was killed and three injured. Sources: Delta News Agency, Kantarawaddy Times and Radio Free Asia 12 July 2023: In Ye-U town and township, Shwebo district, Sagaing region, the local resistance forces used a drone armed with explosives to drop bombs on the traditional medicine hospital to attack the Myanmar military occupying the hospital. The drone was shot down by the Myanmar military. Source: Telegram 15 July 2023: In Ye-U town and township, Shwebo district, Sagaing region, the local resistance forces used a drone armed with explosives to drop bombs on the traditional medicine hospital to attack the Myanmar military occupying the hospital, reportedly injuring six soldiers. Sources: Khit Thit Media and Myaelatt Athan 16 July 2023: In Ye-U town and township, Sagaing region, the local resistance forces used a drone armed with explosives to drop bombs on the traditional medicine hospital to attack the Myanmar military occupying the hospital. Source: Myanmar Pressphoto Agency 16 July 2023: Near Mar Le Taw village and village tract, Sagaing township, district, and region, an ambulance transporting wounded junta soldiers was damaged when it was attacked by the local resistance forces using remote-controlled mines. Sources: Khit Thit Media, Myaelatt Athan and Myanmar Pressphoto Agency 19 July 2023: In Kawkareik town, township, and district, Kayin state, an artillery shell landed in the compound of a hospital but did not explode during an attack by a joint force of an ethnic armed organisations Klohhtoobor Karen Organisation and local resistance forces on junta security forces stationed at the hospital and checkpoints in this town. The hospital was functioning at the time of the attack. Sources: Eleven Media, Khit Thit Media and Popular News Journal 20 July 2023: In Pa Dar Nyay village, Nwar La Woe village tract, Loikaw township and district, Kayah state, three civilians who were wounded by artillery fires by the Myanmar military were not allowed to leave the village to seek health care as part of a continuous blockade on the area. Source: Myanmar Pressphoto Agency 21 July 2023: In Hpakant town and township, Mohnyin district, Kachin state, an artillery shell landed in the compound of the township hospital during armed clashes between the Myanmar military and a joint force of the KIA and local resistance forces. The hospital was functioning at the time of the attack. Source: VOA Burmese 22 July 2023: In Inn Da Rant village, Pa Lway Shwe village tract, Katha township and district, Sagaing region, a pharmacy and over 20 civilian houses were torched by the Myanmar military. Source: Khit Thit Media 22 July 2023: In Khin-U town and township, Shwebo district, Sagaing region, the local resistance forces attacked the Myanmar military and militia based at the township hospital, using firearms. The hospital was not functioning at the time of the attack. Around 40 soldiers have occupied this hospital for around one year before this attack. Sources: Democratic Voice of Burma, Khit Thit Media and Mizzima 23 July 2023: In Wetlet town and township, Shwebo district, Sagaing region, the local resistance forces used two drones armed with explosives to drop bombs on the traditional medicine hospital to attack the Myanmar military and militia occupying the hospital. The hospital was not functioning at the time of the attack. The town’s fire brigade office and police station were also attacked with armed drones. The attack reportedly killed at least two junta security force members and injured seven. Sources: Democratic Voice of Burma, Khit Thit Media and Myaelatt Athan 24 July 2023: In Myeik town, township, and district, Tanintharyi region, the local resistance forces issued a warning to five LNGOs forbidding them from delivering aid to or cooperation with the Myanmar military, accusing the LNGOs of using the vehicles to transport junta’s weapons. The LNGOs denied the accusation. Sources: Mizzima and Tanintharyi Times..."
Source/publisher: Insecurity Insight (Geneva) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-07-25
Date of entry/update: 2023-08-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: ""About 85 per cent of my camp is in ruins after Cyclone Mocha wreaked havoc here," says Daw Nu, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) community health worker living in Sittwe. "All hut-like houses are destroyed. People who live in houses like these are in dire need of emergency aid since they have no place to stay." Daw Nu's house was battered by the heavy rains and 280 km per hour winds of Mocha, a category-five cyclone making landfall in Myanmar in mid-May, the largest of its kind to hit Rakhine state and the northwest of the country in over a decade. Response delayed by restrictions More than two months on, despite the magnitude of this disaster, scaling up an emergency response to address the immense needs of people impacted is still not happening. Humanitarian relief is at a standstill due to restrictions imposed by military authorities, who only permit regular pre-cyclone activities to run and prohibit any scale up of a cyclone-specific response. This includes restrictions on large-scale distributions of relief items like food supplies, hygiene kits, and much-needed bamboo and tarpaulins for building or repairing shelters. Military authorities should lift these restrictions to facilitate an urgent scale up of humanitarian action to prevent further harm, outbreak of diseases and loss of life. Escalating needs on top of existing hardship Those most severely impacted by Cyclone Mocha are communities who have already been displaced by conflict and are often living in camps, people living in low-lying areas, as well as people living in remote areas, far from where assistance efforts have been concentrated. Shelter, reconstruction of destroyed or damaged water and sanitation infrastructure, safe drinking water, food, and access to healthcare remain the most urgent, vast and unmet needs. This destruction comes on top of existing hardship, particularly for Rohingya and ethnic Rakhine communities displaced by conflict and already heavily reliant on humanitarian assistance. Rohingya people face severe restrictions on all aspects of their life such as freedom of movement, access to healthcare, livelihood opportunities and education. Initial response shows positive engagement possible On 14 May, when Cyclone Mocha caused landfall it was a deadly combination of spiralling winds around a centre of low atmospheric pressure, which caused the scale of destruction that Daw Saw Nuw and an estimated 670,000 others experienced. Initial response efforts were positive. The military authorities and armed groups, such as the Arakan Army, led on cleaning debris from roads. Telecommunications and electricity were restored within a reasonable time. As the scale of destruction became clearer, humanitarian organisations readied themselves to scale up and prevent further loss of life and suffering. MSF teams prioritised prevention of waterborne diseases through the distribution of drinking water to 9,000 people per week, and repairs of destroyed latrines and water systems. We also gradually resumed our regular mobile clinics, and emergency medical referrals for patients in need of more specialised treatment. Response efforts disrupted This came to a halt on 8 June when three weeks after the cyclone hit, travel authorisations for Rakhine state were suspended temporarily. Revoking our teams' travel authorisations meant we were unable to open any of our 25 basic healthcare clinics. The provision of lifesaving medical humanitarian assistance covering an estimated 214,000 people in central Rakhine and 250,000 people in northern Rakhine was disrupted. After a three-day interruption, activities were officially permitted to resume on 11 June, but only those already agreed before the cyclone. Authorisation to scale up responses based on the additional needs created by the cyclone were not granted. Temporary disruptions shift to long-term obstructions Today, the current response is far from what is required after a cyclone. Among the restrictions imposed on scaling up is a requirement to hand over relief items to the military authorities who will manage distribution. This requirement jeopardises the neutrality of humanitarian assistance, which in a conflict-affected state like Rakhine, will affect the trust communities have in humanitarian organisations. It also goes against the humanitarian principles of impartiality, neutrality and independence, which MSF and other organisations abide by. Among the humanitarian community, the initial momentum to draw attention to these restrictions has waned. Current situation cannot become the new normal We are deeply concerned that the dire living conditions the cyclone has caused, the unnecessary restrictions that actively sustain these unacceptable conditions, and the lack of public attention being drawn to this situation are gradually becoming the new normal in Rakhine. These restrictions are also contributing to a continued lack of financial commitment shown by donors towards people in Myanmar. The military authorities and other parties to the conflict are responsible for the people impacted by Cyclone Mocha. As such, the military authorities should lift the current restrictions and facilitate the unimpeded passage of medical and humanitarian relief items to people in need in a manner that does not compromise their impartiality and neutrality..."
Source/publisher: Médecins Sans Frontières
2023-07-26
Date of entry/update: 2023-07-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "The latest report by HelpAge International, “Situational Overview of Older People’s Needs in Myanmar,” has revealed distressing realities faced by older individuals in the country. 72 per cent of older women and 54 per cent of older men report inadequate access to food. 60 per cent of older women and 52 per cent of older men are unable to access health services. 71 per cent of older people express feelings of worries, anxiety, and loneliness. 68 per cent of older individuals have less than a week’s worth of savings. The comprehensive study, conducted among 200 older people in May and June 2023 across 18 townships in six states and regions, presents a profound analysis of the hurdles older people encounter, emphasising the need for immediate action and targeted interventions to enhance their well-being. Hunger at their doorstep – challenges in food security There is a pressing concern of food insecurity among older people in Myanmar, with significant gender disparities. Access to sufficient food remains an uphill battle, as 72 per cent of older women and 54 per cent of older men reported inadequate access to food, while 79 per cent of all older people report compromising the quality of their meals. Socio-economic inequalities disproportionately impact older women, making it imperative to address financial constraints hindering their ability to afford food. “Even though I would like to eat, we have no food at home. Instead, I drink water at night to fill my stomach.” Healthcare on the brink due to inaccessibility Challenges persist in healthcare access for both older women and men in Myanmar. 60 per cent of older women and 52 per cent of older men reported an inability to access health services. Factors like safe access to health facilities, distance, service unavailability, and the affordability of medicines contribute to this divide, demanding enhanced healthcare support, with targeted interventions needed to address gender inequalities. “Medicine prices are too high, and I can’t afford them. Instead, I am taking traditional medicines, but in the long run, my health is deteriorating***.”*** Weathering mental health challenges 71 per cent of older people in Myanmar express feelings of worries, anxiety, and loneliness, with concerns primarily centred around health, income, and safety. Older women expressed higher levels of worries overall, while older men voiced heightened fears for their safety due the ongoing conflict in their areas. Addressing these mental health challenges necessitates fostering connections among older people and creating platforms for mutual support and knowledge-sharing. “People have become more friendly with one another, and neighbours are taking more care of each other”. Falling through the cracks: the precarious state of income security and borrowing Gender disparities are evident in income security among older individuals, underscoring the financial struggles faced by older women. 78 per cent of older women and 72 per cent of older men do not have a stable income source. A staggering 68 per cent of individuals have less than a week’s worth of savings, indicating a deteriorating economic situation. Moreover, relying solely on income often proves insufficient to cover living costs, leading older people to resort to borrowing money. immediate actions for improving older peoples’ well-being In response to the alarming findings, HelpAge International proposes targeted recommendations to address the pressing challenges faced by older people in Myanmar: Enhance food security: Allocate resources for tailored food assistance programs and support sustainable agricultural initiatives Improve healthcare access: Invest in better healthcare availability and affordability, along with age-sensitive care training for community workers Strengthen mental health support: Allocate funding for tailored psychosocial support, counselling, and awareness-raising efforts Enhance protection measures: Create safe spaces and implement training to prevent abuse and exploitation Promote gender equality: Adopt a gender-responsive approach, empowering older women economically Build local capacity: Provide training and support to local NGOs and community organisations to address older people’s needs effectively..."
Source/publisher: HelpAge International
2023-07-21
Date of entry/update: 2023-07-21
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Description: "This regular update, covering humanitarian developments up to 13 July, is produced by OCHA Myanmar in collaboration with the Inter-Cluster Coordination Group and UN agencies. Response figures are based on self-reporting by organizations to clusters. The next humanitarian update will be issued in August 2023. HIGHLIGHTS & KEY MESSAGES • Ongoing conflict and natural disasters are continuing to exacerbate humanitarian needs across Myanmar. • Nearly 1.9 million internally displaced people face precarious living conditions and urgently need critical and lifesaving assistance. • Two months have passed since Cyclone Mocha struck western Myanmar and expanded humanitarian access is desperately needed to support those affected. • After a brief suspension, humanitarians have been able to re-start their regular programmes in Rakhine, but the humanitarian cyclone response remains paused by the SAC. • Distribution, transport and import requests have all been resubmitted and are now pending approval. • Countrywide, restrictions on humanitarian access have increased in multiple states and regions, notably in the Southeast and Kachin, further impeding timely and efficient aid delivery to affected and displaced communities. • Sustained support, including financial assistance, from the international community is crucial to allowing partners to stay and deliver in challenging circumstances. • Six months into 2023, the combined $US886.7 million Humanitarian Response Plan and Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeals, remain critically underfunded, with only 17 per cent of the required funding received, as of 14 July..."
Source/publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-07-15
Date of entry/update: 2023-07-15
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Description: "OVERVIEW: The Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC) identified 271 incidents of violence against or obstruction of health care in Myanmar in 2022, a decrease from 474 in 2021. In these incidents, 112 health workers were arrested and 27 were killed, undermining health care providers’ ability to maintain safe staffing levels to effectively meet patient needs. In addition, health facilities were damaged or destroyed on at least 46 occasions and raided 32 times, impacting the population’s access to health care. A total of 103 incidents were related to the ongoing political protests following the February 2021 military coup. The remaining 168 occurred in the context of armed conflicts that erupted before and after the coup. This factsheet is based on the dataset 2022 SHCC Health Care Myanmar Data, which is available for download on the Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX)..."
Source/publisher: Insecurity Insight, Safeguarding Health in Conflict
2023-07-12
Date of entry/update: 2023-07-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "The EU has released an additional €12.5 million to address the humanitarian needs of people in Myanmar, as well as those of Rohingya refugees and their host communities in Bangladesh and the broader region. Food insecurity in refugee camps has reached alarming rates due to a massive funding gap that resulted in a reduction of food rations distributed to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. The situation is expected to become untenable by the autumn if no additional funding is mobilised by the international community. The humanitarian situation is also worsening in Myanmar due to an escalation of the conflict and to the consequences of Cyclone Mocha, which hit the country in May 2023. This new EU funding aims to respond to these pressing needs with an allocation of €7 million to ensure critical food assistance in Bangladesh; €4.5 million to provide food and health assistance in Myanmar and mitigate the consequences of the current funding gap; and €1 million to respond to the increasing protection needs of displaced people and refugees throughout the region, including in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and India. Background In 2017, more than 742000 Rohingya crossed the border to seek refuge in Bangladesh. More than 5 years after the large-scale violence forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya people to flee Rakhine State in Myanmar, Bangladesh still hosts almost 1 million refugees. Rohingya refugees live in precarious and deteriorating conditions, with the majority located in congested refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, where they are entirely dependent on humanitarian aid. The vast majority of refugees in Bangladesh are women and children, many others are elderly people requiring additional aid and protection. The enormous scale of the influx has also put pressure on the Bangladeshi host communities and existing facilities and services. In Myanmar, following a military coup d'état in February 2021, the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance has risen from 1 million to over 18 million. Almost 90 000 people have fled Myanmar for neighbouring countries since the coup. Ongoing conflict and violations of International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law keep driving up the number of refugees and internally displaced people. The EU has been providing humanitarian aid to people in Myanmar since 1994, and in Bangladesh since 2002. In February 2023, the EU released over €43 million to address the humanitarian needs of people in Myanmar, as well as those of Rohingya refugees and their host communities in Bangladesh and across the region. Following cyclone Mocha's impact in Myanmar and Bangladesh, the Commission released €2.5 million in emergency humanitarian aid and supported the Myanmar Red Cross Society in delivering immediate assistance through the distribution of emergency shelter items, primary healthcare assistance, cash grants and hygiene kits..."
Source/publisher: European Commission
2023-07-06
Date of entry/update: 2023-07-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Mr. Vice President, Excellencies, Distinguished colleagues, This Council has heard report after report on the human rights situation in Myanmar. With each successive update, it is almost impossible to imagine that the people of Myanmar can endure more suffering. Yet the country continues its deadly freefall into even deeper violence and heartbreak. A regime imposed by generals for the last two and a half years has snatched away the optimism that Myanmar’s people once held for peace, democracy, and a more prosperous future. Civilians live at the whim of a reckless military authority that relies on systematic control tactics, fear and terror. Civilians also bear the devastating brunt of the grotesque violence, including against older people, people with disabilities and infants. The situation has become untenable. We see a spiralling economy, worsening the poverty already endured by much of the population. Natural resources are being exploited at dangerous rates, causing irreversible environmental harm. The voices of civil society and journalists are being strangled. Arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and torture continue unabated. And the country’s minorities again face brutal attacks by the military in border regions, with increasing numbers of people crossing international frontiers in search of safety and protection. More than one million Rohingya remain in neighbouring Bangladesh where they live in the world’s largest refugee camp in deplorable conditions. The conditions for their return to Myanmar are still non-existent. The military continues to carry out atrocities in their home state of Rakhine, where they are denied citizenship. Mr. Vice President, Credible sources indicate that as of yesterday, 3,747 individuals have died at the hands of the military since they took power, and 23,747 have been arrested. These figures represent the minimum that can be documented and verified - the true number of casualties is likely to be far higher. Every day, the military’s ruthless so-called “four cuts” strategy continues to wreak destruction. Entire villages are razed and burned to the ground, collectively punishing civilians, by depriving them of shelter, food, water, and life-saving aid. Since the coup began, the military has scorched at least 70,000 homes across the country, 70 percent of which were in Sagaing region. Over 1.5 million people have been forcibly displaced with minimal access to humanitarian aid. Incessant airstrikes and artillery shelling are destroying homes and stealing lives. In the first six months of this year, my Office reported a 33 percent increase in indiscriminate airstrikes compared to the first half of last year, with rising attacks on civilian targets, including villages, schools, hospitals and places of worship. On 11 April in Pa Zi Gyi village in Sagaing region, up to 168 civilians, including scores of women and children, were killed in an air attack. Artillery attacks have also dramatically increased, with over 563 this year, representing already 80 percent of the total attacks last year. My Office also continues to document repeated violations of the most brutal forms: sexual violence, mass killings, extra-judicial executions, beheadings, dismemberments, and mutilations. This constitutes a complete disregard of the principles of international human rights and international humanitarian law. And it displays an utter contempt for humanity. Mr. Vice President, The report I present to the Council today focuses on the systematic denial by the military of life-saving humanitarian aid for civilians. They have put in place a raft of legal, financial, and bureaucratic barriers to ensure people in need do not receive and cannot access assistance. This obstruction of life-saving aid is deliberate and targeted, a calculated denial of fundamental rights and freedoms for large swathes of the population. This is being done in a situation where one-third of the entire population requires urgent help – including access to adequate housing, enough food and water, or employment. In mid-May, when Cyclone Mocha made landfall with devastating effect in Rakhine, Chin, Magway and Sagaing, the military actively prevented independent needs assessments, and obstructed access to information. They suspended all travel authorisations in Rakhine State, eventually allowing distribution of aid to resume if it was not cyclone-related. Importantly, all disbursements of Cyclone Mocha-related humanitarian aid remain frozen unless delivered by the military apparatus. They have threatened legal action against anyone reporting figures different to theirs on the number of Rohingya deaths, fixed by the military at 116, but believed to be higher. To date, because of lack of access, it has not been possible to confirm the number of Rohingya deaths and those of members from other communities. I deplore the direct attacks on humanitarian staff. Local organizations, which provide the vast majority of humanitarian aid, face the greatest risks in carrying out their work. Up to 40 humanitarian workers have been killed and over 200 arrested since the coup. The already fragile health system is now in disarray. Despite the efforts of grassroots organizations, a de facto ban on transportation of medicines and other medical supplies across large parts of Myanmar has resulted in lack of access to medical assistance. 15.2 million people are in need of urgent food and nutrition support. The price of food rose 177 percent in 2022, and the continued violence, land-grabbing and high risk posed by mines and unexploded ordnance has resulted in a marked decrease in food production. The need for unhindered humanitarian access throughout Myanmar has never been more urgent. I call on Member States to fund the Myanmar Humanitarian Response Plan and to provide direct and flexible funding for local organisations on the ground that are desperately trying to reach people in need. Mr. Vice President, In line with Security Council resolution 2669 I repeat the call for an immediate end to this senseless violence. Without delay, I also urge the authorities to release the 19,377 political prisoners detained throughout Myanmar, including deposed President Win Mynt and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. The path out of this crisis must be anchored in accountability for the grave human rights violations and other violations of international law that are occurring. I urge the Security Council to refer the situation to the International Criminal Court. Any political solution to this protracted emergency must include accountability. Regarding the one million Rohingya in Bangladesh, voluntary repatriation can only occur when conditions for safe, sustainable, and dignified returns to Myanmar are in place and when the full range of their rights will be respected and upheld. The Rohingya themselves must be at the centre of decision-making. Returns must only take place with their fully informed and truly voluntary choice. For its part, the international community must continue to provide support to host communities, including and notably in Bangladesh, and adequate protection for all people who are crossing international borders. I also appeal to all countries to cease and prevent the supply of arms to the military and to take targeted measures to limit access by generals to foreign currency, aviation fuel and other means that enable attacks on Myanmar’s people. This Council needs to consider how to bring to light the business interests that support the military and keep them afloat. Mr. Vice President, Among the numerous crimes perpetrated against the people of Myanmar, I was outraged to hear of the arrests of over a hundred people by the military on 19 June. Their crime was buying, selling, carrying, or wearing a flower to celebrate Aung San Suu Kyi’s 78th birthday. It is difficult to imagine that Myanmar’s people – who just two and a half years ago were looking forward to a better future – are being stifled by an oppressor which regards bearing a flower as a criminal act. For decades, the people of Myanmar have faced repression and isolation. But they have never stopped calling for their fundamental rights to be respected, nor have they ceased to make great sacrifices for a democratic future. I stand in solidarity with Myanmar’s people. I honour their extraordinary strength, spirit, and resilience as they endure day after day of crisis. I want to emphasise that the Rohingya are an integral part of Myanmar’s people and the future of the country. I remind the international community, the Security Council, ASEAN, and all Member States with influence over Min Aung Hlaing and the Tatmadaw of their responsibility to exert maximum pressure to end this crisis. It is of the utmost urgency that we restore all conditions necessary for Myanmar’s people to find a way out of the heartache, and to live their lives in freedom and safety. Thank you..."
Source/publisher: UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
2023-07-06
Date of entry/update: 2023-07-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "A Commentary by DPAG and TNI Gender norms affect everyone: people of all genders and ages, people in urban and rural areas, people with high-paying and low-paying jobs, people who use or do not use drugs, as well as people living with health statuses of all kinds. Paired with one’s socioeconomic backgrounds, gender norms and inequalities come in different shapes and sizes, and so do visions of gender justice. As part of our exciting journey exploring the endless multitude of gender just visions, we spoke with Sakura (30) and Noe Noe (26), two transgender1 women working as peer educators and advocates at the Myanmar MSM and Transgender Network (MMTN), an organisation specialised in HIV prevention and care related activities in various parts of Myanmar. Our conversation with Sakura and Noe Noe shows that there is so much that the HIV movement – particularly that involving transgender women – can teach us about gender justice. HIV care for transgender communities in Myanmar: Slow and uneven There are approximately 270,(external link)000 people living with HIV in Myanmar, according to 2021 data. The number of new HIV infections in Myanmar has decreased each year, from almost 30,000 in the early 2000s to around 11,000 in 2017. Myanmar has also performed reasonably well(external link) when it comes to providing treatment access for people living with HIV, and is facilitating viral suppression for 95 percent of those on treatment. Programmes involving PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), a prescription medicine that can reduce one’s chance of becoming infected with HIV, are available since its inclusion in Myanmar’s National Strategic Plan IV 2020-2025. However, both the COVID-19(external link) pandemic and the political crisis that erupted in 2021(external link) have undermined HIV related programmes, along with the wider healthcare system on which such programmes rely in Myanmar. Stigma and criminalisation continue, in particular related to sexuality, gender expressions, and drug use, weakening any attempt to curb HIV-related morbidity and mortality. This disproportionately harms marginalised communities such as sex workers, people who use drugs, men who have sex with men (MSM)2, and transgender people already suffering from socioeconomic exclusion or exploitation. In the context of HIV response and related data in Myanmar, transgender women have typically been categorised in the MSM population(external link), even though many of them do not identify as men. Meanwhile, as underlined by Sakura, HIV prevention and care services (including the PrEP programme) in Myanmar were initially targeted only towards the so-called MSM community, and “only a couple of years back the PrEP programme was widened for the transgender community,” added Sakura. “Transgender people often face discrimination not only due to their gender [expressions], but also because society tends to associate them with HIV spread and infection,” explains Sakura as she describes her HIV prevention work in six townships across Yangon, as well as parts of Rakhine and Mon State. Indeed, a 2021 report by the UNFPA(external link) shows that transgender women are more likely to experience violence and discrimination compared to others who do not identify as heterosexual or cisgender3 (such as – but not limited to – people identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer4, or LGBTQ+5), who are already highly vulnerable to stigma and abuse, including in medical settings. “Prior to Covid, there seemed to be more teasing and stigma targeting the transgender community, but now transgender people seem to have more freedom and mobility,” added Sakura as she talked about the growing visibility of transgender and other LGBTQ+ people, including in social movements across Myanmar. “Societal perspective has been slowly changing for the better, because there have been more social media and online campaigns against discrimination, for instance in the form of videos. These online campaigns are more attractive nowadays, and social influencers – like famous make-up artists – are involved in talking about topics that are considered taboo such as sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR(external link)), PrEP, et cetera,” explained Sakura, sounding optimistic about the post-Covid changing attitudes towards transgender people. Nevertheless, many people still do not take transgender people seriously. Noe Noe, who is now involved in a SRHR education project of MMTN, was previously reluctant to be fully involved in this work because she was afraid of being discriminated against. She said, “when trying to educate the general population [about SRHR], some people don’t want to listen to us and they don’t respect us. Some people would tease and insult us.” So how does one persevere and keep doing this challenging work? When we asked her, Noe Noe answered, “my strategy is to be as patient as possible. Sometimes I want to respond to those who insult and tease me, but I have to control my emotions. The Buddhist teaching of ‘tolerance’ helps me to ‘tolerate’ those insults and instead focus more on the goal of the work.” Beyond the so-called ‘key populations’ At MMTN, part of Sakura’s responsibilities is to provide HIV awareness training amongst various men who have sex with men and transgender communities. These include training and outreach efforts to curb the spread of HIV through education and referral programmes. “Our awareness training covers issues related to sexual and reproductive health and rights, sexual orientation, gender identities and expressions, and sex characteristics, and sexually transmitted infections (STI). We also address practical STI prevention strategies such as the systematic use of condoms, information and assistance for HIV testing, and more,” said Sakura as she elaborated on her work with MMTN. Though MMTN’s work seems to focus more on the specific needs of men who have sex with men and transgender communities, Sakura and Noe Noe argue that a large part of their – and other peer workers’ – responsibility is to reach beyond the so-called key populations (namely MSM and transgender communities). In other words, HIV prevention and care work is not only about reaching out to the communities stereotypically associated with HIV, but also about building connections with the wider society. “During our awareness raising programmes, we talk with family members, friends, and other people around those who identify as MSM or transgender. Even police officers come and listen sometimes, even though we are not specifically targeting them,” according to Sakura. Similarly, MMTN’s new peer-led SRHR education project, for which Noe Noe is now preparing to be a champion trainer, consists of education curricula tailored to three categories of target groups – LGBTQ+ communities, young people, and the general public (notably cisgender and heterosexual people). This means Noe Noe and 13 other champion trainers will be covering all topics related to sexual and reproductive health and rights. They are now getting ready to educate others about practical matters such as family planning, but with a more holistic approach that embraces people of all genders and sexualities. Indeed, when it comes to HIV prevention and care, Sakura and Noe Noe highlight the importance of demystifying gender and sexuality amongst the general public by engaging in meaningful conversations with people who do not necessarily or openly identify as queer, taking into account that social stigma (or conversely – acceptance and solidarity) influences public health. Marginalisation and discrimination tend to push people away from the very support system from which they could benefit – be it health, social, or otherwise. This not only increases the vulnerability of marginalised communities, but magnifies overall public health risks which at the end of the day impact everyone, albeit in unequal ways. Gender and class Born, raised and based in Yangon, Sakura began working as Assistant Project Officer at a leading HIV clinic for transgender communities several years ago. She joined MMTN in February 2023. Prior to her involvement in the HIV movement, Sakura worked as a make-up artist. “I became involved in this movement because I wanted to help improve the health and education of transgender women,” and based on her experience operating in the field, Sakura wishes that her fellow community members could go beyond survival economies – from make-up and flower industries to sex work – and take a more prominent role in community mobilisation and movement for progressive change. The barriers to such an aspiration seem insurmountable sometimes, as Sakura notes how transgender women are more socially and economically disadvantaged when compared with men who have sex with men (let alone compared with other groups more privileged due to their class, gender, or sexuality). She recalled her own lived experience, resembling those of other transgender women around the world(external link), “compared to MSM, I’ve been more discriminated against by family members,” and “we often see that transgender communities seem to be less [formally] educated than MSM. It is generally harder for transgender people to find jobs or livelihoods.” Noe Noe, who unlike Sakura was born and raised in a small city outside Yangon, then added, “many of my transgender friends in rural areas died due to HIV. Many of them don’t know about or don’t have access to antiretroviral treatment, or they may not have the means to access it.” Difficulties in accessing healthcare, educational and livelihood opportunities mean that many transgender people6 have to rely on informal/survival economies such as sex work and/or drug-related livelihoods (such as small-scale drug selling), which remain highly criminalised in Myanmar, affecting people whose existence challenges the gender binary and/or heteronormative norms. This is why sex workers in particular are highly vulnerable to HIV infection and related risks. Meanwhile, gender affirming healthcare7 is still lacking and largely inaccessible for transgender communities. Coupled with economic hardship and social stigma, this exacerbates the mental health toll(external link) of being transgender in Myanmar. Inequalities also prevail between those residing in urban and rural areas, or between more ‘developed’ and more remote areas. “Gender norms tend to be more rigid in rural and remote areas. Boys get bullied in schools or rejected by family members for expressing more feminine traits, and they have not even started crossdressing yet. This has a lot to do with people’s limited understanding of gender and sexuality,” explained Noe Noe. Such experiences of rejection and isolation tend to have long-lasting impacts on one’s life, and oftentimes these experiences extend well into adulthood. As added by Sakura, “transgender people tend to have self-doubt, maybe because since we were very young we have never really been accepted [by others]. Even when applying for a job at a place like MMTN, for example, we might have this inner fear that we won’t be accepted, even though we have the same skills as others who are not transgender. This is why many transgender people end up doing jobs typically reserved for transgender people.” Another significant – yet often taken for granted – challenge is “the fact that many transgender people do not have mobile phones and social media due to their low living standards. This makes it hard to reach them and to involve them in peer-to-peer engagement and work,” added Sakura, illustrating how precariousness often stands in the way of sustainable collective mobilisation. Determined to change this, Sakura emphasised once again, “what’s most important for me is to help educate fellow transgender friends, and stress the need for better job opportunities so we could have higher standards of living.” On top of all that, Sakura and Noe Noe underlined the importance of meaningful work for the transgender community, “our involvement in this movement is not necessarily about the money. It’s also about setting examples and opening doors for others from our community, In the past we were only pawns, but now we’re becoming role models,” said Sakura, passionately, after which Noe Noe added, “when I go out into the community and educate others, I am doing something big for society, not just for myself.” Disrupting the gender binary Sakura explained, “in Myanmar language, we use the term ‘Ah Pwint’ to refer to a transgender woman, and this term literally translates to ‘open flowers’. But to refer to MSM, ‘Ah Pone’ is more often used, and it literally means ‘closed flowers’, mainly because MSM tend to be more closeted [in comparison with transgender people] and many of them need to pretend and hide.” Perhaps it is through this act of following (albeit unwillingly, for some) heteronormative standards of masculinity (and straight-passing) that ‘Ah Pone’ seem to have relatively smoother access to more formal and well-paying jobs. ‘Ah Pwint’, on the other hand, tend to face more frequent rejections due to their bolder gender expressions and more importantly due to the rigid and sexist ways society fabricates womanhood. One can observe that “’Ah Pone’ can more easily blend in,” said Sakura, as we discussed why only one (Noe Noe) of the 14 champion trainers working on the MMTN’s new peer-led education project is transgender. However, this is not to say that all transgender women are uniformly bold in their gender expressions, and not all men who have sex with men – either those identifying as gay, bisexual, or otherwise – (want to) pass as straight and/or face no challenges in navigating life, work, and relationships. Further, both Sakura and Noe Noe warn that individual choices are constantly shaped by one’s surroundings. “Some people may choose to present as ‘Ah Pone’ because there are certain factors that prevent them from crossdressing or expressing their more feminine side. Perhaps their biological family don’t accept that, or perhaps they themselves do not accept that. But in the [MMTN] office, we [‘Ah Pwint’ and ‘Ah Pone’] work together. We consider each other as family. No one has to hide their identity here, and the office is a safe space for people to be themselves,” added Sakura. Queer communities in Myanmar are also increasingly using the term ‘Ma Pone Ma Pwint’ (meaning ‘open or closed flowers’) to describe the common overlap between ‘Ah Pone’ and ‘Ah Pwint’, in so doing denoting the complexity of one’s gender, sexual expressions, and more interestingly how they disrupt rigid norms tied with the gender binary.8 After all, our identities and expressions – gender, sexual, or otherwise – are complex and nuanced. As human beings, we cannot be neatly put into boxes, nor can our gender and sexuality be turned into mutually exclusive categories. Self-labelling can feel empowering for some, and it can help us reclaim identities traditionally discarded by mainstream society, similar to the way the previously derogatory term ‘queer’ is so widely used across the globe today. Without the HIV movement, much of this would have remained a distant dream. From public health to gender justice In Myanmar, the HIV movement is closely linked with – and in many cases plays an important role in pushing for – public health programmes to address HIV. In essence, these public health programmes are not specifically aimed at advancing queer rights, but in reality, they end up (and in fact, they wouldn’t be as effective without the act of) visibilising and empowering queer communities, especially those living on the margins due to their socioeconomic and health struggles. Despite their challenging situations, many of them are heavily involved in HIV activism, shaping the movement as influential leaders. “Now I’m at a place where I provide awareness and information to the general public. When we go out into the field and do this work, people see us differently. They see me as a transgender person doing something for the wider society, and it’s almost like they are envious of me, and they might think, ‘if she can do it [this kind of important work], then I should be able to do it’,” said Noe Noe. Further, by debunking myths and taboos around gender and sexuality (and how they affect one’s socioeconomic status), the HIV movement embraces people outside the queer community who tend to be cast out or forgotten by more mainstream activists. Here, we can think of ethnic women who engage in sex work or women who use drugs, who unfortunately remain underrepresented in women’s organisations, and while many of them come from poor and/or working class backgrounds, their distinct needs and struggles are rarely incorporated in the agendas of workers movements. As such, HIV advocacy, despite carrying a primarily public health goal, helps brings intersectional oppression (and struggle) to the surface, and revealing inequalities amongst people typically seen as a monolith from the outside. It is through this work that the HIV movement enriches our perspective on gender justice, one that goes beyond the stereotypical needs of only cisgender and heterosexual women, but one that acknowledges and embraces the diversity of intersectional struggles. Tags MYANMAR COMMENTARY MYANMAR The term ‘transgender’ is “used most often as an umbrella term and frequently abbreviated to ’trans.’ Identifying as transgender, or trans, means that one’s internal knowledge of gender is different from conventional or cultural expectations based on the sex that person was assigned at birth. While transgender may refer to a woman who was assigned male at birth or a man who was assigned female at birth, transgender is an umbrella term that can also describe someone who identifies as a gender other than woman or man, such as non binary, genderqueer, genderfluid, no gender or multiple genders, or some other gender identity.” Source: https://lgbtqia.ucdavis.edu/educated/glossary. Reflecting on the experiences of and lessons learned by Sakura, this commentary largely focuses on the particular challenges faced by those identifying as transgender women, whose experiences of stigma, violence, and discrimination resemble – yet can be more severe, albeit underestimated, than – those faced by cisgender women. The term ‘men who have sex with men’ has been used since the late 1980s and its abbreviation MSM since mid 1990s, primarily within the context of public health in general and HIV response in particular. The use of the term is considered helpful mainly by those in health and academic sectors for its focus on behaviour (as opposed to identity) which “might put someone at risk for an infection such as HIV or monkeypox”. From this point of view, arguably, "[p]revention strategies that target people based on 'what you do' rather than 'who you are' reach more people who may be affected by a public health concern, including heterosexual men who have sex with men, rather than limiting outreach just to those who identify as gay or bisexual." See: https://theconversation.com/men-who-have-sex-with-men-originated-during-the-hiv-pandemic-to-focus-on-behavior-rather-than-identity-but-not-everyone-thinks-the-term-helps-189619 Nevertheless, similar to the term ‘women who have sex with women’, the use of the term MSM risks underestimating the complexity and nuances of one’s sexuality and gender (and how it interacts with discriminatory policies and norms), reducing same-sex or same-gender relations as merely sexual, and disregarding the significance of self-labelling ("and, by extension, their self-determination"), “community, social networks, and relationships in which same-gender pairing is shared and supported." See: https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/full/10.2105/AJPH.2004.046714. The term MSM is used throughout this commentary because it was the term commonly referred to by Sakura, the respondent. ‘Cisgender’ is used to describe someone whose gender identity largely corresponds with the biological sex assigned at birth. ‘Cisgender’ is thus fundamentally distinct from ‘transgender’. Previously known and used as a derogatory term against non-heterosexual people, the term ‘queer’ is now increasingly used to refer to identities and expressions outside heterosexual and/or cisgender norms. It is sometimes used as a catch-all term including all identities under the LGBTQ+ banner, and/or used to imply the complexity of one’s sexuality, gender, and relationships. The abbreviation LGBTQ+ or extended variations of it (such LGBTQIA+, which includes ‘intersex’ and ‘asexual’) is often used as an umbrella term for gender and sexual identities and expressions outside cisgender and heteronormative standards, which are highly diverse. However, we note that people’s gender and sexual identities and expressions can be complex, nuanced, intersectional, and fluid. Thus, gender and sexual identities and expressions cannot be neatly turned into labels and/or categories that one can easily assign to (groups of) individuals. In addition, due to social and legal frameworks in Myanmar (and many other jurisdictions across the globe) that marginalise and criminalise gender and sexuality outside cis-heteronormative standards, numerous individuals may – for the safety of themselves and their loved ones – choose to hide their identities and expressions, and in so doing they comply with cis-heteronormative standards, thereby ‘passing’ – or ending up being categorised – as cisgender and/or heterosexual. Transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people are highly diverse and have diverse experiences. This commentary is based on a conversation with Sakura(‘s experience and insights), hence the piece’s main focus on transgender women in Myanmar. Needless to say, the experiences of transgender women cannot be generalised, and surely they cannot be generalised for other transgender people, such as transgender men and genderqueer or non-binary people, amongst others. According to the World Health Organization, gender affirming healthcare can “include any single or combination of a number of social, psychological, behavioural or medical (including hormonal treatment or surgery) interventions designed to support and affirm an individual’s gender identity.” See: https://www.who.int/standards/classifications/frequently-asked-questions/gender-incongruence-and-transgender-health-in-the-icd. For people whose gender identity and expressions do not align with their sex assigned at birth (and the gender norms that come with it), gender affirming healthcare can help enhance their quality of life, especially their mental health (see: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/trgh.2015.0008), while lack of access can lead many to seek unsafe and/or illegal interventions. It is important to note that each person has their own unique experience and preference when it comes to gender affirming healthcare, and not every transgender person chooses to undergo medical interventions such as hormone therapy and surgery. Furthermore, cisgender people can also access gender affirming healthcare, for example “cisgender men who take testosterone therapy, cisgender women who undergo breast augmentation.” See: https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-gender-affirming-care#access Though beyond the scope of this commentary, there are many other terms and concepts being used in Myanmar to refer to the different gender and sexual identities and expressions. The term for transgender man for example is ‘yout ka shar’..."
Source/publisher: Transnational Institute ( Amsterdam)
2023-07-04
Date of entry/update: 2023-07-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Documented incidents 14 June 2023: In Taw Kone village, Shar Say Bo village tract, Tantabin township, Taungoo district, Bago region, a local clinic, and a local school and its boarding house were damaged by artillery fire launched by the Myanmar military, injuring three boarding students. Source: Khit Thit Media 15 June 2023: In Pauk Ma village, Sar Taung village tract, Sagaing township, district, and region, a sub-rural health centre was destroyed in a two-day arson attack of around 300 civilian houses in this area by the Myanmar military. Sources: Khit Thit Media and Mandalay Free Press As reported on 16 June 2023: In Mese town and township, Bawlakhe district, Kayah state, junta health workers and other government servants had to flee from their duty station due to the takeover of the town by the local resistance forces and ethnic armed organisations, and airstrikes by the Myanmar military. Sources: Delta News Agency and Facebook 17 June 2023: In Wetlet town and township, Shwebo district, Sagaing region, the main building of the township hospital was damaged due to handmade-electroshock rocket missile attacks allegedly by the local resistance forces. The roof, ceilings, and windows of the building were damaged. There were no casualties. Source: Telegram 17 June 2023: In Tha Mee Hla (East) village, Ta Ku village tract, Tanintharyi township, Myeik district, Tanintharyi region, a combat medic officer and four soldiers of the Myanmar military were killed in the armed drones and ground attacks by the local resistance forces. The victim was not killed during a battle or during rescuing/attending the injured.Sources: Delta News Agency and Tanintharyi Times 19 June 2023: In Tamwe town and township, Yangon (East) district, Yangon region, the junta police raided a private pharmacy and arrested a male pharmacy employee for taking part in the strike marking the birthday of the ousted State Counsellor. Source: Democratic Voice of Burma 19 June 2023: In Mandalay city and region, a doctor was arrested by the junta security forces following his personal post on social media regarding the strike marking the birthday of the ousted State Counsellor. The victim ran his own private general practitioner clinic; he was not a government servant. Sources: Facebook, Irrawaddy and Mandalay Free Press 20 June 2023: In Oke Shit Pin town, Padaung township, Pyay district, Bago region, a doctor was abducted by the junta security forces following his social media post about the strike marking the birthday of the ousted State Counsellor. The victim ran his own private general practitioner clinic. Sources: Democratic Voice of Burma and Telegram 21 June 2023: At a military checkpoint in Yinmabin township and district, Sagaing region, a male aid worker of an LNGO was arrested by the Myanmar military. The LNGO delivered aid to IDPs and a charity clinic serving the people in three townships in Sagaing region. Sources: Facebook, Mizzima and Radio Free Asia As reported on 22 June 2023: At the military checkpoint on the highway connecting Monywa town and Mandalay town, near Nat Yae Kan village and village tract, Chaung-U township, Monywa district, Sagaing region, ambulances without recognised vehicle registration were not allowed to pass and patients had to be transferred to the buses; this added the cost to patient transport. Before the coup, the vehicles used by LNGOs in the process of registration were permitted for patient transport. Source: Democratic Voice of Burma As reported on 23 June 2023: In Tonzang town and township, Tiddim district, Chin state, the Myanmar military were based in the township hospital and high school. Source: Mizzima 23 June 2023: At the entry of Ohn Hne Chaung village, Let Pan Chay Paw village tract, Nyaung-U township and district, Mandalay region, a 60-year-old traditional medicine practitioner, who was also a member of the military political party, was found dead with gunshot wounds and knife-cut wounds. He was reportedly on his way back after delivering medical care in a nearby village. The junta accused the local resistance forces of this attack. Source: Myaelattathan 24 June 2023: In Bawlakhe town, township, and district, Kayah state, the local resistance forces and ethnic armed groups attacked the Myanmar military occupying the traditional medical hospital..."
Source/publisher: Insecurity Insight (Geneva) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-07-03
Date of entry/update: 2023-07-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "RAKHINE STATE, Myanmar – “We need more health-care services and facilities in operation. I want my baby safe, this is all I need.” Nan Nwe, 40, is pregnant and newly displaced in Sittwe, in Myanmar’s cyclone-battered Rakhine State. Cyclone Mocha was one of the most powerful storms ever to hit Myanmar, affecting an estimated 3.4 million people. Howling winds tore homes to pieces, while torrential downpours and a dangerous storm surge submerged areas along the coast, flooding villages and leaving hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people without shelter. Many who were already displaced in camps and displacement sites, stateless people, women and children, and people with disabilities have lost their homes and access to basic services and clean water. Health facilities and UNFPA-supported safe spaces for women and girls have been extensively damaged or destroyed entirely by the storm. Yoma Nandar, 21, is also from Sittwe, near where the cyclone made landfall on 14 May. She asked, “When pregnant women need services urgently, where do we go unless the services are available and in our reach?” Twenty-six year old Nway Nway Soe is also pregnant and lives in the path of the cyclone. She told UNFPA, “With the destruction of roads and my nearest clinic and expensive transportation costs, I cannot go to the city to receive antenatal care.” To reach women and girls in even the most inaccessible areas, UNFPA is supporting mobile clinics across nine villages in Sittwe township, providing assistance such as health check-ups, prenatal and postnatal care, family planning and psychosocial support. These clinics, already operated by UNFPA partners before the cyclone, help ensure those grappling with the crisis can receive critical sexual and reproductive health care. Mounting needs as access and assistance are limited Reaching people in need was already a challenge in parts of both Rakhine and the northwest due to ongoing conflict and restrictions on movement and supply transportation, and now roads and bridges have been destroyed by flooding. Ms. Nway was among those who received assistance from one of the mobile facilities in Sittwe. “I’m so lucky that this mobile clinic comes to our door for pregnant women like us,” she said. “There are many women who need urgent health care and support in affected areas.” Over a month on from the cyclone, humanitarian needs in cyclone-struck areas are enormous. Those affected include some 432,000 women and girls of reproductive age, including over 20,700 who are currently pregnant; around 2,300 of these women were due to give birth over the past month, in the chaotic aftermath of the crisis. Mya Khin, 37, from the Min Hla village in Sittwe said: “I am nine months pregnant. My house was severely damaged by the cyclone […] What I need most is quality health care for a safe delivery. I am very happy that this mobile clinic is reaching us at this critical time. I received the services and information that are important for my pregnancy.” Dr Win Zaw Tun, a medical officer with the Myanmar Medical Association in Say Thamar Kyi village in Sittwe, explained the gravity of the situation many are facing. “Pregnant women can experience many health-related issues unless services are available. Women with high-risk pregnancies are more likely to [be in] critical condition. They need continuous care and even early referral in case of emergency.” Multiple and multiplying risks The storm also disrupted community support systems and services to prevent and respond to gender-based violence. Most of the UNFPA-supported safe spaces for women and girls in central and northern Rakhine have been damaged, while power outages, dilapidated water and toilet facilities and overcrowded living conditions that lack privacy, sanitation and proper lighting are exacerbating these risks. With the scale of the needs in Myanmar, UNFPA urgently requires funding to support sexual and reproductive health services, including gender-based violence response and mental health and psychosocial support, rehabilitating health facilities, deploying trained midwives and other critical cadres and procuring essential medicines, clean delivery kits and dignity kits. With the serious gaps in health infrastructure, it is imperative to ensure emergency sexual and reproductive health services to help prevent maternal deaths, sexual violence, unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV. Yet many, like Dr. Win and his team, are committed to staying and supporting thousands in desperate need of their help, whatever the conditions. “Although our clinic building was completely destroyed by Cyclone Mocha, we have made a tent to provide the services,” he said. “Our life-saving services must not stop under any kind of emergency.”..."
Source/publisher: United Nations Population Fund (New York)
2023-07-03
Date of entry/update: 2023-07-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Children paying a high price for engaging in work in Myanmar Survey reveals poverty a main driver of child labour in Yangon Region, Ayeyarwady Region and Kayin State with dangerous work and long hours common. Yangon, Myanmar (ILO News) – A new report assessing the situation of working children in Myanmar shows the extent to which children are working to support their families and the high incidence of hazardous work they engage in. More than 70 per cent of working children interviewed in an assessment by ILO Myanmar’s Asia Regional Child Labour Project (ARC) in the Yangon Region, Ayeyarwady Region and Kayin State were working primarily due to financial challenges in their households. School closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the political crisis had also driven children to work, further exacerbating child labour. Even after schools re-opened, many children did not return to school due to safety concerns resulting from the political instability in the country. A third of children interviewed in the three areas were in domestic work with others primarily in agriculture, manufacturing, and wholesale and retail trade – many of whom were working long hours for low pay. The assessment also found that children were often performing hazardous work and dangerous tasks. Almost 90 per cent of children interviewed who were working in construction sector carried heavy loads and over 80 per cent worked long hours under the sun without a break. Many interviewed children reported that they experienced accidents and injuries, with minor injuries being the most frequent, followed by bruises, bumps and swelling. “More than half of working children in this assessment said they wanted to have an education if given the chance, reflecting the extent to which work has interfered with their aspirations to go to school. This situation has only been made worse since COVID-19 and the nationwide conflicts caused by political crisis.,” said Donglin Li, Liaison Officer and Representative, ILO Myanmar. Communities and employers in the three regions appeared largely unaware of the laws relating to the minimum age for employing children. Some employers, notably in the agriculture sector, indicated that they preferred to employ children because they can be easily controlled, paid less, and do not frequently complain. Others employed children who accompanied their parents to work due to safety concerns at home. To effectively address child labour issues in Myanmar, the report provides recommendations for appropriate awareness raising, advocacy and overarching key policy interventions to be pursued, when the situation allows. ILO’s ARC Project is a regional project implemented by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan. The assessment released to mark the World Day Against Child Labour on 12 June 2023 was prepared with financial support from Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) of the Government of the United Kingdom..."
Source/publisher: International Labour Organization (Geneva)
2023-06-30
Date of entry/update: 2023-07-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: 3.52 MB
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Description: "1 Introduction More than one billion people experience some form of disability globally. The disability prevalence rate is higher in developing countries and among marginalised groups such as women, older people, those in the poorest wealth quantile, and those living in rural areas. Persons with disabilities who belong to these groups are more likely to experience challenges accessing essential social services such as education, health, and employment, further pushing them to the margins of society. In Myanmar, the disability prevalence rate is 12.8 per cent, which is about 5.9 million people. According to the latest intercensal survey conducted in 2019, the country follows the global trend – disability prevalence is higher among women than men, older people, and those living in rural areas. Recognising that persons with disabilities in Myanmar face challenges in different spheres of life, hence the need to promote and protect their rights, the Government of Myanmar ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) on December 07, 2011. The ratification of the CRPD paved the way to enact the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2015 and the by-law/regulations in 2017. Nevertheless, marginalisation is still present among the members of the disability sector in Myanmar as they are less likely to receive education, gain decent employment, marry, or have access to various amenities and facilities enjoyed by those without disabilities. In particular, there is an urgent need to address the situation of women and girls with disabilities who experience discrimination at the intersection of their gender and disability. Their situation is further exacerbated by the country's Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the ongoing military coup d’état. Since 1973, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Myanmar has provided continuous support to different target priorities, including sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and the prevention of gender-based violence (GBV). One key programme that promotes these priorities is the Women and Girls First (WGF) Programme. This multi-year and multi-donor initiative supports the integrated service delivery of SRHR and GBV response programming across humanitarian, peacebuilding, and development nexus. The Programme’s second phase (2019-2022) focuses on integrating SRHR, GBV prevention and response interventions, and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services to safeguard the rights of women and girls to access comprehensive services that are essential in achieving their rights. To ensure that persons with disabilities are not left behind in the delivery of integrated SRHR, GBV and MHPSS services, the UNFPA WGF Programme commissioned this study to identify the needs of persons with disabilities at the programme level. This study included identifying the barriers to and facilitators of the services delivered by the WGF Programme’s implementing partners and formulating recommendations to improve the disability inclusion component in the delivery of integrated SRHR, GBV and MHPSS services..."
Source/publisher: United Nations Population Fund
2023-06-28
Date of entry/update: 2023-06-28
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: 1.91 MB (208 pages) - Original version
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Description: "SITUATION ANALYSIS Description of the crisis Cyclonic Storm Mocha caused extensive devastation in the country, affecting regions already facing challenges due to civil unrest, armed clashes, a changing climate and a fragile economy. The cyclone brought about destructive storm surges, heavy rainfall, and flooding, impacting areas such as Rakhine, Chin, Magway, Ayeyarwady, Mandalay, and Sagaing. The State Administration Council responded by declaring natural disaster areas in Rakhine and Chin states. The Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS), as an independent humanitarian actor as enshrined in the Myanmar Red Cross Society Law of 2015, has a specific response role when a declaration of natural disasters is issued. According to analysis from MRCS’s branches, over 1,100,000 individuals from over 237,000 households are affected, with a large number of semi-permanent and temporary shelters damaged or destroyed, leaving over 200,000 houses in need of repair. Water systems, sanitation facilities, public and community infrastructure, including hospitals, clinics, schools, and religious buildings, as well as transportation infrastructure, suffered severe damage or complete destruction. Livelihoods have been severely disrupted with the loss of livestock and floods that impacted croplands. The cyclone's aftermath has led to increased prices of basic goods, and the situation has taken a toll on the physical and mental health of the affected population. Disrupted access to healthcare, medicine shortages, and the risks posed by landmines in flooded conflict areas further exacerbate the challenges. Urgent measures are required to protect and support unaccompanied children, the needs of women and girls and other populations in situations of vulnerability. The cyclone occurred within an already challenging humanitarian context in Myanmar. At the end of 2022, OCHA identified that over 17.6 million people would be in humanitarian need in Myanmar in 20231. Prior to the 1 February 2021 military intervention, Rakhine state already registered over 220,000 internally displaced people (IDP). In the past two years, through the end of April 2023, an additional 10,000 people were displaced within the state2. The MRCS, with support from the IFRC network, has maintained long-term programming in Rakhine state since large-scale violence erupted in the north of the state in 2012. Through its branch and community-level principled humanitarian actions, MRCS is a well-known humanitarian actor. Like all humanitarian actors, MRCS also has experienced challenges to maintain its continual access to communities in need and advocates with the relevant stakeholders based on its humanitarian mission. In the second week of June 2023, access to areas in Rakhine state for the cyclone response was temporarily suspended for humanitarian organisations, though previously planned and agreed humanitarian activities could proceed in line with usual processes. The authorities have indicated that actors’ Cyclone Mocha response activities must be coordinated with the National Disaster Management Committee and abide with the regular coordination with the respective line ministries. Aligned with its established functions enshrined in national law, the MRCS, with IFRC support, is engaged in humanitarian diplomacy to obtain access to reach populations in need within this response operation, as well as in the ongoing programmatic actions. The IFRC continues to support MRCS with strategic and operational guidance, as well as engaging with other humanitarian actors as needed, to strengthen the National Society’s capacities to remain and be perceived as an effective and efficient principled humanitarian actor. Summary of the response Overview of the host National Society and ongoing response The Myanmar Red Cross Society is an independent humanitarian organization that operates impartially and neutrally. Its role as an auxiliary to the state in the humanitarian field, operating in line with the Red Cross Red Crescent Fundamental Principles, is enshrined in the Myanmar Red Cross Society Law of 2015. The MRCS has a strong presence with over a thousand trained Emergency Response Team (ERT) volunteers and 44,000 members nationwide, including 7,994 core Red Cross Volunteers (RCV) active at the community level. The organization has 23 warehouses strategically located throughout the country to support preparedness and response efforts. It also has regional and state branches across the country, and a substantial presence in various operational hubs in Rakhine State, under the management of the MRCS Rakhine Operations Management Unit established over the past decade. During this reporting period, 962 volunteers were deployed to aid the most affected communities since the cyclone made landfall. The MRCS has established communication channels and built relationships with local authorities and communities in the affected areas through its local staff, volunteers, and branches. This enables them to reach vulnerable communities and provide immediate humanitarian assistance. Through its community presence, MRCS has access on the ground and has collected data as well as assessed the impact of Cyclone Mocha in Rakhine State and Magway and Ayeyarwady regions in particular. In anticipation of the cyclone, the MRCS activated its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) one week before landfall and initiated preparedness measures and early actions well in advance. Prior to landfall, MRCS volunteers in the projected path and impact zone assisted with evacuations, conducted awareness campaigns, and gathered preliminary data. After the cyclone made landfall, on 14 May, MRCS branches mobilized their volunteers to engage in rescue operations, clear roads and debris, provide first aid and psychosocial support, and collect initial observations and data. MRCS also mobilized its existing operational resources to respond to the aftermath, deploying trained expert personnel to directly provide assistance and support services such as logistics and supply chain. As of 14 June 2023, MRCS has reached 147,142 people (28,694 households) with relief assistance, including shelter, livelihood support, clean water, and essential household items. A total of 4,650 individuals from 930 households received shelter assistance through distribution of tarpaulins, family kits and blankets. In the hardest-hit region of Rakhine State, MRCS distributed 549,210 liters of safe drinking water, along with 19,000 liters of domestic water to affected communities. To uphold the dignity of the affected communities, hygiene parcels for families, specialized hygiene kits for men, and dignity kits for women were distributed in various affected regions, including Rakhine, Magway, Yangon, Ayeyarwady, Bago, and Mandalay. Around 6,985 individuals were reached with these items. Additionally, MRCS distributed 112 sets of children's clothing to support affected children. MRCS's mobile health clinics in Rakhine have provided assistance to 1,616 individuals since it started on 17 May. Operational coordination meetings are regularly organized in collaboration with the IFRC, involving in-country partners and the ICRC, to provide technical and planning support to MRCS for the response. MRCS, IFRC and ICRC meet in Movement tripartite meetings at a strategic level. The regular tripartite security cell meetings are being used for regular risk analysis and security planning. Moreover, MRCS and IFRC are observers in HCT meetings and Cluster coordination as part of their external coordination efforts. IFRC together with MRCS have been actively engaging the IFRC network, both in-country and remotely, to work on a Federation-wide approach. The development of the Federation-wide Operational Strategy involved a shared leadership approach, drawing upon the expertise of the IFRC network and past experiences from drafting the Unified Plan and the ongoing New Way of Working. To ensure efficient communication and reporting, the monitoring and reporting mechanisms are also coordinated under one single reporting system, aiming to streamline communication and reporting channels between the MRCS and the IFRC network. In addition, the IFRC network had mobilized three rapid response personnel (surge) for the operation, including for the combined Myanmar Shelter/ NFI/ CCCM Clusterto enhance and complement the existing coordination structure. To ensure efficient communication and reporting, the monitoring and reporting mechanisms are also coordinated under one single reporting system, aiming to streamline communication and reporting channels between the MRCS and the IFRC network. In order to provide ongoing assistance to the MRCS in Rakhine state, which is most severely affected by cyclone Mocha, the IFRC Myanmar Delegation deployed a Senior Services Manager for two weeks and Senior Operations Officer for two weeks. Future deployments by IFRC country delegation staff are planned. Their presence allows for support to the MRCS, as well as participation in the coordination structures at Rakhine state level. The IFRC is contributing to MRCS-led collaborative efforts to develop and execute a comprehensive assistance plan..."
Source/publisher: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-06-23
Date of entry/update: 2023-06-23
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: 1.47 MB (Original version) - 18 pages
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Description: "In August 2017, a violent military crackdown against the Rohingya population in Myanmar led many to flee the country in search of safety. In Myanmar, the Rohingya – an ethnic, religious, and linguistic minority – have faced discrimination for over 40 years. In 2017, the violence escalated into genocide, with security forces killing thousands and burning down over 400 villages. The majority, nearly 1 million Rohingya, found refuge in Bangladesh’s Cox Bazar district and on the island of Bhasan Char. While the Rohingya refugees have escaped persecution from the Myanmar forces, life is difficult in the refugee camps in Cox Bazar and Bhasan Char. With 773,000 Rohingya located in Cox Bazar, and more than 30,000 in Bhasan Char, the scale of the influx of refugees has put a serious strain on services. The situation is getting more dire by the year due to the protracted nature of the humanitarian crisis and decreasing funding. Rohingya’s refugees are currently the world’s largest stateless population in the world, and most of them are still without formal refugee status. In Bangladesh, many are unable to access education or are able to earn an income, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and serious protection risks. Living in refugee camps, they depend entirely on humanitarian aid. Tensions have increased within the camps but also with host communities to such an extent that, since 2019, Bangladesh has erected fences around the camps. Now the Rohingya are no longer allowed to own cell phones or access the internet. At the end of December 2021, many refugees were relocated to a submersible island, the island of Bhasan Char. To date, international NGOs have little information on the real living conditions of the Rohingyas in this location. BGD-WAR-ROHINGYAS Bangladesh is recognized as one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world: the climate crisis has further exacerbated the risk of natural hazards like cyclones, floods, landslides and earthquakes. Bangladesh has done a lot to mitigate the risk of climate disaster through the development of emergency preparedness mechanisms that have already saved countless lives during major disasters. Nonetheless, the frequency, severity and unpredictability of these disasters will only continue to increase as global warming, environmental degradation and population growth continue to escalate. This leaves the Rohingya population in the country at extreme risk and humanitarian needs are only going to continue to grow. DOCTORS OF THE WORLD ACTION FOR ROHINGYA REFUGEES Shortly after the massive influx of Rohingya into Bangladesh in September 2017, Doctors of the World (DotW) began medical treatment in camps. Our efforts have focused on strengthening the capacities of local associations with the aim of improving access to mental health and psychosocial care services and to better support victims of gender-based violence. We have provided training to the staff of numerous associations working in Cox’s Bazar. Since 2018, when the emergency response took hold, our support has shifted to outreach to people who need medical care but cannot get to clinics to help them access healthcare. We have also been working on awareness raising activities for disease prevention and health maintenance / promotion in the community, and nurturing community support mechanisms. DotW works with Rohingya volunteers so that they educate and empower their peers themselves. With many Rohingya struggling with trauma from their experience in Myanmar and many struggling with gender-based violence, our humanitarian mission has focused heavily on creating safe spaces that can provide healthcare as well as psychosocial support. Currently, four Community Resource Centers (in the camps and for the host populations) have been built: they constitute spaces of confidentiality and work to build trust and support people with specialized healthcare and mental health support. Furthermore, during Covid-19 epidemic, DotW and its partners put in place responses to the humanitarian emergency in Bangladesh, by organizing massive information and awareness campaigns for host populations. Through our work at Doctors of the World we have: Supported 56 community groups in terms of access to health and management of gender-based violence and people requiring mental health and psychosocial support, Accompanied 202 victims of gender-based violence with mental health and psychosocial support, Informed and educated 10,064 people about gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health, and mental and psychosocial health. Nonetheless, there are still larger, more complex issues that are preventing Rohingya people from settling. Many cannot see clear prospects in their future and are spending their days in limbo, still longing to return home. Without a clear documentation status the Rohingya population is unable to leave the camps, receives education or finds work..."
Source/publisher: Médecins du Monde
2023-06-22
Date of entry/update: 2023-06-22
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh is home to the largest complex of camps hosting people displaced from neighbouring Myanmar. Many struggle to cope with lives within these scattered fenced-off areas where it can be hard to stay in contact and even reunite with lost family members. Sazida is cooking food for the extended family, while her husband, Mohammed Rafik, is busy with routine chit-chat with neighbours. Sazida’s in-laws are out to pick up their share of regular relief aid from the nearby distribution point within the fenced area. This is a stark reminder of the reality and why this late afternoon, that may seem to be a day like many others in Cox’s Bazar, is also a place where nothing is as usual, being home to the world’s largest refugee camp complex. Shaded from the burning sun, Sazida’s daughters Rashni (8) and Saika (4) are playing with their infant sister Joynab (8 months). They are still adjusting to their new shelter and home in Camp 8 West in Cox’s Bazar. This time, however, the change is for the better and has allowed them to improve their lives despite being displaced from their home country, Myanmar, visible in the distant horizon where the mountain peaks are seen. Sazida’s family fled from Myanmar in August 2017, when there was a crackdown with violence and persecution targeting the Rohingya – a Muslim minority from Myanmar. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya fled to seek protection and safety in Bangladesh where they were received and have been hosted since then. Rashni was the only child that Sazida and her husband had at the time. It took them four days to reach Cox’s Bazar from Maungdaw from where they fled with other relatives and neighbours. The chaos and panic in the crowds fleeing for their lives and separated the small family from their relatives. At Camp 26 in Cox’s Bazar, Sazida, Rafik, and Rashni were allocated a basic shelter made from bamboo sticks and tarpaulin. They soon heard news of their relatives who had sought refuge at Camp 8 West. In the years that followed, Sazida gave birth in Cox’s Bazar to two more girl children. In January 2021, their world changed, Sazida tells, as this was when her husband had an accident: ‘It felt as if the entire sky dropped on my head.’ It happened when Rafik was at the market in the camp. He was inside a tomtom (small van for transport) when a minibus struck it. It caused him severe injuries and a fractured leg: ‘We were allowed to leave them camp for emergency medical help. Sazida took me to nearby Chittagong district for treatment with the doctor’s referral. I was unable to move for a long time and thought I would never be able to walk again. After six months, an NGO gave me a wheelchair, and I gradually started to move with it,’ tells Rafik. This accident not only affected Rafik, but also Sazida and the children. ‘Our main challenge was that it was too hard for us to collect relief aid goods from the centre. It was far from our shelter and with nobody to take care of the children, cook or bring water, and manage daily chores while we continue my husband’s treatment. He required care and medication. I was on my own in this and felt that I was surviving all alone,’ says Sazida. Change was needed to support her husband’s healing and recovery. Sazida needed help from the family, but they too were living in a camp that is also a fenced-off area, but she decided to discuss the matter with her father-in-law in Camp 8 West. ‘In July 2022, we decided that we would try to be relocated to Camp 8 West where my in-law's family was. And so, I went to a Camp-in-Charge and applied for permission to visit my in-laws. When this was granted, I went to apply for relocation. That was when I met DRC’s Protection Office at Camp 8 West and asked for help to guide the process,’ tells Sazida. DRC accompanied her to the authorities in Camp 8 West and after hearing her story, they requested DRC to investigate the situation and prepare a report. Her circumstances were described in the evaluation report and convinced local authorities of the need to start the process of relocation. ‘We tried our best to assist the family to relocate. With the instructions from Camp-in-Charge, we worked with colleagues from the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) to complete the application and permission procedure,’ says DRC Protection Officer Rawnakul Alam. Shortly after, Sazida and her family moved to Camp 8 West and joined their in-laws there in July 2022. ‘When I first learned of Rafik's accident two years ago, I cried and worried about his wife and kids. I prayed to Allah. Now that they are close by, I can see my grandchildren playing and my son is improving,’ tells Salamot, the father of Rafik. Rafik no longer requires a wheelchair. Instead, he walks cautiously while using a stick and is more at ease than previously. Sazida does not need to go for water or to pick up their aid rations since her brother-in-law is now there to assist her with the heavy lifting. The daughters play with their grandfather as new friends. ‘It's important to make the right decision, but it's also important to ask for the right assistance. I tried, and together we succeeded. Here, my husband receives the right care, and I no longer have stress and the same worries. I am grateful for my family's support as well as for DRC and other NGOs who helped with our relocation. My daughters are smiling, and it brings me the most joy right now,’ says Sazida..."
Source/publisher: Danish Refugee Council
2023-06-20
Date of entry/update: 2023-06-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: Restrictions on Humanitarian Access, Supplies, Movement Threaten Millions
Description: "The Myanmar junta’s increasing obstruction of humanitarian aid in the month since Cyclone Mocha has put thousands of lives at immediate risk and endangered millions of people. The junta’s aid blockages have hindered every aspect of the cyclone response and turned an extreme weather event into a man-made catastrophe. Governments should press the junta to lift all restrictions on aid delivery without relenting on the need to hold junta officials responsible for their ongoing human rights abuses. (Bangkok) – The Myanmar junta’s increasing obstruction of humanitarian aid in the month since Cyclone Mocha has put thousands of lives at immediate risk and endangered millions of people, Human Rights Watch said today. Since the cyclone made landfall on May 14, 2023, junta authorities have refused to authorize travel and visas for aid workers, release urgent supplies from customs and warehouses, or relax onerous and unnecessary restrictions on lifesaving assistance. The persistence of Cyclone Mocha’s damage and resulting illness and deaths reflect the junta’s new as well as existing restrictions on aid. Donors, regional bodies, and the United Nations should press the junta to lift all restrictions on aid delivery without relenting on the need to hold junta officials responsible for past and ongoing human rights abuses. “The junta’s moves to block aid have turned an extreme weather event into a man-made catastrophe,” said Shayna Bauchner, Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Donors should press the junta to drop their politically motivated obstruction and allow desperately needed aid to reach all cyclone survivors.” Cyclone Mocha was one of the strongest cyclones to ever hit the region, with maximum sustained winds of 250 kilometers per hour leaving a trail of destruction. The UN estimates that 7.9 million people were affected, with 1.6 million in need of urgent aid across 5 Myanmar states and regions, Rakhine, Chin, Sagaing, Magway, and Kachin. Hundreds were killed and hundreds of thousands of buildings damaged. Telecommunication outages have delayed outreach and needs assessments, further isolating communities. Human Rights Watch interviewed aid workers and people in affected communities who described how the junta’s failed relief response has been deliberate. Humanitarian aid staff, who asked that their names not be used for fear of junta retribution, told Human Rights Watch that since the cyclone, the junta’s access restrictions have hindered their agencies’ ability to conduct needs assessments, distribute relief supplies, and provide emergency medical care. Many aid workers, local activists, and villagers expressed the view that the junta was seeking to use the cyclone response to legitimize and bolster its control. On June 8, after weeks of appeals by humanitarian organizations for unrestricted access, the junta formalized its obstruction by issuing a blanket suspension of travel authorizations for aid groups in Rakhine State, reversing initial approvals granted in early June. The ban followed a letter requiring the UN and international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs) to hand over all domestic distribution of relief supplies to junta authorities. Meanwhile, villagers have continued to report massive levels of unaddressed needs, including destroyed shelters, injuries and waterborne illnesses, malnourishment, and lack of access to food and clean water. “It is unfathomable that humanitarians are being denied access to support people in need,” the acting UN resident and humanitarian coordinator, Ramanathan Balakrishnan, said following the suspension. “Just when vulnerable communities need our help the most, we have been forced to stop distributions of food, drinking water, and shelter supplies. This denial of access unnecessarily prolongs the suffering of those without food to eat or a roof over their head.” The junta named 18 generals to oversee “rehabilitation processes” in disaster-affected townships, led by the junta’s deputy prime minister, Adm. Tin Aung San, and its minister of border affairs, Lt. Gen. Tun Tun Naung, both of whom are sanctioned by the United States, European Union, and Canada. The generals assigned to townships in Rakhine State include Brig. Gen. Sunny Ohn, who served as deputy commander in Rakhine State during the military’s 2017 campaign of crimes against humanity and acts of genocide against the Rohingya, and Lt. Gen. Aye Win, who led two investigations in 2017 that covered up military atrocities. The junta’s actions have been felt by those in need. “The junta isn’t doing anything on its own and won’t let international organizations help,” a Rohingya man from Thae Chaung camp in Rakhine State told Human Rights Watch. “Why they’re doing that, I don’t understand. Children are suffering. We need shelter, we need food, we need medical support. The monsoon season is just starting. We fear more rain.” The junta’s interference in relief operations disregards multiple international calls regarding humanitarian aid, most notably the five-point consensus from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the December 2022 UN Security Council resolution, which urged “full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access.” The junta’s grave violations of international human rights and humanitarian law have only increased since the December resolution. The Security Council should urgently pass a follow-up resolution instituting a global arms embargo, referring the situation to the International Criminal Court, and imposing sanctions on the junta leadership and military-owned businesses. The global humanitarian response has received only 15 percent of the US$887 million needed for the year, $333 million of which is earmarked for the cyclone response. Donors should increase funding while seeking ways to channel aid through local civil society groups, rather than through junta authorities, given the military’s track record of corruption and misuse of disaster assistance funding and material. Effective aid delivery hinges on engaging local partners that have the networks and experience to navigate a difficult environment, Human Rights Watch said. “Governments seeking to help the people of Myanmar facing this or future humanitarian crises need to recognize that the military junta will only be a dangerous obstacle to reaching that goal,” Bauchner said. “The lives of countless thousands of people across the country are at risk because of generals who are determined to maintain their tight grip on power at any cost.” Humanitarian Catastrophe Since the February 2021 military coup, Myanmar’s junta has carried out a nationwide campaign of crimes against humanity and war crimes, deliberately blocking aid from reaching millions at risk, as a form of collective punishment. The blockages sustain the military’s longstanding “four cuts” strategy, in which the armed forces maintain control of an area by isolating and terrorizing the civilian population. One week before Cyclone Mocha, the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, reported that “humanitarian access continues to deteriorate because of bureaucracy, multiple checkpoints, movement restrictions, conflicts and roadblocks.” The number of people needing assistance in the country has grown from 1 million before the coup to 17.6 million, according to the UN, with almost half the population now living below the national poverty line. About 1.2 million people displaced by conflict and insecurity were living in areas affected by the storm. Since the coup, the junta has arrested hundreds of local aid and healthcare workers. In October 2022, it imposed a new Organization Registration Law requiring domestic and international organizations to register with the junta and submit quarterly updates on their activities, with criminal penalties of up to five years in prison for failing to comply. The law prohibits organizations from direct or indirect contact with any opposition groups, and requires organizations seeking to deliver emergency disaster relief to obtain approval from local junta administrators by submitting information on funding, materials, and proposed projects. The junta’s obstruction of aid violates international human rights law obligations regarding the rights to life, health, and shelter. All parties to an armed conflict are obligated to facilitate rapid and unimpeded impartial humanitarian assistance to all civilians in need, and are forbidden from withholding consent for relief operations on arbitrary grounds. Expert guidance commissioned by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) states that in exceptional situations, such as when a country is unlawfully impeding lifesaving assistance, international organizations may, without the country’s consent, “conduct temporary humanitarian relief operations to bring life-saving supplies to a people in extreme need, when no alternatives exist,” and when they would not “seriously impair the territorial integrity of the state.” Inadequate Warning Authorities were effectively detaining about 600,000 Rohingya in camps and villages when the storm hit Rakhine State, having long denied them freedom of movement and other basic rights, amounting to a system of apartheid. Rohingya told Human Rights Watch that while local junta authorities made evacuation announcements a few days before the cyclone, they provided little support to find shelter or transportation, and did not adequately communicate the storm’s risks. Some Rohingya said they tried to take shelter at Sittwe University and in other concrete buildings but returned home because the sites were full. “Authorities made an announcement about an incoming cyclone but they didn’t tell us how devastating it could be,” a Rohingya man living in Rakhine’s Dar Paing camp said. “They just told people to leave their homes, but didn’t say where to go. No one from the junta or NGOs came to help move people. So people stayed in their shelters and were injured or died. We thought it would be like the other storms we face every year. We never realized it would be so catastrophic.” From Rakhine State, the cyclone moved inland to the country’s northwest, where the civilian population has faced military attacks, displacement, movement restrictions, and internet shutdowns for over two years. Villagers from Matupi, Kanpetlet, and Mindat townships in Chin State, all under martial law, reported that the junta closed major roads after the cyclone hit. In Sagaing and Magway Regions, where almost a million people have been displaced by airstrikes and fighting since the coup, flooding has destroyed large swathes of farmland, while shifting landmines and unexploded ordnance increased the risk to villagers. Post-Cyclone Blocking of Aid The junta’s restrictions on access, movement, banking, and the import and transport of critical nutrition, housing, and medical supplies have hindered every aspect of the cyclone response. In early May, in preparation for the cyclone, international agencies submitted travel authorization requests for pre-approval, a highly bureaucratic and arbitrary process. For weeks, the junta delayed issuing new travel authorizations and visas for emergency relief staff and experts, leaving many groups reliant on local partners and existing field staff who themselves were affected by the cyclone. Following negotiations, some travel authorizations were issued in early June, only to be revoked in the June 8 order blocking all existing access for aid groups in Rakhine State. “The humanitarian access situation in cyclone-hit Rakhine State has deteriorated,” OCHA reported on June 9. “The suspension of access in Rakhine brings a stop to activities that have been reaching hundreds of thousands of people.” Humanitarian staff reported that some access requests were briefly approved by state-level junta authorities before being overturned by the junta in the capital, Naypyidaw. OCHA, which is coordinating the emergency response, submitted a detailed two-week plan for the transport and distribution of supplies in Rakhine and Chin States to junta authorities in Naypyidaw the week of May 22. After weeks with no response, OCHA reported on June 9 that “initial approval for humanitarian distribution and transport plans across 11 townships have also been rescinded.” On June 7, the junta issued a letter to the UN asserting that beyond Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, all domestic distribution of relief supplies would be managed by the relevant state-level junta authorities. The junta has claimed that it is overseeing an extensive, effective disaster response. Junta spokesman Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun told the BBC that the junta “has allowed local and international organizations helping recovery efforts in line with rules and regulations.” A junta diplomat in Thailand claimed baselessly in an opinion article that the junta’s early warning system and relief efforts have demonstrated its “management capability, efficient action, and ability to plan long-term.” Residents from coastal Rakhine State said there was no support for search-and-rescue operations after the storm. “How many are still missing, no one knows,” the man from Thae Chaung camp said. “I saw many bodies afterward. I attended ten funerals including two of my relatives. The junta could have evacuated us to buildings in town, but they did not. If the diaspora hadn’t sent some assistance after the cyclone, many more Rohingya would have died.” Local aid workers told Human Rights Watch about new roadblocks and increased scrutiny at military checkpoints, amplifying the risk of arbitrary detention, harassment, and confiscation of supplies. Junta officials have blocked staff from transporting food, housing materials, and medical goods between townships, at times demanding they turn the supplies over to the junta. The authorities have also exacted bribes at Sittwe airport from staff bringing in cash and supplies. The junta’s General Administration Department has denied local activists’ requests to collect aid for storm victims. “The INGOs and NGOs are unable to provide assistance to us,” a man from Sittwe said. “The junta authorities told them that if any humanitarian wants to help us, they have to work with the junta. It makes it difficult for them to help us independently. So we are suffering. We do not have shelters now, or any aid.” On May 23, junta officials detained and interrogated five ethnic Rakhine aid workers transporting relief supplies from Sittwe to Ponnagyun township for alleged connections with “illegal” media outlets. They released the aid workers the following day. On June 2, officials arrested eight aid workers at a junta checkpoint in Mrauk-U while they were trying to distribute supplies. The Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group, along with its political wing, the United League of Arakan, has requested international support for its relief efforts, having strengthened its control across central and northern Rakhine State since the coup. Local activists expressed concerns that the junta was using the cyclone response to regain a foothold in the state, by both enforcing restrictions to undermine the Arakan Army’s efforts as well as reinforcing junta troops through its own minimal outreach. On May 19, the junta threatened to take legal action against media reporting “false news” about the cyclone, including reports with higher death tolls. The statement claimed that 97 people died, and only because they had refused to be evacuated by the junta. The opposition National Unity Government tallied more than 450 deaths. Shelters Destroyed Humanitarian agencies said that in camps and villages in low-lying central and northern Rakhine State, nearly all shelters were damaged or destroyed, along with latrines, wells, and other infrastructure. “All of Sittwe is damaged,” a Rohingya man said of the Rakhine State capital. “It looks like a graveyard.” About 140,000 Rohingya have been confined to camps in central Rakhine State since 2012, sheltered in bamboo longhouses designed to last just two years. For more than 10 years, the authorities denied aid agencies’ requests for adequate land and resources to improve safety in the flood-prone former paddy fields and low-lying coastal areas where the camps sit. Fewer than half of all camp shelters had received any repair over the past two years. The resulting damage has been massive, with most Rohingya interviewed by Human Rights Watch saying that shelter is their greatest need. Many people who lost their houses have been living in tents made of debris along roads, in paddy fields, or in other overcrowded and ad hoc displacement sites. Markets have begun to reopen but prices for building materials and food have skyrocketed. “So many Rohingya in the camps are living under an open sky,” the man from Dar Paing camp said. “My shelter was fully destroyed but we survived. People are using htamein [skirts] as temporary roofs. No one is coming to help us.” In the northwest, roadblocks and ongoing fighting are preventing people from reaching towns to buy building materials, while local aid workers have been blocked at checkpoints from moving supplies and cash. Food Aid Withheld A humanitarian agency reported that “80 per cent of households surveyed in Rakhine stated their communities and neighbors are struggling to access food.” Residents of some camps and villages in Rakhine State said they had received small rations of rice, beans, and oil from junta officials following the cyclone. “But it was finished after two days,” a man said. Some villagers reported being charged for rice and roofing sheets delivered by local junta officials to cover “transportation costs.” Others have relied on community donations to avoid starvation. Aid workers said that the supplies distributed by junta officials – extremely limited in scope, without consideration of communities’ needs – appear to be little more than a propaganda opportunity, with photos splashed across state media. Local media reported that a military ceremony allegedly providing supplies to survivors in Matupi township was nothing more than a photo op, with junta officials leaving with the aid that they were photographed distributing. The World Food Programme had been distributing food assistance but, even prior to the June 8 suspension, the organization was facing dwindling supplies, transport restrictions, and difficulty reaching northern Rakhine and the northwest due to lack of travel authorizations. “Wider access for distributions is urgently needed, along with permission to transport humanitarian supplies from in-country warehouses and into Myanmar from other countries,” OCHA reported. Cyclone flooding has caused massive destruction to paddy fields, seed storage, livestock, and other means of agricultural and fishing livelihoods, exacerbating the vulnerability of populations already facing losses due to conflict and the country’s economic freefall. The coup triggered widespread infrastructure collapse and a severe devaluation of the Myanmar currency, leading to increasingly dire banking and supply chain crises and shortages of food, medicine, and other essentials. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization estimated that about 327,000 hectares of agricultural land were affected by flooding, and at least half of all fishing equipment in Sittwe was damaged or destroyed. Disease, Damaged Health Facilities Communities have been reporting outbreaks of diarrhea and skin infections, particularly among children, while health workers warn of heightened risks of waterborne and communicable diseases in the weeks ahead. “We’re facing a shortage of drinking water,” the man from Dar Paing camp said. “During the cyclone, the sea water entered our ponds. We are still tasting water like salt.” The cyclone caused significant damage to hospitals and clinics, compounded by the junta’s severe restrictions on health care. Rohingya in Sittwe and Pauktaw camps reported little to no access to mobile health services. “So many injured Rohingya still need medical attention,” a man from Sittwe said. “Some kind doctors came from Yangon to help us, but it’s not enough.” “Health partners continue to face persistent challenges in accessing the most severely affected areas,” OCHA reported on June 9. “Wider access is crucial to effectively extend health services, allocate resources, and carry out early warning and outbreak investigations.” Following the suspension of its travel authorizations, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders or MSF) Myanmar tweeted: “This will desperately hurt communities as we will be unable to open primary healthcare clinics, facilitate emergency referrals or provide much needed emergency relief items. People impacted by the cyclone … will continue to suffer enormously if this decision is not reversed.” The UN reported that “the impact of Cyclone Mocha will deprive more children and pregnant and lactating women of access to timely and lifesaving nutrition treatment and support, contributing to increased morbidity and mortality.” Humanitarian agencies reported that the junta is denying access to even assess nutrition needs and disseminate guidance on feeding infants in emergencies. Rates of severe acute malnutrition have spiked this year, yet only nine percent of children in need received lifesaving nutrition treatment in the first quarter of 2023, with assistance “severely hampered by access constraints, restrictive humanitarian space, displacement, and uncertainty around the importation of nutrition therapeutic products.” For 2 years, junta authorities refused to provide customs clearance for 77 cases of medicine, healthcare equipment, and nutrition supplements. Urgent Need for Protection “Increasing protection risks require urgent attention,” OCHA reported, “including threats to safety and security, unexploded ordnance (UXOs), sexual and gender-based violence, loss of civil documentation, looting, extortion, and robbery. New negative coping mechanisms observed include borrowing money at high interest, and children begging for food due to the lack of job opportunities, which might lead to child labor, exploitation, and abuse.” OCHA also reported cases of suicide attempts, “primarily among women and girls who were affected by the cyclone and are experiencing psychological distress after the storm.” Landmines and improvised explosive devices that may have been dislodged by landslides and flooding pose an ongoing risk, especially as people clear debris in previously safe areas. Myanmar was one of only a handful of states to use antipersonnel landmines in 2022, with casualties spiking since the coup. Over 60 percent of landmine incidents in the first quarter of 2023 took place in areas affected by Cyclone Mocha, and landmine contamination has been reported in almost 300 villages since the storm. On May 24, one person was killed and five were injured by a landmine in Hakha, Chin State, where post-cyclone landslides had been reported..."
Source/publisher: Human Rights Watch (USA)
2023-06-20
Date of entry/update: 2023-06-20
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Description: "This more comprehensive product now replaces the daily Flash Updates that were previously issued by OCHA Myanmar on Cyclone Mocha. This Sit Rep is produced by OCHA in collaboration with the seven operating humanitarian clusters and their sub-working groups in Myanmar. The humanitarian response section is not necessarily reflective of all humanitarian interventions undertaken on the ground but rather those voluntarily reported by partners. HIGHLIGHTS • The approval of the distribution and transportation plans for the Cyclone Mocha response in Rakhine and Chin remains pending. Significant conditions, imposed by the State Administration Council, remain in place for the replenishment of relief supplies from outside the country and some have not yet been approved. • After humanitarian access was temporarily suspended in the cyclone-affected Rakhine state on 8 June, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (RC/HC) a.i released a statement on 12 June, urging the State Administration Council to urgently re-instate the initial approval that was granted and allow life-saving assistance to resume. • Meanwhile, efforts are underway to engage with the de facto authorities at the Nay Pyi Taw and regional level to try and expand access to people in need. This included high-level engagement with Union ministers by the RC/HC ai and UN agencies in Sittwe. • Despite the humanitarian access restrictions, aid organizations have been delivering vital assistance to cyclone-affected communities where they have authorizations and supplies. More than 144,000 affected people have received shelter and other essential relief items in Rakhine and other areas since the cyclone. However, only a fraction of damaged and destroyed shelters have reportedly been repaired, leaving thousands of people without a proper roof over their heads during the monsoon season and exposing them to overcrowding and lack of privacy in the few shelters that remain functional. • Food assistance has reached almost 380,000 affected people in Rakhine alone. • Nearly 12,500 people in Rakhine, the Northwest, and Kachin have received healthcare. Nutrition assistance has reached more than 7,000 children under 5 and more than 1,500 caregivers in 8 priority townships in Rakhine. • Some 70 contaminated ponds in Ponnagyun, Rathedaung, and Sittwe townships were successfully de-watered. • More than 300 child-friendly spaces were rebuilt in Rakhine and the Northwest, and more than 34,000 children and caregivers received psychosocial support and psychological first aid services. • Continued financial support for the US$333 million Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeal is required to ensure timely procurement of vital supplies to address the needs of affected communities. According to the Financial Tracking Service, as of 16 June, only $21.7 million in additional funds has been received. SITUATION OVERVIEW One month on from Cyclone Mocha, the unexpected retraction of initial approval for cyclone distribution and transportation plans and the temporary suspension of existing travel authorizations (TAs) for humanitarian organizations in Rakhine by the de facto authorities, has impacted the humanitarian response across the state. This sudden decision has exacerbated the already dire living conditions of the cyclone-affected population as heavy rains and flooding from the monsoon season continue to impact areas already severely affected by the cyclone. After humanitarian access was temporarily suspended in the cyclone-affected Rakhine state on 8 June, the RC/HC a.i released a statement on 12 June, urging the State Administration Council to urgently re-instate the initial approval that was granted and allow life-saving assistance to resume. The RC/HC a.i. and his delegation also met with the Union Ministers in Sittwe on 15 June and held extensive discussions on possible modalities of support to cyclone affected people in accordance with humanitarian principles, and about the importation of supplies into Myanmar. At the request of the de facto authorities, UN agencies in Sittwe also met with the relevant state officials and Union Ministers on 13 June. Engagement is expected to continue. Despite the access limitations and the temporary suspension of regular activities for a week from 8 June, humanitarian organizations have reached an increasing number of people in need since the cyclone where they have authorizations and supplies. Shelter and relief items have been provided to more than 144,000 people in Rakhine and other areas, while food assistance has reached nearly 380,000 people in Rakhine alone. Healthcare services were provided to nearly 12,500 people in Rakhine, the Northwest, and Kachin, and nutrition assistance reached more than 7,000 children under 5 and more than 1,500 caregivers in 8 priority townships in Rakhine. Additionally, 70 contaminated ponds in Ponnagyun, Rathedaung, and Sittwe townships were successfully de-watered, and more than 300 child-friendly spaces (CFSs) were rebuilt in Rakhine and the Northwest. Psychosocial support (PSS) and psychological first aid (PFA) services were provided to more than 34,000 children and caregivers. Humanitarian actors are hoping to continue to explore various avenues to scale-up their operations beyond their existing regular activities. Cyclone impacted communities have been calling for such a scale-up to supplement the ongoing efforts by the local authorities, private donors and civil society organizations. The centralization of decision making on TAs for the cyclone response, however, has now put that expansion on hold. Engagement at the Nay Pyi Taw and regional level will continue, with the aim to identify modalities for predictable and timely access to cyclone-affected areas in Rakhine and Chin to address the immediate and longer-term needs of the affected communities. Scaled-up financial support is also urgently required to facilitate the timely procurement of vital supplies. According to the Financial Tracking Service (FTS), as of 16 June, US$21.7 million in additional funds has been received against the $333 million Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeal..."
Source/publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-06-19
Date of entry/update: 2023-06-19
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Description: "Yangon, 13 June 2023: UNDP, UN Women and UN-Habitat yesterday brought together representatives from local communities, NGOs, development partners and the private sector to discuss research on urban poverty and the innovative strategies being used in a new project building resilience in low-income urban communities. The event took place in Myanmar’s commercial capital, Yangon, where the compounded crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic and political upheaval resulting from the February 2021 coup have had a devastating impact on Yangon’s urban poor. “When confronted with turmoil across the country, the breakdown in the rule of law, the human rights abuses, the alarming numbers of people displaced by conflict and disasters, it is easy to overlook what is happening right here in Yangon. Life has always been hard for the urban poor, but now it is so much harder. Poor people are much poorer, and their numbers have grown significantly,” Titon Mitra, UNDP Myanmar’s Resident Representative, said in his opening remarks. “If we do not turn our attention to the urban poor and vulnerable, we may enable the conditions for a rapid deepening of intergenerational poverty.” The Urban Resilience Project (URP) aims to support those made most vulnerable by urban poverty in Yangon, including women and people living in informal settlements. It is a joint project between UNDP, UN Women and UN-Habitat, working in eight townships, five of which are under martial law, identified as the most socially and economically marginalized. It aims to strengthen residents’ resilience by supporting community-led groups to improve basic services and facilities; upgrade the physical environment of informal settlements; address gender-based violence; and promote livelihoods, skills and job creation. UNDP’s Myanmar Development Observatory presented the findings from the recently published report Helping communities weather the socio-economic downturn: Building urban resilience. The study shows people living in Yangon’s eight poorest townships earn 30 percent less than those in the rest of Yangon and that almost a quarter of the residents of these townships had often gone without a cash income in the past 12 months. Compared to the rest of Yangon, households in the eight URP townships are: more likely to live in an informal settlement (14.2% of URP households compared to 1.2% of households in the rest of Yangon); more like to have noticed violence against women by family members in their neighbourhood, (14.7% compared to 11.4%); less likely to have access to drinkable water in the dry season (88.9% of households compared to 97.3%); more likely to be unable to eat nutritious food (27.5% of households compared to 23%); and 1.8 times more likely to take their children out of school to earn money. During the panel discussion, Catarina Camarinhas, Country Programme Manager a.i. of UN-Habitat, highlighted that only 30 percent of Myanmar’s population resides in urban areas, which presents many opportunities for sustainable urbanization and poverty reduction. “Building resilience and promoting sustainable urbanization in Myanmar requires comprehensive initiatives and collaboration. By engaging multiple stakeholders and implementing effective local-level strategies, we are working towards sustainable development and climate change adaptation. Together with our partners, we aim to implement gender-responsive climate action in Myanmar,” she said. Jackie Appel, CEO and founder of the Step-in Step-up Academy, explained how her NGO has been providing vocational training to young people to meet specific job needs in Yangon’s workforce, including in healthcare, office work and hospitality. One young woman explained to the audience at the event how she took part in training to be a cashier and immediately was employed by Yoma Bank after graduating. Shihab Uddin Ahamad, WaterAid Myanmar’s Country Director, meanwhile discussed how the organization is bringing affordable clean water to low-income areas of Yangon through establishing bottling plants, and helping garment factory workers, who are almost all women, subsidize their incomes through food and hygiene product packages. Women and girls in Yangon’s urban areas are particularly vulnerable. Over 80 percent of women in the baseline study said rising food prices and loss of employment or revenues were their major challenges. And in a 2021 UN Women study in Yangon, two out of three women reported being extremely worried about becoming a victim of a violent crime. “We know 80 percent of women are working in informal employment in Yangon, that makes them vulnerable to economic downturn and provides hardly any social protection. On top of that, a lack of safe shelter and housing conditions increases the risk of sexual and gender-based violence,” said Karin Fueg, Country Representative a.i. of UN Women. “Under the URP, UN Women is leading a gender-responsive incubator and business accelerator to help women access business skills and finance, and to address gender norms through life skills, help accessing business networks and referrals to support services like legal aid, psycho-social support or gender-based violence services,” Ms Fueg said. The Urban Resilience Project’s community-based approach will create opportunities for resilience building, economic growth, poverty reduction, and sustainable development. By addressing the needs of the most vulnerable and fostering a sense of ownership, the project lays a foundation for long-term success and positive change. -ENDS- Find out more! Read the report: https://www.undp.org/publications/helping-communities-weather-socio-economic-downturn-building-urban-resilience Explore the Myanmar Development Observatory: https://www.undp.org/myanmar/projects/myanmar-development-observatory The Urban Resilience Project The Urban Resilience Project aims to address urban poverty in eight of Yangon’s poorest peri-urban townships. It focuses on providing access to sustainable sources of safe drinking water, improving health and sanitation services, supporting climate-resilient basic urban infrastructure, including drainage and access roads, and supporting micro and small enterprise development and work opportunities to more than 450,000 people. UN Women UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide. UNDP UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. It helps countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities, and to build resilience to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Its work is concentrated in three focus areas: sustainable development, democratic governance and peacebuilding, and climate and disaster resilience. UN-Habitat The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, is the agency of the United Nations dedicated to promoting socially and environmentally sustainable development of human settlements in an urbanizing world, with the goal of providing safer and inclusive human settlements..."
Source/publisher: UN Development Programme, UN Human Settlements Program, UN Women
2023-06-13
Date of entry/update: 2023-06-16
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Description: "The European Union is releasing €100,000 (over 220 million Myanmar kyats) on top of the previously allocated aid funds to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to families affected by cyclone Mocha that struck Myanmar in late March The European Union is releasing €100,000 (over 220 million Myanmar kyats) on top of the previously allocated aid funds to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to families affected by cyclone Mocha that struck Myanmar in late March. In the immediate aftermath of the emergency, the European Union allocated €2.5 million in humanitarian aid to provide prompt assistance in response to cyclone Mocha’s impact on Myanmar and Bangladesh. This additional allocation will benefit over 37,000 people in the worst-hit areas, especially those in Chin and Rakhine states, as well as the Ayeryawaddy, Magway and Sagaing regions. This EU funding will support the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) in delivering immediate assistance through the distribution of emergency shelter items, primary healthcare assistance, cash grants and hygiene kits. The aid will also increase access to clean water supplies and sanitation facilities to enable communities to maintain their good hygiene practices whilst recovering. As vector- and water-borne diseases are common in the aftermath of monsoon flooding, awareness-raising sessions on these will also be conducted. The funding is part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). More than 140 people were killed and approximately 3.4 million people were affected when the powerful cyclone Mocha made landfall in the capital of Rakhine state, Sittwe, in mid-May. Packing wind gusts of up to 250 kilometres per hour, the storm triggered strong winds and heavy rainfall that inundated several homes and public facilities and infrastructure, including healthcare centres, sanitation facilities, roads and airports. Background The European Union, together with its Member States, is the world's leading donor of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity towards people in need around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and human-made crises. Through its European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), the European Union helps over 120 million victims of conflicts and disasters every year. For more information, please visit ECHO's website. The European Commission has signed a €3 million humanitarian contribution agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the Federation's Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF). Funds from the DREF are mainly allocated to “small-scale” disasters – those that do not give rise to a formal international appeal. The Disaster Relief Emergency Fund was established in 1985 and is supported by contributions from donors. Each time a National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society needs immediate financial support to respond to a disaster, it can request funds from the DREF. For small-scale disasters, the IFRC allocates grants from the Fund, which can then be replenished by the donors. The contribution agreement between the IFRC and ECHO enables the latter to replenish the DREF for agreed operations (that fit in with its humanitarian mandate) up to a total of €3 million..."
Source/publisher: European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations
2023-06-14
Date of entry/update: 2023-06-14
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Description: "Reporting period: 01-07 June 2023 5 states and regions affected: Rakhine, Northwest (Chin, Magway & Sagaing), Kachin 429K people targeted for humanitarian health assistance (55% women, 18% children under 18) HIGHLIGHTS Near one month after the cyclone has crossed Myanmar land, the health response is expanding. Much wider access is critical to reach the 429K people in dire need for Health Assistance. The response relies on rapid response team and mobile clinics under emergency approval – supported by health partners. It relies also on mobile clinics under routine approval. They provide both clinical care and health education to the communities. Health partners are currently participating to the multisectoral field observations in Rakhine and Northwest, for better understanding of the situation. Rakhine Most of the health partners IDP camp mobile clinics in Sittwe have been damaged due to cyclone. The partners are currently implementing in improvised sites like churches, private homes etc. A working group is being created in Sittwe with relevant partners to explore alternative set-up to deliver healthcare services in an efficient manner. At the publication on 9 June, a directive was circulating about the withdrawal of all approved authorizations to partners in Rakhine. If applied, the measure will impact substantially on the provision of health services from partners. Northwest (Chin, Magway & Sagaing) The situation is unchanged from the past 2 weeks, where field observations have reported 9 rural health centres been impacted, most completely damaged with impact on health provision. Kachin The situation is unchanged in Kachin for the past 2 weeks, where the 2 health clinics have been restored by the communities..."
Source/publisher: Health Cluster and World Health Organization
2023-06-09
Date of entry/update: 2023-06-13
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Description: "This regular update, covering humanitarian developments up to 9 June, is produced by OCHA Myanmar in collaboration with the Inter-Cluster Coordination Group and UN agencies. Response figures are based on self-reporting by organizations to clusters. The next humanitarian update will be issued in early July 2023. HIGHLIGHTS & KEY MESSAGES • The devastating impact of Cyclone Mocha, which landed on 14 May on Myanmar’s coastal area, and the ongoing armed conflict have compounded the suffering of people across the country. Needs are enormous especially with the monsoon season well underway. • Nationwide, more than 1.8 million people are currently displaced in Myanmar, with 1.5 million already displaced due to the conflict and insecurity since the 2021 military takeover. • Humanitarians continue providing critical life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable people despite access challenges and limited funding. During the first quarter of 2023, 1.4 million people were reached with humanitarian assistance (31 per cent of the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan target). • In the cyclone-affected zone especially in Rakhine, Northwest and Kachin, humanitarian organizations have been delivering assistance where they have stocks and approval. However, more supplies, wider access and increased funding are urgently needed to deliver at-scale and meet needs across all communities. • Restrictions on humanitarian operations and bureaucratic hurdles are impeding assistance efforts, also on the cyclone response. Of concern is the recent decision to suspend humanitarian access in Rakhine. In a press release of 12 June, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator urged the de facto authorities to reconsider this decision and prioritize the well-being of the people including of the cyclone-affected communities. • Generous funding is vital to alleviate human suffering and support the humanitarian response in Myanmar. The US$764 million Humanitarian Response Plan, plus an additional $122 million for new activities outlined in Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeal, is crucial for recovery and relief efforts..."
Source/publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-06-13
Date of entry/update: 2023-06-13
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Description: "This more comprehensive product now replaces the daily Flash Updates that were previously issued by OCHA Myanmar on Cyclone Mocha. This Sit Rep is produced by OCHA in collaboration with the seven operating humanitarian clusters and their sub-working groups in Myanmar. The humanitarian response section is not necessarily reflective of all humanitarian interventions undertaken on the ground but rather those voluntarily reported by partners. Sit Reps are now being issued weekly. HIGHLIGHTS The humanitarian access situation in cyclone-hit Rakhine state has deteriorated with existing travel authorizations (TAs) for humanitarian organizations suspended this week pending new, centralized discussions in Nay Pyi Taw. Initial approval for humanitarian distribution and transportation plans for cyclone-affected townships in Rakhine have also been rescinded pending further Nay Pyi Taw-level deliberations. Similar plans in Chin are also pending. Some requests for the replenishment of relief supplies from outside the country have been approved, but with significant conditions. Others remain pending. The suspension of access in Rakhine brings a stop to activities that have been reaching hundreds of thousands of people. To date, more than 110,000 affected people have received shelter and other essential relief items. Food assistance had reached almost 300,000 affected people in Rakhine state alone. In Rakhine, partners were distributing seeds and organic fertilizers to provide families with food to eat and sell. Further scaled-up distributions of agricultural inputs are critical to combating food insecurity in affected areas over the months ahead and are now also on pause. Humanitarians have also been prioritizing the wellbeing of children in the response, including through the establishment of hundreds of mobile and temporary child-friendly spaces, and the distribution of critical child safety messaging to nearly 28,000 people across Rakhine and the Northwest. The suspension of activities in Rakhine could not have come at worse time with the monsoon arriving. An urgent scale-up of the response is needed, expanding activities that had already been underway in the impact zone and adding to assistance being distributed by a range of local authorities and civil society organizations in different areas. SITUATION OVERVIEW The monsoon season has arrived in Myanmar, further worsening the living situation facing people whose homes were damaged or destroyed by Cyclone Mocha in mid-May. Heavy rains and some flooding were observed in areas that were already heavily impacted, further hampering the recovery process for people whose coping capacities are already stretched to the limit. Against this backdrop, access restrictions have escalated. Existing TAs that had been facilitating assistance delivery in Rakhine have been suspended pending centralized discussions in Nay Pyi Taw through the Disaster Management Committee. Using these existing approvals, humanitarians had been reaching a growing number of people in need. More than 113,200 people in the affected areas have received shelter and other relief items, while food assistance has reached more than 293,800 people in Rakhine alone. In addition, humanitarians have been working to ensure cyclone-affected children are looked after with the establishment of 240 mobile and temporary child-friendly spaces in Rakhine and the Northwest. These spaces provide safe environments for children to engage in recreational activities and receive vital psychosocial support after the trauma and disruption they have experienced. Approximately 28,000 people in Rakhine and the Northwest have also received important child safety messages. Humanitarians had been hoping to scale-up their operations in the coming weeks, but this centralized decision on TAs now puts that on hold. Initial approval for humanitarian distribution and transport plans across 11 townships have also been rescinded pending additional deliberations in Nay Pyi Taw. Similar plans for Chin are also not yet approved. Some import requests have been approved with conditions. Others remain pending. Flexible imports are critical for the replenishment of supplies. Scaled-up financial support is also urgently required to facilitate the timely procurement of vital supplies. According to the Financial Tracking Service (FTS), as of 6 June, only US$8 million in additional funds has been received against the $333 million Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeal. This appeal aims to provide assistance to 1.6 million people most heavily impacted by the cyclone in Rakhine, Chin, Sagaing, Magway, and Kachin..."
Source/publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-06-09
Date of entry/update: 2023-06-09
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Description: "At least 139 attacks on Myanmar's health care system have been documented by Insecurity Insight between 01 January-16 May 2023. Explore this interactive map to see where incidents were reported, who the perpetrators were and the weapons used. The map does not yet include incidents reported in this News Brief. Past incident reports: 03-16 May; 19 April-02 May; 05-18 April; 22 March-04 April; 08-21 March; All. Past analysis reports: April and September 2022; 1 February 2021 to 10 January 2022; 1 January to 31 March 2022. Join our Myanmar mailing list for regular updates. Visit our website. Follow us on Twitter. If you have additional information on an incident documented here, or a new incident, please get in touch. Help support the protection of health care by sharing this resource. Please copy and paste this link: bit.ly/17-30May2023MMRHealth Documented incidents 17 May 2023: In Saw Lon village and village tract, Bawlakhe township and district, Kayah state, a sub-rural health centre was damaged in Myanmar military airstrikes. Staff house buildings of the health centre, six civilian houses, a monastery, a community seed bank building, and public drinking water pond were damaged, a female civilian killed and four male civilians injured. Sources: Facebook, Kantarawaddy Times and Myanmar Now 17 May 2023: In Pan Nyo village and village tract, Myaung township, Sagaing district and region, the Myanmar military attacked a sub-rural health centre using armed drones. Source: Facebook 18 May 2023: In Saw Lon village, Bawlake township and district, Kayah state, an SAC aerial attack destroyed two rural medical facilities, a monastery, and six private homes. Source: Radio Free Asia 20 May 2022: In Demoso township and district, Kayah state, Myanmar military airstrikes damaged a clinic building and four civilian houses. Source: Twitter As reported on 21 May 2023: In Rakhine state, the restrictions on medicine transport and purchase are still present after the Cyclone Mocha had hit this area. The restrictions were in place from July 2022 due to the armed clashes between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army. Source: Myanmar Pressphoto Agency 21 May 2023: In Sar Taung village and village tract, Sagaing township, district, and region, the local resistance forces used a hospital building as a bunker in their attack on a police station on the opposite side of the road. Sources: Facebook, Mandalay Free Press and Myanmar Now 21 May 2023: In Hakha town, township, and district, Chin state, the Myanmar military raided Agape Hospital and arrested a female doctor and four female nurses and detained them at the local police station. The reason for arrest is unknown, however it is suspected that it could be for prisoner exchange. Sources: Ayeyarwaddy Times, Global Security, Khonumthung Burmese, Radio Free Asia and Radio Free Asia As reported on 21 May 2023: In Yangon town, township and region, a male doctor was among 28 people returning from the United States and arrested at the airport by the Myanmar military and sent to an interrogation centre. Eight of them, including the doctor, were later released. Source: Facebook 22 May 2023: In Khin-U township, Shwebo district, Sagaing region, a medical student was killed in armed clashes. Sources: Facebook and Facebook II 22 May 2023: Near Hniarlawn village and village tract, Hakha township and district, Chin state, the body of a male medical technician was found burnt along with another female civilian. The medical technician served at Hakha Hospital before being affiliated with the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM). Their burnt bodies were found near the former temporary base camp of the Myanmar military, and their families accused the Myanmar military for the killing. The two victims went missing on 02 May 2023 while travelling from Tedim town to Hakha town. Sources: Khonumthung Burmese and Mizzima 23 May 2023: On the highway connecting Pauk town and Pakokku town, Magway region, an armed group seized an LNGO ambulance en route from Mandalay town to Pauk town. The ambulance operators, patient, and patient attendants were not harmed. The junta authorities accused the local resistance forces of this attack. Source: Telegram 24 May 2023: In Thea Inn village and village tract, Singu township, Thabeikkyin district, Mandalay region, a station hospital was damaged due to the artillery fires by the Myanmar military during armed clashes between the Myanmar military and local resistance forces. Source: Democratic Voice of Burma 25 May 2023: In Sanchaung town and township, Yangon (West) district, Yangon region, two male doctors were among 16 youths arrested by the Myanmar military. Sources: Mizzima and Myanmar Pressphoto Agency As reported on 25 May 2023: In Thandaung town and station, Thandaunggyi township and district, Kayin state, and Kyaukkyi township, Nyaunglebin district, Bago region, the junta authorities restricted the transport of medicines and food items. Source: Myanmar Now 25 May 2023: In Tha Bawt Seik village, Kyauk Sin village tract, Launglon township, Dawei district, Tanintharyi region, a private pharmacy was among the civilians’ properties ransacked by the Myanmar military. Source: Dawei Watch 26 May 2023: In Namtu town and township, Kyaukme district, Shan state (North), the junta authorities inspected the houses of six CDM-affiliated health workers and warned them to stop providing health care. One of them, a female nurse, was asked whether she had a valid nursing licence, and was told to sign a statement that she would no longer provide health care. Source: Shwe Phee Myay News Agency As reported on 26 May 2023: In Pakokku town, township, and district, Magway region, some LNGOs were made to obtain travel authorisation (TA) for each ambulance trip. The TA request form requires the details of the LNGOs and patients. This local by-law has to be abided by the ambulances entering or leaving Pakokku town. Source: Democratic Voice of Burma 26 May 2023: In Nwe Ni village and village tract, Yesagyo township, Pakokku district, Magway region, the Myanmar military torched a health centre and 27 civilian houses during a four-day raid of 25 villages in the area. Sources: Facebook, Facebook II and Khit Thit Media 27 May 2023: In Kayah state, two female medics and two male members of the Demoso Medic Unit of the ethnic armed organisation Karenni Revolution Union were killed in armed clashes while providing treatment to the injured. Sources: Democratic Voice of Burma, Facebook and Radio Free Asia 27 May 2023: In Kyaikdon town, Kyain Seikgyi township and district, Kayin state, a rural health centre was damaged due in an armed drone attack. The junta authorities accused the local resistance forces of this attack. Source: Eleven Media Group As reported on 27 May 2023: In Monywa town, township and district, Sagaing region, the junta authorities inspected private clinics. Source: Mizzima 28 to 30 May 2023: In Monywa town, township and district, Sagaing region, the junta authorities arrested three male civilians from a private clinic of a female obstetrician on 28 May. A private ophthalmologist clinic was made to pay so-called tax for two years on 30 May. The military raided a private laboratory and specialist clinic Ka Ra Mat on 30 May. The pro-military media claimed that the local authorities conducted routine inspections of five private clinics and laboratories including Ka Ra Mat on 30 May. Sources: Facebook, Facebook II, Facebook III and Facebook IV 29 May 2023: In Hlut Taik village and village tract, Kyunhla township, Kanbalu district, Sagaing region, the Myanmar military and militia torched a health centre and seven civilian houses during a two-day raid of four villages in this area. Sources: Khit Thit Media and Myaelattathan 29 May 2023: In Ngwe Taung Ka Lay village, Kywe Hpyu Taung village tract, Thandaunggyi township and district, Kayin state, a local clinic was hit by Myanmar military artillery fire. The clinic was functioning at the time of the attack. There were no casualties since the attack occurred during after-hours. Sources: Facebook, KIC News and Mizzima 29 May 2023: In Nyaung Pin village, War Boe village tract, Yesagyo township, Pakokku district, Magway region, the Myanmar military torched a health centre and 29 civilian houses during a four-day raid of 25 villages and the burning down 656 civilian houses. Sources: Facebook As reported on 29 May 2023: In Hpa-An town, township and district, Kayin state, access to health care is limited for civilians due to hospital beds dedicated for junta soldiers, increased security at hospitals, forced discharge of chronic in-patients and shortage of health workers at public hospitals. Civilians have to access health care in the private sector rather than the public sector. At the station hospital in Kyondoe town, Kawkareik township and district, Kayin state, patients and their patients were interrogated about local resistance forces by the Myanmar military. The Myanmar military assigned their troops at public hospitals in Myawaddy, Kawkareik, and Hlaingbwe towns in Kayin state for security reasons. LNGOs were forced to find blood donors for injured Myanmar military soldiers. Source: KIC News..."
Source/publisher: Insecurity Insight (Geneva) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-06-07
Date of entry/update: 2023-06-08
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Description: "HIGHLIGHTS In the 3rd week of Tropical Cyclone Mocha Response, we are seeing some improvement in the health sector where health facilities are being restored with remaining access limitation for the people in need, due to damaged roads, damaged transport means etc. Rakhine • Early observations and reports demonstrate large variation in the building condition of health facilities and the health service provision in the 10 most affected townships. • Observations are informing that eight out of 16 township hospitals have experienced some damage to the building. While electricity and water are available, in nine hospitals out of 16, it is available with the support of generators – with huge demand for fuel. • The demand is reported to be reduced, and access limited because of the challenges for people in need to physically access the health facilities because of damaged roads, damaged transport means etc. Northwest (Chin, Magway & Sagaing) • The situation in Northwest remains unchanged in 3rd week of Cyclone Mocha, where field observations have reported 9 rural health centres been impacted, most completely damaged with impact on health provision. Kachin • Field observations are reporting that the damaged infrastructure in Waingmaw and in Mansi townships by cyclone Mocha have been restored by the communities..."
Source/publisher: Health Cluster and World Health Organization via Reliefweb (New York)
2023-06-02
Date of entry/update: 2023-06-07
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Description: "Glide No: TC-2023-000069-MMR A. SITUATION ANALYSIS Description of the crisis Cyclone Storm Mocha has caused extensive devastation in the country, affecting regions already facing challenges due to civil unrest, armed clashes, a changing climate and a fragile economy. The cyclone brought about destructive storm surges, heavy rainfall, and flooding, impacting areas such as Rakhine, Chin, Magway, Ayeyarwady, Mandalay, and Sagaing. The State Administration Council responded by declaring natural disaster areas in Rakhine and Chin states, activating legal provisions which acknowledge the crucial role of the Myanmar Red Cross Society in responding such crises. Initial data from the Myanmar Red Cross Society reveals that over 237,000 households across multiple states and regions have been affected. Water systems, sanitation facilities, public and community infrastructure, including hospitals, clinics, schools, and religious buildings, as well as transportation infrastructure, have suffered severe damage or complete destruction. Livelihoods have been severely disrupted with the loss of livestock and flooding impacting cropland. Notably, housing has also been significantly affected, with a large number of semi-permanent and temporary shelters damaged or destroyed, leaving over 200,000 houses in need of repair. The cyclone's aftermath has led to increased prices of basic goods, and the situation has taken a toll on the physical and mental health of the affected population. Disrupted access to healthcare, medicine shortages, and the risks posed by landmines in flooded conflict areas further exacerbate the challenges. Urgent measures are required to protect and support unaccompanied children. Summary of response Overview of the host National Society and ongoing response The Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) is an independent humanitarian organization that operates impartially and neutrally. Its role as an auxiliary to the state in the humanitarian field, operating in line with the Red Cross Red Crescent Fundamental Principles, is stated in the Myanmar Red Cross Society Law of 2015. The MRCS has a strong presence with over a thousand trained Emergency Response Team (ERT) volunteers and 44,000 members nationwide, including 7,994 core Red Cross Volunteers (RCV) active at the community level. The organization has 23 warehouses strategically located throughout the country to support preparedness and response efforts. It also has regional and state branches across the country, and a substantial presence in various operational hubs in Rakhine State, under the management of the MRCS Rakhine Operations Management Unit established since several years. The MRCS has established communication channels and built relationships with local authorities and communities in the affected areas through its local staff, volunteers, and branches. This enables them to reach vulnerable communities and provide immediate humanitarian assistance. Through its community presence, MRCS has access on the ground and has collected data as well as assessed the impact of Cyclone Mocha in Rakhine State and Magway and Ayeyarwady regions in particular. In anticipation of the cyclone, the MRCS activated its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) one week before landfall and initiated preparedness measures and early actions well in advance. Prior to landfall, MRCS volunteers in the projected path and impact zone assisted with evacuations, conducted awareness campaigns, and gathered preliminary data. After the cyclone made landfall, on 14 May, MRCS branches mobilized their volunteers to engage in rescue operations, clear roads and debris, provide first aid and psychosocial support, and collect initial observations and data. MRCS also mobilized its existing operational resources to respond to the aftermath, deploying trained expert personnel to directly provide assistance and provide support services such as logistics and supply chain. MRCS has conducted three Movement tripartite meetings thus far. Additionally, four operational coordination meetings were organized in collaboration with the IFRC, involving in-country partners and the ICRC, to provide technical and planning support to MRCS for the response. This Emergency Appeal is part of a Federation-wide approach, based on the response priorities of the MRCS and in consultation with all IFRC members contributing to the response, requiring regular planning and coordination. To ensure regular risk analysis and security planning, tripartite security cell meetings have been established. Moreover, MRCS and IFRC actively participate in HCT meetings and Cluster coordination as part of their external coordination efforts. In order to provide ongoing assistance to the MRCS in Rakhine state which is most severely affected by cyclone Mocha, the IFRC Myanmar Delegation has deployed a Senior Service Manager and Senior Operations Officer who are currently stationed in the area. Their presence allows for direct involvement in the coordination structures at Rakhine state level, where they actively participate in collaborative efforts to develop and execute a comprehensive assistance plan. Apart from assisting the MRCS with the Cyclone Mocha response under the Federation-wide appeal, the Partner National Societies within the country, as well as those actively supporting remotely, expressed their readiness to support a range of programs, including basic needs assistance, protection, and MHPSS. These programs will be implemented in a coordinated manner, aligning with the MRCS Strategic Plan and Unified Plan and operating under shared leadership, since some Partner National Societies have shown interest sharing leadership in specific areas or sectors based on their expertise..."
Source/publisher: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-06-03
Date of entry/update: 2023-06-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "This more comprehensive product now replaces the daily Flash Updates that were previously issued by OCHA Myanmar on Cyclone Mocha. This Sit Rep is produced by OCHA in collaboration with the seven operating humanitarian clusters and their sub-working groups in Myanmar. The humanitarian response section is not necessarily reflective of all humanitarian interventions undertaken on the ground but rather those voluntarily reported by partners. The next Sit Rep will be issued on Wednesday, 7 June 2023. HIGHLIGHTS The humanitarian response in cyclone-affected areas continues to expand, however much wider access is still needed to reach the 1.6 million people targeted as part of the Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeal across Rakhine, Chin, Magway, Sagaing, and Kachin. More than 95,000 people in areas affected by the cyclone have received shelter and other relief items. Almost 267,000 people have received food assistance, and approximately 3,380 metric tons of rice and high-energy biscuits have been distributed to cyclone-affected people in Rakhine. Between 25 and 31 May 2023, health partners conducted more than 7,800 consultations in the most severely affected townships. With the scale-up in the response, the looming monsoon and a low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal, the replenishment of humanitarian supplies from Yangon and overseas is becoming increasingly urgent. The swift approval of transport and importation requests, a detailed two-week distribution plan, and further travel authorizations (TAs) for the cyclone response are imperative to meet immediate shelter needs and prevent waterborne disease outbreaks. Generous funding is also vital to support the scaling up of humanitarian operations, facilitate procurement, transport, and distribution of supplies, and ensure the well-being of affected communities. As of 2 June, the Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeal has received US$4.6 million according to FTS. Simultaneously, local authorities have been working to support recovery through debris clearance and the restoration of power, water and telecommunication services in Rakhine. In parallel, other actors are also providing support to the recovery effort, including in rural areas. SITUATION OVERVIEW Humanitarian response operations continue to expand through organizations with new and existing TAs across the cyclonestricken regions of Rakhine, Chin, Magway, Sagaing, and Kachin, with shelter and food assistance particularly gathering pace. More than 95,240 people in areas affected by the cyclone have received shelter and other relief items. More than 266,500 people have received food assistance, and approximately 3,380 metric tons of rice and high-energy biscuits (33 per cent of the total plan) have been distributed to cyclone-affected people in Rakhine. In the Northwest, food distribution for 78,000 people in Magway is pending approval. Between 25 and 31 May 2023, health partners conducted more than 7,800 consultations in the most severely affected townships of Rakhine, the Northwest, and Kachin, ensuring access to essential healthcare services. However, this work is still only meeting a fraction of overall needs and wider access for distributions is desperately required. The clock is ticking with the monsoon looming and another low-pressure area being closely monitored in the Bay of Bengal. Severe damage to agricultural land, loss of livestock and damage to the fishing fleet are also shaping as major food security issues over the weeks ahead. Approval is pending for the transport of supplies from warehouses inside the country and from outside Myanmar. Approval is also pending for a twoweek distribution and related travel authoritzation for Rakhine and Chin. Timely approval of these requests will allow partner organizations to provide safe shelter, address immediate needs, avert potential waterborne disease outbreaks, and mitigate against protection risks. Local authorities have been working on recovery measures in priority areas, particularly in Sittwe and Rathedaung. Debris clearance from Sittwe's streets has improved access to areas that were previously blocked by fallen trees and collapsed electricity poles. Power is gradually being restored to most of the affected regions, and the repair of streetlights along Sittwe town's main thoroughfares has enhanced visibility and safety. Telecommunication services are also coming back online which is vital to engage with the cyclone affected communities as well as for effective coordination and timely response efforts among partners working across the various townships. Work has also been underway to repair schools and deliver water in Rathedaung, Kyauktaw, and Sittwe townships. A 14 member ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ERAT) was deployed to Rakhine to support assessments and response by the Department of Disaster Management (DDM). They have now wrapped up their work. In parallel, other actors are also providing support to the recovery efforts, including in rural areas. They have also been measuring the impact in affected communities and delivering assistance to the extent of their resources and access. Civil society organizations, private donors and religious networks are working to support affected communities. Communities themselves have also swung into action, clearing debris from blocked roads, and providing shelter to those who have lost their homes. Funding is critically needed to support the scale-up of humanitarian operations, facilitating urgent procurement, transport, and distribution of vital supplies to support affected communities. According to Financial Tracking System (FTS), as of 2 June, $4.6 million in additional funds has been received for the $333 million Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeal, which seeks to support 1.6 million people affected by the cyclone in Rakhine, Chin, Sagaing, Magway, and Kachin..."
Source/publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2023-06-03
Date of entry/update: 2023-06-03
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Description: "HIGHLIGHTS Extremely Severe Cyclone Mocha hit Myanmar’s Rakhine State with force on 14 May 2023, making impact close to its capital, Sittwe. This was one of the strongest cyclones ever recorded in Myanmar, with windspeeds of up to 250 kmph. IOM launched its Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeal on 26 May 2023, requesting USD 11.25 million to target 75,000 people with life-saving humanitarian assistance. IOM’s Flash Appeal is fully aligned with the Inter-Agency Flash Appeal. IOM Mobile Clinics have so far seen 1,094 patients in Rakhine State, while negotiations for broader access are ongoing. SITUATION OVERVIEW It has been almost three weeks since Extremely Severe Cyclone Mocha made landfall near Sittwe, Rakhine State, on 14 May 2023, bringing winds of up to 250 kmph. It was one of the strongest cyclones ever to hit the country. As the monsoon season approaches, humanitarian actors are working to rapidly respond to humanitarian needs. Safe shelter remains a key priority, along with health assistance, clean water, safe and functional sanitation facilities, non-food items (NFIs) and food assistance. Aid organizations have been working to deliver assistance where possible, as well as to bring stocks of needed items to Rakhine from Yangon, as markets in the affected areas are struggling to meet demand and prices of key commodities have skyrocketed. However, the many political and bureaucratic challenges in Myanmar are limiting the movement of relief items into and around the country, while wider access to transport humanitarian supplies and movement of responders is urgently needed. There continues to be obstacles to the roll out of comprehensive inter-agency needs assessment, due to bureaucratic impediments, limited access in specific areas due to the ongoing conflict and logistical barriers. With telecommunications and electricity not yet fully restored, information remains limited. However, some sectoral information has started to emerge from partners who were already on the ground, highlighting shelter, NFIs, health, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and food as the key priority sectors for the response. Shelter/NFI: Initial estimates that up to 90 per cent of houses in Rakhine have been unroofed are particularly worrying as wetter and warmer conditions are predicted for affected regions for the next week. Markets are heavily disrupted while large scale shelter and NFI assistance has not been able to reach affected areas yet due to the abovementioned constraints. Health: Most health facilities in Buthidaung, Maungdaw, Pauktaw, and Sittwe townships in Rakhine, where IOM is implementing health programs, were damaged and most remain non-functional. Teams report that traumatic injury cases remain common but lesser in number compared to the first week. Other common morbidities diagnosed include acute viral infection (AVI), upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), diarrhoea, and non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus. WASH: Cluster partners in Rakhine have reported that over 200 water sources were flooded by seawater, affecting over 100,000 people in seven townships. According to WASH Cluster partners active in the Northwest, around 700 households in Chin, 4,800 households in Magway, and 2,800 households in Sagaing have been affected. These figures are strictly indicative and are expected to continue to rise, particularly considering the mentioned obstacles to comprehensive assessments. Food: In Rakhine, initial field observations make clear that seawater has devastated agricultural land and that livestock and food stocks have been destroyed at large scale, affecting both immediate food needs and longerterm food security..."
Source/publisher: International Organization for Migration ( Switzerland) via Reliefweb (New York)
2023-06-02
Date of entry/update: 2023-06-02
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