Media Release Indigenous communities in Myanmar prepare to fight against the COVID-19 Pandemic Yangon, 18 June 2020 As the international community responds to the rapidly evolving COVID 19 pandemic, preparedness and response delivery to remote Indigenous villages is posing serious logistical challenges to governments and civil society groups globally. Issues of access to preventative resources, culturally appropriate educational awareness raising material and travel restrictions are compounded by the lack of trained response professionals on the ground, putting at risk the health and wellbeing of already marginalized and vulnerable communities. In Myanmar, rugged mountainous terrain, poor road infrastructure combined with the onset of flooding monsoonal rains are impacting the ability of groups to access resources. CDE- Centre for Development and Environment, University of Bern, with funding support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Embassy of Switzerland in Myanmar are supporting the COVID-19 response in country. The Naga Self-Administered Zone (SAZ), home to an estimated population of 300,000 Indigenous people, is located in Myanmar’s Northwestern Sagaing Region, adjacent to the Indian boarder. A remote mountainous region with poor social services, transport infrastructure and medical facilities. Naga SAZ is considered one of the most inaccessible Indigenous communities in Myanmar and is currently confronted with many challenges in providing adequate COVID-19 response services. Resource Rights for the Indigenous Peoples (RRtIP), a local civil society organization based in Layshi Township, has identified that additional to a lack of essential preventative equipment and healthcare workers at designated quarantine huts there is also a distinct lack of educational information reaching remote villages due to cultural and language barriers. Athong Makury, Director of RRtIP describes the urgency of the situation, “75% of our Indigenous population lives in remote villages, they don’t speak Burmese or English and have limited understanding of the risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. These villages will soon be cut off by the Monsoon, the steep mountain roads that connect these villages to Layshi are prone to landslides, sometimes roads can be cut for weeks on end, we need to act now before it’s too late”. “There is a need to prepare the quarantine huts before the monsoon comes, currently we do not have enough healthcare staff, volunteers or preventive equipment that are urgently needed in these remote areas. The healthcare staff are highly concerned that seasonal sickness which commonly occurs during the monsoon such as fever, flu and diarrhea may complicate the situation further and add to a COVID-19 management burden.”

The situation is further compounded by a recent electricity shortage. The local hydro power scheme is now only providing 1 round of electricity every 3 days because of a shortage in available Chinese technicians due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As Naga people continue to return to their villages from outside areas due to national lockdowns, there is an urgent need for people to understand the requirement for quarantine and increased sanitary practices. An outbreak of COVID-19 within these remote Indigenous villages would have devastating effects. Henri Rueff, Country Representative of the Centre for Development and Environment in Myanmar said that “there is a need for a collaborative emergency response between government and Indigenous groups that can help vulnerable communities in remote regions prepare and respond to the ongoing challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic presents. Indigenous CSOs are able to help facilitate responses and education programs in local languages making sure that information reaches remote vulnerable villages helping to protect the health and wellbeing of Indigenous populations and value add to the governments national response”. The Centre for Development and Environment (CDE) in Myanmar is supporting Rights for Indigenous Peoples (RRtIP) to help coordinate a local COVID–19 response, source preventative resources and aid in the outreach of COVID-19 culturally appropriate education to remote villages across the region. RRtIP’s COVID-19 response mission has provided support to local villages to prepare for community lockdowns and establishment of community quarantine huts while cooperating with township authorities, GAD, Health Department, the COVID-19 Township Response Committee and local tribal councils to support the Indigenous people of Layshi Township. Phase one of RRtIP’s emergency response project has provided support to 22 villages including Nemiyupi Upper & Lower, Deingleiway, Songkim, Lanlaila, Tainnelian, Aung Zeya, Ayechanphyo, Yangnwe, Shwepyitha, Monkailin, Sainolin, Vongyü, Bangla, Kolkan, New Lakte, Modunphai, Thingphayan, New Modun, Soon-inyan, Richeng and Layshi. Soap, hand gel, masks, gloves, PPE, water containers, handwashing containers and quarantine materials (blankets, lights and general supplies) were distributed to each location and education was given on how to protect against the spread of COVID-19. Athong Makury Highlighted that “this emergency response support from CDE was only possible due to established relationships that have been built through the OneMap Myanmar project”. One Map Myanmar and RRtIP established a participatory mapping project in the Layshi Township in 2017. The project has been documenting customary lands of local Indigenous people and looking at how traditional knowledge systems are used to manage land resources. This ongoing work is only possible due to the commitment of CDE- Centre for Development and Environment, University of Bern, Land Core Group, with funding support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Embassy of Switzerland in Myanmar. At the time of writing the Layshi Township was yet to report a single case of COVID-19.

CONTACT Myanmar Enquiries: Athong Makury Director Resource Rights for the Indigenous Peoples (RRtIP) Mobile - (+ 95) 095077431 Email - athongmakury@yahoo.co.uk Isaac Kyaw Htun Hla Communications and Media Co-ordinator Land Core Group & OneMap Myanmar Mobile: (+95) 0945 0029 243 Skype: isaac.htun Email: isaackth@lcgmyanmar.org isaackyaw.htunhla@cde-regions.net English Enquiries: Sonia Leonard Project Coordinator Centre for Development and Environment University of Bern. Tel: +62 81338274226 WhatsApp: +61 488447899 Email: Sonia.leonard@cde-regions.net

Photo Credit: RRtIP. As the monsson moves in and with limited resources, Health Department nurses hand out protective masks at a makeshift COVID-19 resource station in the Layshi Township.

Photo Credit: RRtIP. RRtIP staff visit remote mountain villages to deliver culturally appropriate information in local Indigenous languages about the threat of COVID-19 pandemic.

Photo Credit: RRtIP. RRtIP staff delivering sanitary supplies in the Layshi Township.

Photo Credit: RRtIP. RRtIP staff working with local authorities at an official COVID-19 checkpoint at the entrance of the Layshi Township.

Photo Credit: RRtIP. GAD, Health Department, the COVID-19 Township Response Committee and RRtIP jointly supporting a COVID-19 information station in the Layshi Township.

Photo Credit: RRtIP. Supplies delivered by RRtIP staff to a community quarantine hut in the Layshi Township.