Southeast Myanmar Field Report: COVID-19, armed conflict, killings and sexual violence, July to December 2020
Format
Introduction
This Field Report analyses information collected by KHRG field researchers during the period between July and December 2020.
As the COVID-19[1] pandemic entered into the second wave of infections in August, rural communities in Southeast Myanmar faced new and increased restrictions that impacted their livelihood situation. Unable to access their plantations because of local lockdowns, sell their cash crops and goods, or find work as day labourers, many rural villagers are struggling to find alternatives to provide for their families. Although some financial and material aid is being provided by the Myanmar government, the Karen National Union (KNU),[2] and other organisations, that aid remains uneven in its distribution, often failing to reach those most in need. Access to education has also been heavily impacted by the second wave of COVID-19. Ongoing school closures in most areas, and policy and procedural changes for schools that do remain open have raised concerns among parents about increased school dropouts and the educational future of their children. Access to healthcare remains limited, with healthcare workers unable to access some areas, and villagers often unable to travel to the clinics closest to them. Several positive cases of COVID-19 have been reported in KHRG’s operational area. With limited access to testing and medical services, local villages are often left to figure out on their own how to best handle and contain the situation.