A joint statement endorsed by 266 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)  echoes the United Nations Secretary General call for ASEAN governments to end wars for the protection of human rights, due to the implications of the COVID-19 crisis.

Part of the statement reads, “The Government must take into consideration security and conflict sensitivity by responding with human rights laws, procedures. Also, the government should take action by considering the impacts of COVID-19 on disable persons, conflict-affected people, political refugees, stateless  and internally displaced peoples, women, children, and elders.”

Ko Tha-Toe Aung, a spokesperson for the CSO community said, “We have heard there is a conflict between Rakhine and Shan State. We want this war to end at this point. It is going to be complicated for conflict-affected people whether they should flee the war or prevent the disease. We want [the government] to focus more on COVID-19 than on the war now.”

He added military operations should not be extended at any time, and called for all wars to be stopped in any region of the country.

While developed countries are working on a response to the COVID-19, people are concerned about the potential catastrophic impacts  in developing countries like Myanmar, which is ill prepared in terms of access to health facilities needed to treat individuals and combat the disease.

Civil Society Organizations are urging the government to increase its efforts and urgently seek a solution to address COVID-19.

“The disease is at its critical time. The government should hold to a ceasefire in situations of conflict.  Neither the government, Tamataw nor the ethnic people can manage this epidemic if wars are going on. It can affect both the economic and development sectors. Therefore, the wars must end,” said Mi Kon Chan Non, a Chairperson with the  Mon Women Organization (MWO).

She added it is necessary for a systematic response to the prevention of COVID-19, and worries that without a commitment to a ceasefire, military operations may increase during this crisis.

According to the UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, there were a total of 3.37 million victims of war in Southeast Asia in 2017, which includes 1.46 million refugees, 75,000 asylum seekers, 1.17 stateless people, and over 660,000 Internally Displaced People (IDPs).

Reported by: Mhem Thisar Khine