Caught between COVID-19, war, and identity politics

Myanmar has faced the alarming effects of COVID-19 since the first case was registered in March 2020 and is now experiencing a difficult second wave of the pandemic. Everyone is in some ways affected. But how is the pandemic affecting the everyday lives of people who are simultaneously caught in armed conflict and who find themselves in a struggle over ethnic and religious identities? This booklet and the report that accompanies it is based on research in conflict-ridden areas of western Myanmar. Phone interviews were conducted with residents in Sittwe and Kyauktaw townships of Rakhine state and Paletwa township in Chin state during the second half of August 2020. The 38 respondents were staff of civil society organizations and residents of six villages and six IDP camps. The short stories in this booklet were written by researchers from Enlightened Myanmar Research Foundation (EMReF), a research partner to the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS). They communicate the main research findings in the form of three short fiction stories and one non-fiction story. These stories give intimate insights into the simultaneous hardships of war, COVID-19 and identity politics.

“Convergence of Goodness” by Lu Chi and Thang Sorn highlights the importance of cooperation and communication between government and civil society organizations in their response to covid-19. It is a comparison of results where cooperation was present and where it was lacking. The meaning behind ‘Convergence of Goodness’ is that individuals with a sense of ethics, diligence, kindness and empathy who work in organizations that follow ethical and moral rules can change the lives of those who suffer for the better. When all these conditions are met, everybody stands to benefit.

‘Tears’ by Lu Chi paints a stark portrait of the oppression and difficulties Rohingya, who identify themselves as Muslims, face as they are navigating between a pandemic and a civil war. They have been living here for generations, perhaps centuries. Still, whether required by discriminatory local laws or imposed by other people, they are deprived of the freedom to move freely and other human rights. Yet, they are willing to share with these people in similar need whatever little they have. Courage and faith keep them going.

Sar Mo's ‘Bridging the rift’ exposes the effects discrimination by society has on covid-19 patients and their families through the eyes of a Rakhine family. It portrays how individuals, out of fear of societal blame, try to take matters into their own hands by self-prescribing treatment for their illness instead of consulting health officials. “Bridging the rift” shows us that in a society that discriminates, people struggle to attain emotional security. Only through the collective understanding and support from the rest of society can we fulfill the needs of other human beings.

Thawng Za Pum’s non-fiction ‘Two Wishes.... Many Lives’ is a researcher’s personal reflection on the daily experiences and feelings of people in the thick of civil wars and covid-19. Through quotes from research interviews Thawng lays bare how we all exist within the same time zone and live under the same sun and the same moon, yet those caught in a conflict, with their livelihoods threatened by disease and starvation, are at a point of desperation where they can no longer even remember what it was like to lead a normal life.

The translation of the stories from Burmese to English was funded by the DIIS-coordinated research project, ‘Everyday Justice and Security in the Myanmar Transition’ (EverJust), which is done in partnership with Yangon University, the Enlightened Myanmar Research Foundation, and Aarhus University. It is funded by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the development research grant.

The research report that accompanies the booklet can be found via this external link