An interview with Secretary-2 of the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP)
27 July 2021
The National Unity Government (NUG) formed the National-Level Commission on the Prevention, Control and Treatment of COVID-19 on July 8th. Khu Palu Reh and U Aung San Myint are included in the commission as members, representing the Karenni State. U Aung San Myint is Secretary-2 of the KNPP and also a management team leader of the Karenni Covid-19 Pandemic Prevention Committee (KnCPPC). The Kantarawaddy Times (KT) interviewed the prevention, control and treatment of COVID-19 in Karenni State and border area.
Q: How do you represent Karenni State as a member of the commission on the prevention, control and treatment of COVID-19?
A: Now Myanmar is experiencing the third wave of COVID-19. There are reports of COVID-19 deaths and many difficulties. The situations in Karenni and Chin States are worse. Both states are facing both battles and COVID-19 infections. The National Unity Government (NUG) made a coordination on the COVID-19 control. That’s why, I joined it. The military council doesn’t place emphasis on the right to life according to human rights. Locals have been displaced by the military council’s reinforcement of troops. Locals also face a high risk of COVID-19. Now we are in a very difficult situation. Heath teams in Karenni State are unable to do their work independently. Locals also flee to the border area. We decided to join the committee as ethnic areas and border areas are in urgent need of prevention and control. Our inclusion in the committee is from the health point of view.
Q: How do you take measures for the public’s health or for the COVID-19 control?
A: At present, the COVID-19 control committee is working on the availability of necessary materials for the prevention and control of COVID-19 by affiliating with the international community. In addition, we are working with the WHO and UNICEF on the urgent vaccination in ethnic areas. Plan is under way to give vaccines by a third party (WHO and UNICEF) in the country or in a cross-border area. Health staff from the NUG and the military council will not participate in the vaccination program. We are compiling the list of the people including the CDM and IDPs in Karenni State. Currently, the Karenni COVID-19 Pandemic Prevention Committee (KnCPPC) has been working on the COVID-19 control in the border area. In the past, we ran the fever clinics. Now we have a plan to run the primary clinics. We are compiling the lists of vaccinated people. In addition, we are taking preventive measures against COVID-19 in the border area. There are mobile teams in the country. The Civil Health and Development Network (CHDN) is providing health care to the people as a mobile team. Now the NUG’s Health Department has formed the COVID-19 Task Force (CTF) in collaboration with ethnic health organizations for the prevention, control and treatment of COVID-19. Plans are under way to effectively carry out our work.
Q: May I know the difficulties and necessities of the current task?
A: The IDPs have no chance to receive medical treatment as they have to move from one place to another. There is mobile health care in the country. We did not think such situations would happen in the border area. Due to the frequent fighting and the emergence of IDP camps, we have to do it in a hurry. Some accommodation and health care are not within our reach. But we are doing our work as much as we can.
Q: What kinds of difficulty may you face in the collection of data as the lockdown orders are put in place in townships, wards and villages?
A: It is very difficult. Due to lockdown and security, we face the difficulty in the transport of rations and medicine in the country. This problem may occur in the country and border area. My purpose of joining the commission is to cooperate with either the NUG or with the international community as quickly as possible.
Q: Do you affiliate with the association and committee working for COVID-19 prevention and control?
A: We will have to affiliate with them when we collect data. As far as I understand, under the current circumstance, they themselves are hiding for their security. I think they are not in a position to broadly carry out their activities. Not only those included in the Karenni State Consultative Council (KSCC) but also other groups have their difficulties. We will use the best possible means to collect the data.
Q: Is there any arrangement for the IDPs as Karenni border areas see the rising number of the IDPs?
A: We have to work only in the IDP camp. Now the transport of foods and medicines is not as easy as before. We face difficulty due to the surge in COVID-19. These are the current issues. We are trying to protect them from the virus and to fully get humanitarian assistance as much as we can. Despite the temporary closure of roads, the IDPs continue to arrive in the camps.
Q: How many IDPs are there in the border area?
A: The IDPs are in border areas as well as on the west bank of Salween River. There were hundreds of thousands of IDPs when the situation was worse. Now the number of IDPs is not less than that. In the past, the situation in Loikaw was stable. But now the people from villages in Loikaw are flocking to the IDP camps. Most of the IDPs are hiding in the forests although the army is urging the people to go home. Some IDPs are taking shelter in other villages. I think around 3,000 people enter our territory.
Q: Do you have anything to add?
A: International community needs to put more pressure on the military council. Because the military council can do the acts that may threaten the life of the people instead of the security of the people. The military council is doing military operations instead of the control of COVID-19. As this is happening in the ethnic areas, I regard that the army is redoubling its work on the racial annihilation. The military council shows no respect for human rights. We need to let the international community know these conditions. We are making coordination on the program.
Interviewed by Maw Oo Myar (Kantarawaddy Times)
