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The Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC) announces that “Displacement and Poverty in South East Burma/Myanmar” is now available for download from http://www.tbbc.org/resources/resources.htm#idps TBBC has been collaborating with community based organisations to document conditions in South East Burma/Myanmar since 2002. This report seeks to increase awareness about the scale of poverty and displacement at a critical juncture in the nation’s history. During the past two years, apart from interviewing key informants in fifty townships to assess the scale of forced displacement, poverty assessments have been conducted with over 2,600 households in fourteen townships. Estimates of displacement were guided by international standards and the poverty assessment was developed in consultation with humanitarian agencies based in Rangoon/Yangon to ensure that vulnerability indicators are standardised. The paradox of democratic reform coinciding with an escalation of conflict in border areas has been due to both domestic attempts to expand the national armed forces’ (the Tatmadaw’s) command structure and regional interests in resource extraction. Ceasefire agreements in Karen, Shan, Mon and Kachin States collapsed due to orders for non state armed groups to give up their political aspirations and transform into Border Guard Forces under the Tatmadaw’s control. Major economic deals have simultaneously been negotiated with Asian neighbours for mega-development projects in ethnic areas, but the lack of transparency and consultation with local communities has aggravated tensions. TBBC’s partner agencies have documented the destruction, forced relocation or abandonment of more than 3,700 civilian settlements in South East Burma/Myanmar since 1996, including 105 villages and hiding sites between August 2010 and July 2011. This survey estimates at least 112,000 people were forced to leave their homes during the past year, which is more than any other year on record. While some fled into Thailand and others returned to former villages or resettled elsewhere, over 450,000 people currently remain internally displaced in the south eastern region. This is not a cumulative figure of everyone who has been displaced in the past decade, but rather a conservative estimate of the current scale of internal displacement covering the rural areas of 50 townships. The highest rates of displacement during the past year were recorded in central Karen State’s border areas with Thailand, central Shan State and the northern Karen areas. A breakaway faction of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) resumed armed resistance in November 2010, and the resulting conflict led to the displacement of over 27,000 people from Myawaddy and surrounding townships. After the Tatmadaw broke a 22 year ceasefire agreement and resumed military offensives against the Shan State Army-North (SSA-N) in March 2011, over 31,000 civilians fled from their homes across 10 townships. A further 28,000 civilians have been displaced from northern Karen State and eastern Pegu Region as a result of hydro-electric dams and counter-insurgency operations targeting civilians to undermine the Karen National Union (KNU). Poverty alleviation has been recognised by the new government as a strategic priority for human development. While official figures estimate that a quarter of the nation live in poverty, this survey suggests that almost two thirds of households in rural areas of South East Burma/Myanmar are unable to meet their basic needs. Impoverishment is particularly severe in the conflict-affected townships of Kyaukgyi and Shwegyin in Pegu/Bago Region and Thandaung in Karen/Kayin State. Comparative analysis with household surveys conducted by the World Food Program suggest that that standards of living in rural areas of the South East are similar to conditions in Northern Rakhine State and far worse than those those reported from the central Dry Zone. As a result of protracted conflict and militarization, the majority of subsistence livelihoods in South East Burma/Myanmar are not sustainable and disposable income levels are too small to adequately supplement food supplies. A quarter of households reported having no cash income during the previous month while only one in six households have reliable sources of income. Food security indicators suggest that two out of three households have poor access to food, an inadequate diet and were in debt primarily due to food shortages. These outcomes correlate with limited access to agricultural land and productive assets and reflect the collapse of household economies. It remains to be seen how quickly and effectively the new government will be able to tackle poverty, but there has not yet been any relaxation of restrictions on humanitarian access into conflict-affected areas. In this context, the vast majority of foreign aid continues to be channelled into areas not affected by armed conflict areas such as the Irrawaddy/Ayeyarwady Delta, the Dry Zone and Rakhine State. While responding to demonstrated needs, such engagement is building trust with authorities and supporting advocacy for increased humanitarian space throughout the country. Until this confidence building process translates into access, cross-border aid will continue to be vital to ensure that the needs of civilians who are affected by conflict in the South East and cannot be reached from Yangon are not further marginalised. Please send all replies to: [log in to unmask] Regards Duncan McArthur Emergency Relief Coordinator, Thailand Burma Border Consortium [log in to unmask]