{"id":130581,"date":"2023-05-25T13:25:24","date_gmt":"2023-05-25T12:25:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/?p=130581"},"modified":"2023-05-26T11:56:48","modified_gmt":"2023-05-26T10:56:48","slug":"nature-conservation-in-times-of-conflict-myanmar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/story\/nature-conservation-in-times-of-conflict-myanmar\/","title":{"rendered":"Nature conservation in times of conflict: Myanmar"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p><strong>Two years ago, a military coup marked a turning point in Myanmar. It not only ended the administration of Aung San Suu Kyi\u2019s National League for Democracy; it also stopped the democratic transition of the Southeast Asian country<span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_130581_1('footnote_plugin_reference_130581_1_1');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_130581_1('footnote_plugin_reference_130581_1_1');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_130581_1_1\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[1]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_130581_1_1\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">Human Rights Watch. (2022). <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/world-report\/2022\/country-chapters\/myanmar\" target=\"_blank\">Myanmar: events of 2021<\/a><\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_130581_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_130581_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });<\/script><\/strong>. <strong>Violence, bombing and oppression are now a daily reality. Despite the threats they are facing, nature organisations continue to work with communities to protect their forests and livelihoods. We spoke with one of them: \u2018Militants cut down mangrove forests for charcoal. It is the main cause of deforestation in the area, while the local families depend on mangroves for food and income.\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p><em><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color\">Header photo: Launglon in the Tanintharyi region, Myanmar. <strong>\u00a9<\/strong> Symeon Ekizoglou<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>Since the military coup, staff of the partner organisation we worked with in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/project\/shared-resources-joint-solutions\/\">Shared Resources, Joint Solutions<\/a> from 2016 through 2020, hide in the forests of Tanintharyi, a region in southern Myanmar. We spoke with a staff member. For security reasons, the organisation and interviewee remain anonymous and will be indicated with \u2018our partner\u2019 and \u2018they\u2019.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Working in a conflict area<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>Our partner\u2019s team is geographically divided because of the conflict. A few months after they closed their office, the Myanmar military went in to search their documents. While part of the staff remains in Tanintharyi, others went to their home towns or fled abroad. For all of them, traveling is complicated or even impossible. The communities they are working with are situated in Karen National Union area, while bordering areas are under control of the Myanmar military.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>\u2018It is challenging, for all of our staff. We cannot be in one place and it is hard to gather information. Still, we have continued to work discreetly and strategically on our community and environmental activities,\u2019 tells our partner. Their area is currently not part of the conflict zone, but this could change rapidly: \u2018These villages we work in are not targeted by the Myanmar military, but the villages 20 miles away are. All of the communities in the area must have an emergency kit prepared.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>Our partner operates under Karen National Union (KNU) governance: \u2018We and the communities in the area have a close relationship with the KNU authorities. Most people support the 2021 opposition against the military government and directly and indirectly support local defence forces.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"background background-preset-primary\" id=\"block_83043e0bbb17fb62261da83986edca9c\">\n             <div class=\"dark custom-padding-top\">\n    \n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Myanmar\u2019s civil war and the KNU<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>On 1 February, 2021, the military in Myanmar staged a coup d&#8217;\u00e9tat that sparked large protests by thousands, many of them young people. These protests were violently suppressed<span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_130581_1('footnote_plugin_reference_130581_1_2');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_130581_1('footnote_plugin_reference_130581_1_2');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_130581_1_2\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[2]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_130581_1_2\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">Amnesty International.<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amnesty.nl\/myanmar-wat-is-er-aan-de-hand\" target=\"_blank\"> Myanmar: wat is er aan de hand<\/a><\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_130581_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_130581_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });<\/script>. More than two years after the coup the war receives little attention in the media, but the violence has not ended. In April, airstrikes by the Myanmar army killed more than 160 people in the Sagaing region<span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_130581_1('footnote_plugin_reference_130581_1_3');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_130581_1('footnote_plugin_reference_130581_1_3');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_130581_1_3\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[3]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_130581_1_3\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">Ajazeera. (2023). <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2023\/5\/9\/hrw-says-myanmar-used-fuel-air-explosive-on-army-rule-opponents\" target=\"_blank\">Myanmar military used vacum bomb on opponents:HRW<\/a><\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_130581_1_3').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_130581_1_3', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });<\/script>}.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>Myanmar has been embroiled in intermittent civil war since it became independent from the United Kingdom in 1948. The region of Tanintharyi is a long and narrow strip of land in the southern part of Myanmar, covering 43,000 square kilometres<span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_130581_1('footnote_plugin_reference_130581_1_4');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_130581_1('footnote_plugin_reference_130581_1_4');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_130581_1_4\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[4]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_130581_1_4\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">Reliefweb. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/reliefweb.int\/report\/myanmar\/myanmar-tanintharyi-region-profile-updated-june-2014\" target=\"_blank\">Myanmar: Tanintharyi Region profile<\/a><\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_130581_1_4').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_130581_1_4', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });<\/script>. Karen communities are a minority in this region, and are one of the many ethnic groups in Myanmar fighting for their rights as an Indigenous people. The Karen National Union is their main political organisation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>The country has a long list of \u2018ethnic revolutionary organisations\u2019 (EROs) fighting the military regime. Where most of EROs became active in the past decades, the KNU was founded in 1947, before independence. At first, they were striving for an independent Karen state, but since the 1970\u2019s their objective is a federal system. In the areas under the authority of the KNU or another ERO, but also in other parts of the country, people show little support for the Myanmar military<span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_130581_1('footnote_plugin_reference_130581_1_5');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_130581_1('footnote_plugin_reference_130581_1_5');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_130581_1_5\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[5]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_130581_1_5\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">The Irradawaddy. (2022) <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.irrawaddy.com\/news\/burma\/ethnic-karen-fighters-take-control-of-lower-myanmar-townships.html\" target=\"_blank\">Ethnic Karen Fighters Take Control of Lower Myanmar Townships<\/a><\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_130581_1_5').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_130581_1_5', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });<\/script> that \u2018has sought to suppress and assimilate minority communities\u2019 (South 2010)<span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_130581_1('footnote_plugin_reference_130581_1_6');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_130581_1('footnote_plugin_reference_130581_1_6');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_130581_1_6\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[6]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_130581_1_6\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">Ashly South. (2011). Burma&#8217;s Longest War: Anatomy of the Karen Conflict<\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_130581_1_6').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_130581_1_6', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });<\/script>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Impact on nature conservation and sustainable development<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>The coup, ensuing military crackdowns and raging civil war have led to thousands of deaths and left more than a million people displaced. But a quieter crisis is also taking place as a collapsing formal economy, crumbling rule of law and the proliferation of conflict create the perfect conditions for the further exploitation of Myanmar\u2019s natural resources<span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_130581_1('footnote_plugin_reference_130581_1_7');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_130581_1('footnote_plugin_reference_130581_1_7');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_130581_1_7\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[7]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_130581_1_7\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">Aljazeera. (2022). \u2018Afraid of the gun\u2019: Military coup fuels Myanmar resource grab<\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_130581_1_7').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_130581_1_7', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });<\/script>. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>Due to the escalated conflict, part of the activities that before were supported by the SRJS programme could not be implemented as planned, according to our partner. \u2018In the villages, we work with community-based organisations (CBOs). Since our staff could not travel to these villages because of security measures, we can only meet with CBOs online and cannot provide close support. Nevertheless, we have been working with the local CBOs on establishing community forests, increased the awareness of youth, worked with peasants on improving their livelihoods, placed camera traps to monitor wildlife, and conducted other activities. We also still organise online conferences on environmental conservation with the KNU Forest Department.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>The circumstances also had an unexpected positive outcome: \u2018The CBOs had to carry out project activities more independently. The leaders of the community-based organisations were forced to work together with other village leaders and had more opportunity to apply their abilities. They took all responsibility while we tried to stay in touch through internet. Nowadays, we are able to meet with part of the leaders again.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>One of the main objectives of our partner is empowering youth and women. \u2018Unfortunately, the role of women in the projects has diminished,\u2019 they say. \u2018We must stay alert, since we do not know when violence will strike. Most women therefore stay at home and work the land. We have noticed that most people attending meetings are men now. But we continue to try to mobilise youth for the community-led conservation. In December 2022, we organised a youth camp teaching them GPS, monitoring and legal awareness skills.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>\u2018Militants cut down mangrove forests for charcoal. It is the main cause of deforestation in the area, while the local families depend on mangroves for food and income.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:58px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Community monitoring<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>Community monitoring was one of the pillars of the SRJS programme in Myanmar. Community members still report illegal mining and logging activities, tells our partner: \u2018If a villager logs illegally, it is reported to the community forest committee. If it concerns a company or authority, we send an official letter with all data to the KNU regional forest department.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>Large mining and logging companies can get permission from the Myanmar military government to extract natural resources. These are national companies that are connected with multinationals; many investors are waiting to enter the area and mine for tin or lead, according to our partner. Our partner conducted research on these companies: \u2018Sometimes their permit has expired, but they just continue.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>Because of this, community members are monitoring their environment more closely these days: \u2018Community-based organisations and other villagers are more aware of outside parties wanting to extract natural resources from the area. When they observe foot prints or traces of mining activities, they inform us and then we discuss our options. Often the CBO\u2019s try talking with the people of the company first.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Deforestation of mangroves<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>In the past, oil palm plantations of a Korean company directly caused deforestation in the region, but the company stopped the expansion after large protests of the villagers in 2018. \u2018Since then, there has been no more logging or planting of oil palms, but the communities still suffer from environmental degradation. This results in declining water levels and wildlife invading small farms due to the loss of habitat,\u2019 tells our partner.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>The communities in Tanintharyi proof their resilience to conflict, but the current situation is still a major challenge to them. Mangrove forests play an important role in their livelihood: in these rich ecosystems, families fish for shrimp and collect wood for cooking.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>Charcoal has become a popular business since the coup, especially among local militants supporting the military coup. Because of their presence, it is dangerous for families to enter the mangroves, tells our partner: \u2018Militants cut down mangrove forests for charcoal. It is the main cause of deforestation in the area, while the local families depend on mangroves for food and income.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conflict and food insecurity<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>Since the coup in February 2021, about 1 million people in Myanmar are internally displaced or fled to neighboring countries Thailand and India. They had to leave their houses and their land to find refuge from the conflict. Due to inflation, a lack of jobs and food insecurity, people are now also moving to other parts of the country in search of other forms of livelihood.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>According to our partner, there are currently no displaced people from other regions in Tanintharyi, but people regularly have to leave their homes for short periods. \u2018The conflict has major consequences for the local population,\u2019 they say. \u2018If the fighting takes place near their village, many people flee to a neighboring village for several days or longer. They do not return home until the fighting has stopped, which affects crops and endangers their food security and livelihoods. People help each other as much as they can. In addition, they receive humanitarian aid from an alliance of local NGOs, of which we are also a part, distributing the resources among the local population.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Shared Resources, Joint Solutions: ongoing impact<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>From 2016 through 2020, IUCN NL worked with our local partner organisation on strengthening the (climate) resilience of Karen communities in Tanintharyi through community-led conservation. Our joint efforts in Myanmar were part of Shared Resources, Joint Solutions (SRJS): a strategic partnership with WWF funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented with 200 partners around the globe. The SRJS programme ended in 2020, only just before the violent military coupe took place on the 1<sup>st<\/sup> of February 2021.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>Despite the challenging context, the SRJS activities have an ongoing impact on the communities in Tanintharyi, tells our partner organisation: \u2018Because of the work we did with IUCN NL, we are now able to continue with activities on sustainability, civic rights and empowerment. Because of the camera traps purchased as part of the SRJS project, we can still monitor wildlife and other activities in the forest. We are still connected with the other SRJS project partners in Myanmar, we meet regularly online and collaborate with some of them to train staff and local people.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/project\/shared-resources-joint-solutions\/\">More about SRJS<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"background background-preset-primary\" id=\"block_83043e0bbb17fb62261da83986edca9c\">\n             <div class=\"dark custom-padding-top\">\n    \n\n\n<div class=\"smallteam-members__name12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n\t<div id=\"team-members-block_4d76c7fab9b20777e946b0325b9315db\" class=\"team-members team-members-block block\">\n\t\t<span class=\"anchor-id\" id=\"\"><\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"team-members__title\">\n\t\t\t\t<div>More information? <\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"team-members__body small-12 grid-x\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__item grid-x small-12 medium-6\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__image cell shrink\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__image-wrapper lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/app\/uploads\/2021\/02\/68IUCN-160519.jpg&#039;)\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/app\/uploads\/2021\/02\/68IUCN-160519.jpg\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 2373px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 2373\/2373;\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__info cell auto\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__info-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__details\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__name\">Evelien\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tvan den Broek<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__jobtitle\">Senior Expert Environmental Justice<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__email\">Email:\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"mailto:evelien.vandenbroek@iucn.nl\">evelien.vandenbroek@iucn.nl<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"posts related_content small-12\">\n    <div class=\"post__titlebar grid-x\">\n                    <h2 class=\"post__title\">News about community governance<\/h2>\n            <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"post__body\">\n                    <div class=\"grid-x grid-margin-x show-for-medium\">\n                                    <div class=\"cell large-3 medium-6 small-12\">\n                        <article class=\"post post-type-post\">\n\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/story\/engaging-stakeholders-to-advance-ecosystem-based-adaptation-in-mauritius\/\">\n        <div class=\"post__image\"\n            data-interchange=\"[https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/CEPF-600x0-c-default.jpg, small], [https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/CEPF-800x0-c-default.jpg, medium], [https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/CEPF-1800x0-c-default.jpg, large]\">\n            \n            <div class=\"post__in\">\n                <div class=\"post__in--info\">\n                                    <div class=\"post__in--label\">\n                                                                                    Feature stories\n                                                                        <\/div>\n\n                                                                <h3>\n                            Engaging Stakeholders to Advance Ecosystem-based Adaptation in Mauritius\n                        <\/h3>\n                                    <\/div>\n                <div class=\"post__link\">\n                    <i class=\"fas fa-arrow-right\"><\/i>\n                <\/div>\n 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href=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/story\/safety-security-programme-protecting-environmental-defenders\/\">\n        <div class=\"post__image\"\n            data-interchange=\"[https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Climate-Action-Champions-Andrew-Kartende-scaled-600x0-c-default.jpg, small], [https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Climate-Action-Champions-Andrew-Kartende-scaled-800x0-c-default.jpg, medium], [https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/app\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Climate-Action-Champions-Andrew-Kartende-scaled-1800x0-c-default.jpg, large]\">\n            \n            <div class=\"post__in\">\n                <div class=\"post__in--info\">\n                                    <div class=\"post__in--label\">\n                                                                                    Feature stories\n                                                                        <\/div>\n\n                                                                <h3>\n                            Safety &amp; Security Programme: protecting environmental defenders\n                        <\/h3>\n                                    <\/div>\n                <div class=\"post__link\">\n                    <i class=\"fas fa-arrow-right\"><\/i>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/a>\n\n<\/article>\n                            <\/li>\n                                                <\/ul>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <nav class=\"orbit-bullets\">\n                                                                            <button class=\"is-active\" data-slide=\"0\">\n                            <span class=\"show-for-sr\"><\/span>\n                            <span class=\"show-for-sr\" data-slide-active-label><\/span>\n                        <\/button>\n                                                                                                    <button data-slide=\"1\"><span 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onclick=\"footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container_130581_1();\">[<a id=\"footnote_reference_container_collapse_button_130581_1\">+<\/a>]<\/span><\/h2><\/div> <div id=\"footnote_references_container_130581_1\" style=\"\"><table class=\"footnotes_table footnote-reference-container\"><caption class=\"accessibility\">Index<\/caption> <tbody> \r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index_combi pointer\"  onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_130581_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_130581_1_1');\"><a id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_130581_1_1\" class=\"footnote_backlink\"><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>1<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">Human Rights Watch. (2022). <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/world-report\/2022\/country-chapters\/myanmar\" target=\"_blank\">Myanmar: events of 2021<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index_combi pointer\"  onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_130581_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_130581_1_2');\"><a id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_130581_1_2\" class=\"footnote_backlink\"><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>2<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">Amnesty International.<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amnesty.nl\/myanmar-wat-is-er-aan-de-hand\" target=\"_blank\"> Myanmar: wat is er aan de hand<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index_combi pointer\"  onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_130581_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_130581_1_3');\"><a id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_130581_1_3\" class=\"footnote_backlink\"><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>3<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">Ajazeera. (2023). <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2023\/5\/9\/hrw-says-myanmar-used-fuel-air-explosive-on-army-rule-opponents\" target=\"_blank\">Myanmar military used vacum bomb on opponents:HRW<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index_combi pointer\"  onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_130581_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_130581_1_4');\"><a id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_130581_1_4\" class=\"footnote_backlink\"><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>4<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">Reliefweb. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/reliefweb.int\/report\/myanmar\/myanmar-tanintharyi-region-profile-updated-june-2014\" target=\"_blank\">Myanmar: Tanintharyi Region profile<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index_combi pointer\"  onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_130581_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_130581_1_5');\"><a id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_130581_1_5\" class=\"footnote_backlink\"><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>5<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">The Irradawaddy. (2022) <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.irrawaddy.com\/news\/burma\/ethnic-karen-fighters-take-control-of-lower-myanmar-townships.html\" target=\"_blank\">Ethnic Karen Fighters Take Control of Lower Myanmar Townships<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index_combi pointer\"  onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_130581_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_130581_1_6');\"><a id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_130581_1_6\" class=\"footnote_backlink\"><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>6<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">Ashly South. (2011). Burma&#8217;s Longest War: Anatomy of the Karen Conflict<\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index_combi pointer\"  onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_130581_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_130581_1_7');\"><a id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_130581_1_7\" class=\"footnote_backlink\"><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>7<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">Aljazeera. (2022). \u2018Afraid of the gun\u2019: Military coup fuels Myanmar resource grab<\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n <\/tbody> <\/table> <\/div><\/div><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> function footnote_expand_reference_container_130581_1() { jQuery('#footnote_references_container_130581_1').show(); jQuery('#footnote_reference_container_collapse_button_130581_1').text('\u2212'); } function footnote_collapse_reference_container_130581_1() { jQuery('#footnote_references_container_130581_1').hide(); jQuery('#footnote_reference_container_collapse_button_130581_1').text('+'); } function footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container_130581_1() { if (jQuery('#footnote_references_container_130581_1').is(':hidden')) { footnote_expand_reference_container_130581_1(); } else { footnote_collapse_reference_container_130581_1(); } } function footnote_moveToReference_130581_1(p_str_TargetID) { footnote_expand_reference_container_130581_1(); var l_obj_Target = jQuery('#' + p_str_TargetID); if (l_obj_Target.length) { jQuery( 'html, body' ).delay( 0 ); jQuery('html, body').animate({ scrollTop: l_obj_Target.offset().top - window.innerHeight * 0.2 }, 380); } } function footnote_moveToAnchor_130581_1(p_str_TargetID) { footnote_expand_reference_container_130581_1(); var l_obj_Target = jQuery('#' + p_str_TargetID); if (l_obj_Target.length) { jQuery( 'html, body' ).delay( 0 ); jQuery('html, body').animate({ scrollTop: l_obj_Target.offset().top - window.innerHeight * 0.2 }, 380); } }<\/script>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Two years ago, a military coup marked a turning point in Myanmar. It not only ended the administration of Aung San Suu Kyi\u2019s National League for Democracy; it also stopped the democratic transition of the Southeast Asian country[1]Human Rights Watch. (2022). Myanmar: events of 2021. Violence, bombing and oppression are now a daily reality. Despite [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":130574,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[61],"tags":[195],"class_list":["post-130581","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-story","tag-shared-resources-joint-solutions-en"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130581","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=130581"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130581\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":130662,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130581\/revisions\/130662"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/130574"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=130581"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=130581"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=130581"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}