Faith Based Approach to Nation Building

Introduction:

In this paper some reflections are taken back from the presentation that I made at National Symposium held in 2005 November at National Major Seminary in Yangon on the occasion of celebrating the 50^th Anniversary of establishment (Archdiocese and Diocese) of Local Church in Myanmar. Time has passed. 7 years! Myanmar is changing in building a new nation. However, I find that some old remarks are still relevant to the present situations. Added to the old notes, a new look on it will be described from a Christian perspective. My main focus here will be fixed on how the Church in Myanmar can contribute to building a new nation of Myanmar.

Our Church in Myanmar has remained a minority Church comprising of ethnic nationalities such as Kachin, Kayah, Karen, Chin, Mon, Bamar, Rakhine, and Shan. It is a Church with great potential having a good number of vocations to the life of Church’s ministers and religious life and the lay people’ pieties are still deeply religious. A blessing in disguise, as a result of the country's long seclusion for about 50 years (since 1962), the Church has still retained much of Gospel and human values that regrettably disappeared in some countries in the globe, due to negative impact of globalization. Our Church in Myanmar can be criticized for many weaknesses, yet it has launched on its journey despite of all its weaknesses and internal and external challenges. These challenges concern internal communications between lay people and the clergy as well as external communication with the other faiths. The Church in Myanmar has set itself the objective of providing inward solidarity with the poor and vulnerable people and outward solidarity with the people of other religions. The tasks to be performed in this context are as varied as the problems that are encountered. In a word, our Church in Myanmar has a mandate and a role to play in building a new nation of Myanmar that is for a nation of justice and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit ( Rom 17: 14).

“The Church’s deepest nature” said Pope Benedict XVI, “is expressed in her three fold responsibility: of proclamation of the word of God (kerygma-martyria), celebrating the sacraments (leitourgia) and exercising the ministry of charity ( diakonia). These duties presuppose each other and are inseparable”.( Deus Caritas Est, DCE, 25) (cf: On service of Charity, Apostolic Letter,Nov 11, 2012)

Change that we need in nation building

“ It seems to me that most people simply let life happen to them. However a few, a very few, decide what’s going to happen to them in life” (cf. John C Maxwell). Many of us wait for change but only few of us like to make change happen realizing that If we can not be victors of change, we will be victims of change. To just stay alive is not enough. There is a need to learn how to do more with life than simply let it happen to us. Much is changing! Changing too fast! Alarming us in the invitation to this seminar workshop. The golden age of the Church in Myanmar has ended when a coup was staged in 1962. All mission infrastructures collapsed as nationalization and confiscation of mission properties took place. About 300 foreign missionaries expelled. Our Church in Myanmar has experienced its Dark nights!. It was a real Kenosis Experience. Humanly speaking our Church in Myanmar could have withered and died out with the effect such deadly blows. However God is with us (Immanuel). Thanks to Catholic Bishops Conference of Myanmar (CBCM) and Myanmar Council of Churches (MCC) leading and guiding the Church in Myanmar prudently and patiently throughout these difficult years and coming out courageously with much resiliency at the down of building a new nation.

To be able to adequately cope with the rapid changing situations in Myanmar, the Church needs to develop herself to be proactive rather than reactive, flexible but pragmatic. Under long years of restrictive and oppressive conditions the Church has been used to be passive and reactive. Now time has come in building a new nation the Church has to learn to be more proactive in taking leading and prophetic role. Change is always painful and many prefer to remain in their status quo (a comfort zone). Now is our departure point. To change the traditions and the structures in a peaceful way will surely take time. This will certainly happen if the learning process involves all those concerned. This applies to clerics as well as lay people in equal measure. While for the clerics the structural change into a participatory Church will be accompanied by a loss of power and renunciation, the lay people will initially have to be encouraged to take part in the change as they have learned a different role, once  that is passive and receptive.

 FABC has emphasized on developing a participatory Church for Church in Asia empowering lay people. Leadership in social matters has to be passed on to competent lay people. The socioeconomic and political fields are their arenas. After Vatican II, the role of laity is much promoted to the role of protagonist from the traditional role of audience or spectators. The implementation of the Decree on the Apostolate of the Lay People of Vatican II came rather late to the Catholic Church in Myanmar. The reason was easily justified by the difficulties which the young Church and young Hierarchy was faced during long years of isolation. But this does not tend to deny the long felt need as well as the existence of Lay Apostolate in Myanmar usually known as "Diocesan Laity Council" or "Catholic Action", Youth, Women Associations, or under many other names in Myanmar. Though in some areas lacking inter-diocesan coordination and collaboration, they all have the same aim and each diocese had its own way to survive, to progress with the help of lay people.

In this process of building a new nation of Myanmar, a move that we need to take is to have more coordination and collaboration established among our Christian Churches in Myanmar forming one united force, being a model of unity in diversity to this multi ethnic nation.

Service of Charity in building nation

“The service of charity is “ said Pope Benedict XVI“ a constitutive element of the Church’s mission and an indispensible expression of her very being” ( Deus Caritas Est, DCE, 25). It is the right and duty of all the faithful to devote themselves personally to live the commandment of love (cf. Jn 15:12). We have to devote ourselves to offering our contemporaries not only material assistance, but also refreshment and care for their souls. (cf. DCE 28). Whether in the small communities of particular Churches or on the level of the universal Church, the Church is called as a whole to exercise of the service of Charity.

Cyclone Nargis (2008), Cyclone Giri ( 2010), Shan East Earthquake ( 2011), Kachin Conflicts ( 2011 - ) just to mention a few, the Church in Myanmar has manifested the love of God towards all her neighbors ( disaster affected people) regardless of status, faith and ethnic affiliations. We are our brother’s keepers. Love of God is manifested in our actions. Seeing Jesus forsaken among the afflicted people we remember what Jesus said “ You did it to me” (Mt. 25). “ Important is not how much we have done but how much love we have put in our doings” said Blessed Mother Teresa. In carrying out our charitable activities reminded Pope Benedict XVI, the various Catholic organizations should not limit themselves merely to collecting and distributing funds, but should show special concern for individuals in need and exercise a valuable educational function within the Christian community, helping people to appreciate the importance of sharing, respect and love in the spirit of the Gospel of Christ. ( On the service of Charity).

Our service of Charity (Diakonia) has to become our way of building a new nation of Myanmar.  Threatened by global warming and climate change our nation is prone to various natural disasters. Friend in need is friend in deed, in the moment of difficult situations encountered, how can we join hands together as Christian Churches in Myanmar to manifest the love of God in concrete way is our way forward. Jesus comes to serve not to be served!

Respect and Dialogue with Cultures in nation building

No dialogue, no life! Communication is life! Today dialogue and meetings must take place on various levels both inside and outside the Church. This seminar/workshop is a proof of our coming together to cultivate a round table culture among us. Such kind of good practice and initiative needs to be enhanced. Dialogue within the Church also means discussion between the various ethnic groups to which our Christian communities belong. Ecumenical events should be created more often, not only once a year during week of Unity Service. Dialogue beyond the Church includes discussion and meeting with followers of other religions in the form of Interreligious dialogue.

Here comes the need of a dialogue with cultures in Myanmar. Dialogue with culture concretely means inculturation. The Catholic Church in Myanmar is blessed with many vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Today our Church in Myanmar needs priests and pastors who are truly of the soil, rooted in their own social, cultural and spiritual heritage, healthily integrated and inculturated. One of the criticism leveled at the Church in Asia, true also to Myanmar, is that she is still viewed as a relic of colonial era. In the process of building a new nation in Myanmar, the Church needs to be more incarnated!

Of course, in the field of inculturation discernment is necessary for we need to steer clear of two extremes: " the risk of passing uncritically from a form of alienation from culture to an overestimation of culture. Since culture is a human creation and is therefore marked by sin, it too needs to be healed, ennobled and perfected".Christ assumed human nature but also redeemed it. The process of inculturation needs not only patience but also guidance. The guiding principles for inculturation are" compatibility with the Gospel and communion with the universal Church”.

Without inculturation there can be no incarnation and without the incarnation there is no salvation. Christ was not born in a void or in a vacuum. He took flesh in the womb of Mary. He was born in a certain place and a certain time in history. His life was interwoven into the prevalent social, cultural and spiritual fabric of his time. As the Word of God, he spoke a human language, with a specific accent and a definite cultural heritage. "The incarnation of the Word was also a cultural incarnation" observed Pope John Paul II in his address to the University of Coimbra on May 15, 1982. In fact, "Christ by his incarnation committed himself to the particular social and cultural elements of the men among whom he lived" said Ad Gentes # 10. The Fathers of the Church are good models of inculturation. " Therefore, for future priests,( Church ministers) going back to the Fathers of the Church means nourishing themselves from the very roots of Christian culture, and understanding  better their own cultural tasks in today's world" (Instruction on the study of the Fathers of the Church in the formation of priests, congregation for Catholic education, November 10, 1989, #43.)

Option for the poor in nation building

Myanmar once rich in economy in Asia but now categorized among the least developed countries. In building a new nation, the president of the country announced steps for poverty reduction. Option for the poor an expression of solidarity in nation building. Here the word "poor" is not to be taken only in material sense. There are also the issues of educational opportunities and gender equality. For the Church, with the poor ought to include working with the refugees, migrants and displaced people, the poor, the sick and the handicapped. All this demands a great deal of solidarity and sacrifice on the part of the better-off in favor of the less well-off. A further aspect of living with the poor is concern and care for a good number of people in Myanmar infected with HIV. It is the ethnic minorities, and thus also the Christians, who are afflicted with this disease. The Church has begun to take on responsibility in this area and will have to do so even more in future if she wants to live and suffer with the poor. The challenges are huge but we can recall the words of Blessed Mother Teresa, Missionary of Charity, “ In our life we may not be able to do great things, but we can do small things with great love”.

In his inaugural speech on the coming of the Kingdom of God and its realization in him, Jesus announced Good News to the poor (cf. Lk 4:16-19).The Church must make every effort to listen to the poor and the marginalized, to discover their cultural values and expressions, and to stand together with them by supporting their just causes, in order to be truly a healing sign of God's love for them. In the light of the urbanization and industrialization which are sweeping East and Southeast Asia, the Church (in Myanmar) today must give special attention to the plight of the urban workers, who are often uprooted from their traditional cultures and involved in a difficult struggle for life. These are again the challenges that can be counted in the process of nation building to which the Church in Myanmar is urgently called to participate if she really wants to be the Church of Myanmar. 

 Promoting Civil Society in nation building

In Myanmar, the Church with her institutional structure is regarded as a well organized faith based organization. In this sense the Church has to be well prepared to transform the society in which she lives. Like the Catholic Church in general, the Catholic Church in Myanmar, being hierarchical in structure, technically speaking in a sense, may not be regarded as a model of Democratic Society. However the concept has changed since Vatican II, now more clearly defined, that the Church is Communion. A new way of being Church in Asia is set up by FABC.  In this way that the Church in Myanmar can still help to prepare people for different social structures. This would be an important contribution to the country's future and could strengthen the position of the Church in a changed political system and a society that is in the throes of change as a result. Beginning with her own followers, but extending her efforts to others as well, the Church could use awareness-raising and education to prepare people for a democratic life together. Grassroots communities are one place where democratic structures and democratic behaviors can be practiced. A Church that is aware of her own good organization should not neglect the responsibility of transforming into a democratic community that respects human rights.

Every effort should be made to encourage the Church in Myanmar to join in the construction of a civil society, however tinny the beginning may be. It would be difficult for the people of Myanmar to deal positively with changes. They will have to learn from the beginning how to cope with new forms of society. This is where the churches in Myanmar could play an important role, preparing people to act independently and responsibly. Support must be given to "skill training, workshops and seminars for leaders of people's organizations, progressive church programs and the NGOs. Civil society must be given support through the formation of political organizations and NGOs, networking and linking among different progressive political forces and sectors, and the convening of forums and conferences to arrive at a common analysis and agenda. The importance of coming to a shared understanding and a shared agenda with other religious communities is obvious to many of us.

Uplifting the standard of education in nation building

Christians missionaries like Jesuits, Dominicans, Franciscans, Barnabites, Oblates, MEP, PIME, Columbans, and Rev. Judson and companions, etc, have contributed a lot in building Myanmar (ancient) through their tireless endeavors on founding a flourishing Education System. Myanmar was once considered one of the most literate countries in Asia. Unfortunately the education system at all levels is decaying and along with it the future of Myanmar's next generations. The education of children and allocating minimal resources to public education has been neglected. This is a challenge!

Only three out of four children enter primary school, and of those only two out of five complete the full five years. According to a study conducted by UNICEF, the single greatest obstacle to school attendance in Myanmar is cost due to poor family income. 57.6% of households cannot afford basic education for their children. Female students are disproportionately affected by high dropout rates. Fewer than one third of all girls who enroll make it through primary school. Those children who are able to attend school rarely receive quality education. Text books, equipment and school supplies are outdated and in short supply. Teachers’ salaries are far below subsistence wages and have forced many teachers to quit out of economic necessity. Increasingly, only prosperous families can afford to send their children to school, even at the primary level. This is a challenge!

In addition to dropping out of school for financial reasons, thousands of children are forced to drop out or interrupt their education for reasons associated with conflict due to: lack of an educational infrastructure; few teachers; security concerns; constant transience due to forced relocation etc. How the Church in Myanmar will respond to these challenges regarding their duties of educating their children?.

Future of a country lies in the quality of education given to younger generation. Now many new opportunities are open. Programs conducted by UNICEF like ECCD, EXCEL are the platforms where the Church in Myanmar is closely collaborating. Many NGOs are undertaking this responsibility filling the gaps that the Government is failing to do. Some Catholic dioceses organized community volunteer teachers sending them to remote areas for children education. This is a sort of creating job opportunity for them and at the same time providing access of education to children in villages. Yangon archdiocese is now known for TTC programs and Jesuit Education Programs.. We do not wait for change in this regard. We can make change happen here. We may not be given back our old confiscated mission schools, and we may not be able to build a new Judson college! but in our own way we can build  moderate schools, learning centers, language centers, IT centers, mobile libraries in building this new nation of Myanmar.  

Seeing globalization as threats and opportunities in nation building

Now all over Asia we can observe the effects of globalization which has great potential for good or ill. Unfortunately what we can see the effects of globalization in Asia are the negative effects. There does not seem to be any place, so rural or so isolated, as no to be affected one way or another by globalization, Myanmar inclusive. This may not necessarily be in form of technological advance but certainly in the form of considerable price increases of basic commodities. E.g Increasing oil prices has a domino effect on all goods. How to keep ourselves prepared?

In reality, the weak and poor nations of the world can not be competitive. They are simply small fish in the wide sea of free global competition, at the mercy of big fish. That is why Pope John Paul II has sounded the alarm over the phenomenon of globalization. “It has its blessings. It has great promise. But we need international regulations and controls. We need the cooperation of superpowers so that these could look at the effects of globalization on poor economies. We need to temper globalization with solidarity”.( cf.)

However the effects of globalization can be the positive movements in Asia, particularly in Myanmar. The movements such as the movement to community, the movement to empower the poor, the movement to freedom among women and youth, the ecological movement and the movement to spirituality. All these movements that one can see among peoples, non-government organizations and people's organization point to one direction: human solidarity in Myanmar, solidarity with cultures, with ecology and with the Transcendence.

Formation in the social doctrine of the Church in this regard is necessary and has to be contextualized. Without contextualization, social doctrine can become ineffective platitudes. But contextualized in the interplay of faith and social reality, the social teaching of the Church are elaborated, clarified, and effectively applied to burning social issue of the day.

The phenomenon of globalization has to be discerned not simply in terms of economic ideology but especially in the light of social dimension of the faith, of the sacraments and liturgy.

Facilitating accompaniment of international community that we need in nation building

In this globalized age Myanmar can not remain isolated. The country needs good accompaniment. As the country is open, many like to come to invest. Investment for accompaniment? Good! “ The nation is not open to looting by outsiders after five decades of  suffering” reminded us by Archbishop Charles Bo in his Keynote address yesterday (14, Jan 2013). The Church in Myanmar being international institution has a role to facilitate the proper and effective accompaniment of international community in nation building. If Myanmar is well accompanied and allows such accompaniment to take place, it can certainly develop into a participatory nation. Here accompaniment  means " journeying with the people, listening to them, and challenging them ". Accompaniment means involving oneself in a different world view, a different culture and different people in order to develop and realize something jointly with them. Accompaniment is therefore impossible unless one has a thorough knowledge of the context in which one wants to become involved. It is ultimately a matter of partnership. And this assumes that one also genuinely knows the other people's circumstances, needs, etc. Moreover, if one wants to know other people's dreams, hardships etc, more than just superficially, detailed communication has to take place that extends beyond the negotiation of specific projects.

Accompaniment also means challenging. Challenging assumes, likewise, that one has a thorough knowledge of the project partners and the situation they live in. It is only this kind of knowledge that prevents challenges becoming overtaxing. In addition, the concept of accompaniment as a challenge assumes an open dialogue with the project partners. This is only guaranteed if an aid organization's project work favors quality over quantity, seeking for the benefits of the targeted people rather than their own profits.

The grassroots communities are they that most need of strengthening. Power relationships can only be changed, and greater freedom can only be realized, if ever the grassroots are empowered. To make this happen, one indispensable prerequisite is awareness-raising so as to develop a clear view of people's own situation and circumstances, reveal the causes of problems and open up potential solutions. Karuna Myanmar (Caritas Myanmar) has taken the steps in this direction and deserves support from outside at both the international and diocesan level.

Conclusion:

Constant renewal in formation and training is absolutely necessary. Initial and on-going formation of priests and consecrated persons ( Church Ministers), the formation of the laity- all these have to be renewed. The new way of being Church and the New Evangelization in the third Millennium absolutely require a new type of evangelizers ( nation builders) along with the process of building a new nation. We have to learn to be familiar with Myanmar realities. Then we will be be able to discern the movement of the Holy Spirit in our Myanmar cultures in the context of Asian traditions. We have to be persons of dialogue, able to share and pray with one another, able to form community with one another establishing networking and collaboration, prepared to face new challenges in building this new nation.

The Church in Myanmar as the whole body needs constant renewal of formation. Church Ministers needs to be introduced to the renewal of the Church in Asia and socio-pastoral methodologies and skills to build community; religious communities have to understand development besides works of charity and even more involved in the social and pastoral plan of dioceses and local church communities; catechists and youths need to be retrained in animation and community development; and laity deepened in their spirituality through human and spiritual formation for engagement in the world. When all sectors of the Church in Myanmar is well renewed, we can be certain that we can make a change happen that is building a new nation of Myanmar.

fr. henry eikhlein ( January 15, 2013)

Reference:

1. An outline of the history of the Catholic Burmese Mission ( from the year 1720 to 1887) by Bishop Paul Ambroise Bigandet, published in Rangoon in 1887.
2. History of the Catholic Church in Burma ( 1856 to 1966) by Father Edward P. Evans, published in September 2012, Italy.
3. Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, by Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, 2005
4. FABC documents

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First Delta Pwo Karen Fellowship

“This is the first time that we have come from different religious backgrounds such as Catholic, Baptist, Anglican, Seven Day Adventist and Buddhist, to make this fellowship happen” said one participant, Mahn Thein Aung, a retired school teacher, aged 62, a Catholic from Nyaung Bin Thar, Shwe Laung Township, accompanying the group of 20 Buddhist Pwo Karen youth from Pantanaw.

Entitled “First Delta Pwo Karen Fellowship” was successfully held from 26 to 29 December 2012 at Mayanchaung Catholic compound, in Pathein Township, in Ayeyarwaddy region. To the very first  held fellowship event were attended 218 participants, 97 young men and 121 young women of 5 religious backgrounds.  The opening ceremony was highlighted by the opening speech of Mahn Than Shwe, Regional Minister of Karen Affairs of Ayeyarwaddy region. Though different in faith professions, one that makes this event happen and unite them is “ Being One Delta Pwo Karen of Ayeyarwaddy ”. “To raise this awareness of rediscovering the root of being one Delta Pwo Karen is the purpose of this meeting” said Rev. Mahn David, Pastor of Pwo Karen Baptist Church in Pathein, president of fellowship celebration committee which was formed in August 2012 and held 4 successive meetings before the mentioned fellowship meeting took place in Mayanchaung Catholic compound. The committee was chaired by Bishop John Hsane Hgyi, Bishop of Catholic diocese of Pathein, Ashin Dr.Adicca (Mahn Mu Phan), Honorable monk of Phlone Pathein Monastery, Mahn Khin Maung Lat, of SDA regional superior, supported by the working committee.

Ayeyarwaddy region is located in Delta region in the southern part of Myanmar, rich of natural resources of agriculture, fishery and forestry being situated along the Bay of Bangle. Ayeyarwaddy region is composed of 6 districts in which 26 townships are included. Out of about 7 millions civil population, Karen (both Pwo and Sgaw) are composed of the estimated 2 millions spreading in all 26 townships. The present available statistic  is not accurate and hopefully upcoming 2014 general census sponsored by UN will bring out accurate statistics of Karen population in Delta region. Pwo Karen in the region of Delta are known as West Pwo Karen, closely related to East Poe Karen  living in the Karen State in the East of Myanmar bordering with Thailand. Their writing scripts were invented by the Baptist Missionaries in 1830s and the Bible in Pwo (Poe), known also Phlone was translated by the same missionaries. In this way Pwo Karen literatures have come to existence and widely used during the British colonization period (1826 to 1947) and post independence until  the nationalization and confiscation of Mission and Private Schools in 1965.

“Today our younger generation do not know how to read and write Pwo Karen, because they do not have access to it in the government  schools and no text books available” said Rev.Mahn Than Htun Aye, Vice President of Pwo Karen Baptist Confrence, a participant in the fellowship meeting. Pwo Karen

Baptist Conference is the only Church Organization which has preserved and promoted Delta Pwo Karen Language as they use it as medium of teaching in their seminaries and Bible schools. Thanks to them that much expectation of promotion Pwo Karen Language in Delta is assured through their  expertise and accompaniment. This First Delta Pwo Karen Fellowship is a proof of success with their efficient supports  in program facilitation on Paper presentations done in two days. On the day one,  a paper on “ How the Pwo Karens in Delta to prepare themselves to cope with changes taking place in building a new nation of Myanmar” prepared by Mahn Win Maung of Pantanaw and read by Rev.Saya Nepolean, Pwo Karen Baptist Conference, Director of Language and Culture. On the second day, a paper on “ Ayeyarwaddy Delta in the Eyes of Pwo Karens” prepared by Fr.Henry Eikhlein, a Catholic priest of Pathein Diocese and read by Sr.Daniella, Catholic Religious Sister of St.Francis Xavier, in diocese of Pathein. Both papers were read and discussed in the assembly  and in 5 separate groups with findings and recommendations at the end. Both papers highlighted on the history of Karen people, the present situation of Pwo Karen people in Delta, their challenges in livelihoods, educations, health care, social protections and security, threat of natural disasters (floods, cyclone).

To safeguard and promote Pwo Karen Language and Culture across Ayeyarwaddy region were particularly discussed. All are aware of an urgent need of teaching Karen Language in targeted villages not only in the summer vacation periods ( March to May), but also to introduce it as an extra effort in the government schools since a new opportunity of teaching and learning local languages are opened.

A great concern was manifested among the participants with regard to having an accurate statistics of Karen population in Myanmar as a general census is under way. A specific focus was also made on change of mindset and looking with new eyes on every opportunity present. Karen have been known as loyal and good followers since British time. Timid and slow in taking initiative and being responsive. Good as general workers, but rare as managers and leaders. A mindset of good followers to great leaders, general workers to efficient managers, isolation to participation, were new insights seriously discussed in the meeting.

At the end, a standing committee was formed in the presence of all participants. Taking the name of “ Delta Pwo Karen Development Committee” (DPKDC), a committee was formed with participations of 5 religious backgrounds, comprising both Church leaders and laymen professionals. The committee memebers will have their first meeting in two month time in which consolidation of members will be made and planning of future activities will be finalized.

This is just a small beginning and still a long journey to go together until reaching the full realization of our common goal of Being One Delta Pwo Karen, regardless of our religious backgrounds while marching towards a sustainable peace and development of the Delta Ayeyarwaddy in Myanmar.

Reported by Eikhlein.fr

December 29, 2012

Report on field visit of Director of Karuna Pathein

Report on field visit of Director of Karuna Pathein to flood affected areas in Tharbaung  township

Purpose:	To have personal understanding of the situation and supporting the flood affected victims.
Date:	August 24 , 2012
Persons involved:	Fr.Henry Eikhlein (Director) , Fr.Josephat Soe Lwin, Vicar forane of Pathein Zone, Mr. Alphonse (guide)
Means of  travel :	By Car from Pathein to Tharbaung, by boat from Tharbaung to villages

1.       Location

Pathein district is composed of 7 townships; Pathein, Tharbaung, Kangyidauk, Yekyi, Kyaunggon, Kyone

Pyaw, Ngaputaw. Except Ngaputaw township, all the 6 townships are affected by recent flooding occurring since first week of August. Tharbaung is the area most affected by the recent  flooding. Situated in low lying land, Tharbaung area is at risk and prone to flooding every year during rainy season in July, August and September. The area was hit by flooding notably in 2004 and this time flooding is the most affecting and damaging to the local people. This time all 70 village tracks are under water and now still in the process of recovering.

2.       Visiting two villages

2.1.  Kon Tan Gyi village 

Situated in west of Tharbaung town, 30 minutes of travel by boat from Tharbaung. All 90 houses are flooded and the only way of transportation in the village moving from house to house is  in by means of small canoes. The majority of villagers are Catholics and have one village chapel, a Marian Shrine, a house for Clergy and visitor. There is a government supported primary school built in wood with zinc roof of 20 x 40 fts size, not in solid condition and can collapse at any time by strong wind. Karuna Pathein has sent two 2 volunteer teachers headed by a school master native of the village. There are 60 children ( boys and girls) from grade 1 to 5, of  the same village. 60 % of the households in the village have farmland cultivating paddy for their livelihood and the remaining others are seasonal workers depending on the farmers of big lands. There is no dispensary in the village. For healthcare the villagers have to depend on clinics in Tharbaung.

2.2. Nga Man Chaung village

Situated in the west of Tharbaung town and a neighboring village of Kon Tan Gyi. The village of Nga Man Chaung has existed about 60 years ago, established by the displaced people during the time of Japanese occupation in Myanmar 1941-1945. No household is originally of the village and instead, coming to take refuge in this location rich of soils for paddy cultivation. There are about 200 houses in the village composed of Buddhists, Baptists, and Catholics. Buddhists and Baptists are the majority. 50% of the population in the village are farmers and the rest are seasonal workers. There is one government primary school, Baptist Chapel and Catholic Chapel and a Buddhist monastery. World Vision, INGOs is doing development works in the village and doing relief services by providing food items to the flood affected people a week before Karuna Pathein arrived to distribute the food items to the villagers.

3.       Findings from meeting with  villagers

Group meeting was conducted in both villages attended by the some village leaders, men and women, and young people. Altogether about 10 members participated in group meeting at Kon Tan Gyi and 9 members gathered in group meeting held in Nga Man Chaung. This group meeting was conducted in the afternoon for about one hour and at random. Prior to thes group meetings Karuna Pathein staff distributed rice to the villagers in the morning respectively at Kon Tan Gyi and Nga Man Chaung.

ü  The flooding this year is very unusual and exceeds their normal expectation with regard to level of water rising and longer duration of rainfall occurred which put them unprepared.

ü  Fortunately there was no storm and strong wind during the flooding period. Otherwise there could have been more damages of properties and loss of lives.

ü  Such unusual flooding occurred in 2004, meaning more than ten years ago but this year flooding has caused more disturbances and damages though no human life is lost.

ü  The two villages are under water during every monsoon from June to September. However such phenomenon did not occur over 30 years ago. The main reasons of flooding is due to heavy and continuous rains added by the bad consequences of unnecessary dams and fishponds installed in the areas by the government sponsored business man. Being located in low land areas, Tharbaung township is the most affected when such unusual phenomenon occurs.

ü  Taking the past experiences and lessons learned for about 30 years, the farmers in the villages begin the rice plantation only after they are sure that the rains will stop and the water level will not come up again in mid of September or in month of October every year. They store paddy seeds in safer place until they are sure for beginning the nursery for rice plantation usually in the beginning of September. But for this year due to this unusual flooding, the rice farming works will be delayed and will be able to start, may be, only in October as fears of another flooding is threatening.

ü  No other NGO and government offices arrived for emergency relief until  3^rd week of August after flooding occurred. World Vision INGO took care of food items distribution in Nga Man Chaung but not in Kon Tan Gyi. Only Karuna Pathein has arrived on August 23-26 distributing rice, based in 3 villages ( Kon Tan Gyi, Nga Man Chaung, Kon Su) for about 4 kg of rice per person for about 5600 beneficiaries without discrimination of race and religions.

ü  There is no social disorders and confusions like robbing, theft, violence, taking place in the villages though faced by natural disaster. All are well ordered and managed under the administration of capable village leaders.

ü  The villages could manage to stay in their own villages and no displacement in the camps. When some poor family houses built in bamboo and thatch sheets can no longer stand for increasing water level, they all gather in stronger and solid houses built of woods and bricks. In this way that 4-5 families can take refuges in one solid house.

4.       Challenges and Recommendations

People living in Kon Tan Gyi and Nga Man Chaung  and other surrounding villages will be challenged by this form of natural disaster ( floods) in almost of every rainy season. In the perspective of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), some measures with regard to minimizing the hazards and risk need to be taken seriously. It is good that they know how to keep their seeds and some food items in safer places in preparation for facing disaster. The village of Nga Man Chaung has planned to collect from community as security food item ( rice) in coming summer and store it in safe place. The same action should be planned by other neighboring villages in view of food security of each village.

Only few houses in the villages are solid and strong, built of wood and on high wood or concrete posts. The villagers would be strongly recommended to build their future houses on solid and high level foundation posts to prevent them from being submerged under waters while flooding in the areas.  This practice of defense mechanism will assure them of more security physically and psychologically.

The training like DRR needs to be given to the villagers so that the practices of getting early warning systems, doing village maps, understanding seasonal maps, preparing for security packages, forming emergency task force teams in the village can be assured. In this way that the village will be prepared both in skills and knowledge for any emergency response.

5.       Conclusion

As this one day visit was organized and made in view of  having more personal understanding of the situation and supporting the flood affected victims through Karuna Pathein Staff in distributing rice, both the Director and the Vicar Forane of Pathein Zone has come back with full understanding of the difficult situation faced by the people in Tharbaung township. Seeing the two villages as sample, understanding of the whole areas can be extended. The needs are still huge even at emergency phase and still more will be in the phase of rehabilitation. Unless these local people are well equipped with DRR concepts and skills, prepared with strong infrastructures ( buildings, means of transportation, food security etc), their worries for life will not do down even though the water level has gone lower  at the moment.  Until this moment Karuna Pathein has covered townships of Kyone Pyaw, Kyaunggon, Kangyidauk, Pathein and Tharbaung about 50 villages distributing 1000 sacks of rice ( 50000 kilo g) to 125000 beneficiaries with discrimination of race and religions.

Karuna Pathein staff are now being deployed in the affected township to continue collecting more detailed data assessment while applying for Emergency Appeal through coordination of KMSS National Office to Caritas Internationalis (CI). Glad to learn and see the other organizations like World Food Programs of UN, Red Cross, World Visions, Baptist Churches and some political parties responding to the urgent needs of the people affected by the flood in Pathein district comprising in 5  townships. Now the rains have stopped and the water level going down, however still there is fears of another waves of flood threating the region in October according to National Weather Forecast Department. Local people are being traumatized by flood and now living under fears of natural disaster. Karuna Pathein is planning to send some staff trained in Pyscho Social Support to provide some awareness sessions on   trauma healing as it has been done in Cyclone Nargis response in 2008. Karuna Pathein is committed to continue providing social services to all the people in need and affected by disaster following the Catholic Social Teachings as guide in close collaboration with KMSS National Office.

Reported from Office of KMSS-Pathein (Karuna Pathein)

August 26, 2012

NB: Progress report on August activities on Emergency Response by Karuna Pathein (KMSS-Pathein) will be provided in a separate report.

Massive Flooding in Pathein District,  Myanmar

Massive flooding caused by ongoing heavy rain in these recent weeks (mid July to mid August) has forced thousands of people living in Ayeyarwaddy Division to flee their homes. The flooding displaces thousands in the Delta Region.

Pathein district is one of the 6 districts composed of Ayeyarwaddy Division in southern part of Myanmar. The district is located around the city of Pathein (formerly known as Bassein) and includes the urban area of it. The area of the Pathein District is 10900 sq. km. Its population was 1,769,280 according to statistics shown in 2001. The district consists of  7 townships: Pathein , Kangyidaunk ,Tharbaung , Kyonpyaw ,Yekyi , Kyaunggon , Ngapudaw . The district of Pathein contains  48 wards, 519 village groups and 2963 villages.

In the district  of Pathein 85% of population live on agriculture rice farming, and the remaining 15% are fishermen and seasonal workers. Majority of them dwell in the villages around the centers of respective township. Pathein is main city of Ayeyarwaddy division located along the bank of Ngawan river. The main towns in the district can be reached by land roads and by river. In the past 30 years travel by boats in the river was the only means of transportation in the district. Being located in low-lying land areas, Pathein district has been threatened by inundation during raining season. However this year due to ongoing heavy rainfalls for about 3-4 weeks from mid July to now mid August the districts is now flooded and the area is now massively affected.   

Every year during the months of July, August and September, Ayeyarwaddy division located in Delta region in southern part of Myanmar, gets a lot of rains which sometimes cause inundation in some parts of the region. When there is heavy and continuous and ongoing rainfalls, water level augments and causes flooding in low-lying land areas. This kind of unusual rains and high water level occurred in this recent decade notably one time, in 2004 and second in 2007 and this year 2012 which is now causing more damages and losses than the previous two.

In fact, this year the monsoon come later than previous years and only mid of June that the rainfall started in Ayeyarwaddy division. However starting from mid of July, the unusual heavy and continuous rainfall in the whole region of Ayeyarwaddy. Fortunately there is no storm and strong wind blows. After two to three weeks of heavy rains those people who live in low lying land started shifting their property to the safer places  expecting to be less affected by the flood like the other previous years. However due to non-stop rains and heavy rainfall, water level augments and floods cover the rice farmlands and houses, causing damages of their properties. Majority of the population are farmers and seasonal workers depend on them for their daily wages to cover their basic needs. The reserved food that the seasonal workers prepared could not stand for more than two weeks in case of disaster. They are the ones currently most affected by the floods. Now what they need is food with which they can move on for some weeks to come. 

Among 7 townships in Ayeyarwaddy Division, the most affected townships are; Pathein Township, Kangyidaunk Township, Tharbaung Township, Kyonpyaw Township, Yekyi Township , Kyaunggon Township and only Ngaputaw township is exempted. Until now no life is reported lost by the floods, but most of the farmlands, paddy fields are submerged under water and the paddy already planted are now totally destroyed. When the water goes down, the second re-plantation of paddy needs to be resumed, may be in mid of September. The cost of seeds and charges of labors will require much resources from the farmers and seasonal workers. To meet all these challenges the flood affected victims are now badly in need of external helps that would alleviate their suffering and worries. 

Karuna Pathein (KMSS-Pathein) is now deploying the emergency response staff led by deputy director and accompanied by a volunteer priest from the diocese of Pathein in the townships of Pathein, Kyaunggon, Kanggyidauk and Tharbaung. After doing rapid assessment, the distribution of food items ( 500 sacks of rice) have now distributed to the beneficiaries with cooperation of the parish priests of Ywegone, Eimme, and Paukseinbe and local authority concerned. As the rains do not stop and the water level does not goes down, there is still a huge need to meet the demands of the flood affected victims.

Following the protocol of KMSS National and Diocesan Office in case of emergency, KMSS Pathein is now making an urgent appeal to KMSS National Office to coordinate in this endeavor of emergency response to the flood affected victims. 

Reported from Karuna Pathein Office

Diocese of Pathein; August 17,2012