Abstract
In Rakhine State (Myanmar), there has been intercommunal conflict and violence between the Rohingya ethnic minority and the Burmese population for decades. The conflict in 2012 resulted in the Rohingya population of the state confined to certain villages and internally displaced persons (IDP) camps. There are ongoing reports of violence in Rakhine State, including evidence of escalating state-sponsored violence in the 2016/2017 crackdown. Since the 1970s, over 1 million Rohingyas fled the country, and those who stayed live in constant fear. A further half a million people have left Rakhine after resurging violence between August and October 2017. Affected Rohingyas in Rakhine live in makeshift housing. They have no access to basic needs; their trade opportunities are limited and have movement restrictions. These oppressive realities have left Rohingya communities in an exceptionally vulnerable and critically unstable situation. Although these communities are frequently at risk from flooding, they face extremely destructive cyclones from time to time (e.g. Cyclone Nargis in 2008 killed over 100,000 people in Myanmar). The research aims to identify the key contributing factors to cyclone vulnerability in Rakhine State. We studied three different communities that are vulnerable to cyclones: an IDP camp, a village with a predominantly Rohingya population and a village with a predominantly Burmese population. These communities were chosen to ensure that the findings are representative of the various living conditions in Rakhine and represent the unique characteristics of each community. The research project adopted a mixed methods approach, involving case studies with multiple data sources. This paper presents preliminary results from a part of the study: a quantitative analysis of the questionnaire data (N = 156) gathered from the three communities. Our data identifies clear differences between the three communities and provides evidence of the key drivers of vulnerability in Rakhine State. The research will make a valuable contribution to the effectiveness of disaster risk reduction efforts in Rakhine State and will contribute to ongoing advocacy effort for the Rohingya people of Myanmar.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank Myittar Resource Foundation (MRF) for supporting this project. Their ongoing support helped to gain access to the key villages in the region. Additionally, MRF staff provided the translation services (for both Burmese and Rohingya languages) necessary to complete the surveys and interviews. The authors also thank the local residents who participated voluntarily in the survey and interviews.
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Johnson, T., von Meding, J., Gajendran, T., Forino, G. (2019). Disaster Vulnerability of Displaced People in Rakhine State, Myanmar. In: Asgary, A. (eds) Resettlement Challenges for Displaced Populations and Refugees. Sustainable Development Goals Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92498-4_6
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