ReflectionsontheGiriResponse PaungKu

enhance their work. Further, the context in Rakhine from a socioeconomic and ethnicperspectiveispotentiallymorecomplexthanourexperienceinresponding to Nargis. As international actors, we need to be aware of these challenges and takeopportunitiesforstrengtheningtheroleofcivilsocietyinaddressingthem. Rapid and effective emergency responses in the future will clearly require collaborativeworkbetweengrassrootsgroups,localNGOs,internationalagencies, government and private sector. This report focuses on Paung Kus experience in workingwithlocalgroupsatthegrassrootslevelandsuggestswaysinwhichthe internationalcommunitycanbetterandmorestrategicallysupporttheirrole.

Introduction
ThefollowingarereflectionsonthehumanitarianresponsetoCycloneGiriandthe criticalroleofMyanmarcivilsociety.PaungKuexperienceisthatlocalRakhinecivil society organisations were the first responders in all areas and overall, were accountable and effective in that role. Since Nargis, the role of local non government organisations (NGOs) in emergency response has also been strengthenedandsupportedthiswasespeciallyshownthroughtherecentwork ofthelocalNGOcontingencyplanninggroup. However,theplaceofsmalllocalactorsinemergencyresponsescontinuestobe under recognized and international donor and agency structures do little to Over the following ten days (with the support of several international donors) the Paung Ku team worked with over forty local organisations in Kyaukpyu and Myepon Townships disbursing USD 150,000 for a range of small projects mostly related to distribution of emergency food supplies. Over 50,000beneficiarieswerereachedinthesefirsttendays

1.Civilsocietygroupswerethefirstrespondersinallaffected townships.
WhenPaungKuteamsarrivedinKyaukpyuandMyepon36to48hoursafterthe Cyclone, theymet a number of local organisations who had already set up relief activities.Localgroupswererespondingseveraldaysbeforethefirstinternational agencies.

PaungKuCycloneGiriResponse
After Cyclone Giri hit Rakhine State on October 22/23 Paung Ku sent two teams to the affected areas to explore opportunitiesforreliefactivities.

2.Themostimportantsourcesoffundsinthefirstweekwerenot internationalonesbutlocalones.
ThePaungKuteamfoundthatlocalgroupshadbegunreliefactivitiesusingfunds raised locally. Most notable was the role of local private sector companies (particularly those related to the oil and gas sector) in giving initial relief funds. OnelocalorganisationreceivedasmallprojectgrantfromPaungKuinthefirstfew daysaftertheCyclone.Thisrepresentedonlytwentypercentoftheirtotalbudget atthetime.Theresthadbeenraisedfromlocalsources,mostlyinMandalay.

3.Localgroupscanberesponsivetorapidlychanginglocalneeds mostinternationalorganisationsfindthisfarmoredifficult.
Kyaukpyu Youth Group were the first responders in distributing emergency food suppliestoover4000peoplelivingintemporarycampsinthetownofKyaukpyu. OneissuewasthatevenseveraldaysaftertheCyclonemanyhomesinKyaukpyu arearemainedfloodedsopeoplecontinuedtostayinthereliefcamps.Thereason

behind the flooding was that town drains were blocked with debris. The group decidedtoapplytoPaungKuforagranttobeginclearingthedrainswiththeaim ofreducingtheflooding.Thewatersubsequentlyrecededandmanypeoplewere able to leave the camps. This example highlights the responsiveness of local groups in identifying and addressing the most important and immediate local problems. ItisPaungKusviewthatthiskindofresponsivenessisextremelydifficultifusinga systemasmostinternationalactorsuseofcentralizedplanning.

International donors and organisations should not begin with their own financial andprogramaccountabilitysystemsbutratheruseexistingsystemsasthestarting point. It is Paung Kus view that this approach will have a far higher chance of promoting local ownership and responsibility. Good international donor practice shouldalsoapplylocally.

5.Capacitybuildingforlocalorganisationsisintimatelyconnected withhowwedorelief.
We often assume that capacity building is something extra that we add to relief programs in the form of trainings or organizational development consultancies. Rather, Paung Kus experience is that the idea of capacity building should shape theentirewayourprogramsaredone. For example, capacity building is empowering local groups to design their own projectstogetherwithcommunities,designtheirownaccountabilitymechanisms and define how they see success. It is Paung Kus observation from the Nargis Responsethatsubcontractinglocalorganisationstoimplementcentrallydefined plansoftendoeslittlefortheircapacity,andmayundermineit.

4.Accountabilitymechanismsalreadyexistlocallystrengthening theseisbetterthanintroducingnewsystems.
TheParisDeclarationonAidEffectivenessstatesthatdonorsshoulduseandtryto strengthenexistingsystemsinpartnercountries.PaungKusexperienceisthatthe sameappliesatthemicrolevel.Localgroupsandcommunitieshavealonghistory ofreligiousandsocialdonationsandthereforesomelocalaccountabilitysystems arenearlyalwaysinplace.

Localgroupsandcommunitieshavealong historyofreligiousandsocialdonationsand thereforesomelocalaccountabilitysystems arenearlyalwaysinplace

For example, of their own initiative, a Myepon based group created and distributedtobeneficiariesapamphletdetailingtheobjectiveoftheorganisation, the groups members and responsibilities, the system and amounts related to donationsanddetailsoftheservicesthattheywereproviding. Meanwhile, a Kyaukpyu group requested that village elders and the Buddhist monk from villages also be represented at meetings related to food distribution, therebyusingtraditionalsocialstructurestocreateasystemofcheckandbalance forthevillagegroupsinvolved.

6.Iflocalgroupsareactive(ratherthanpassive)participantsinthe reliefresponsetheyarefarmorelikelytobestrategic,accountable andresponsive.

Following from the previous point, Paung Kus experience from both Nargis and Giriresponsesisthatsupportinggroupstodotheirownreliefplansisnotonlya major part of building their capacity it is also effective. There were many exampleswherelocalgroupsdesignedtheirownprojectsbutthenmadestrategic changes to the activities as they adapted in a rapidly changing context. In many casesthiswasbecausegroupsfeltaccountabilityfortheimpactofprojectswhich theyhaddesigned. Conversely,inamodelwheresectorbasedcommitteesareformedtocoordinate distributionofgoodsorfoodaspartofalargescaleplan,localpeopleandgroups often report feeling like passive participants (see LRC Committee research from

Nargis).ItisPaungKusviewthatifthereislessownershipoftheproject,thereisa lowerchancethatlocalgroupswillbestrategic,accountableandresponsive.

8. The Giri Emergency has created opportunities to support the longertermandwiderroleofcivilsocietyinRakhine.

TheareaaroundKyaukpyu,wheretheCyclonemadelandfall,isalsotheepicenter foranextraordinarylevelofnewChineseinvestment.First,anewpipelinelinking the Shwe gas fields off Rakhine State to Kunming in China is currently under construction.ThepipelinereacheslandatKyaukpyu.Ithasdisplacedonlyasmall numberofhouseholdsintheareabutitsfutureimpactonthelocaleconomywill beenormous. Second,thereareplansfortheconstruction(byChinesecompanies)ofalargenew deepseaportinKyaukpyuTownship.TogetherwitharailwaylinefromKyaukpyu to Kunming, in Yunnan Province, it is linked with plans to provide a more direct economiccorridortosouthwesternChina. While relief and recovery from the Cyclone remains the immediate focus, these largenewprojects(includingthegaspipeline,theportandraillinkandalsoother economic interests from the Indian side) will dramatically transform the socioeconomic context around Kyaukpyu. In the coming years, Myanmar civil societysengagementwiththeprivateandpublicactorsinvolvedinthesechanges willbecritical.Previously,therehasbeenlittleopportunitytosupportthisrolefor local groups in Rakhine but donors and international and local organisations are nowmuchbetterplacedtobeginthis.

7. Emergencies can worsen ethnic tension and perhaps be an opportunitytoreduceit.

The history between the various ethnic groups in central Rakhine State (particularlyBamar,RakhineandBengali)containsmuchconflictanddivision.This createdandwilllikelycontinuetocreatechallengesforNGOstaffincludingPaung Kus who are mostly of Bamar background. However, while there will likely be challenges, there are also ways in which emergency responses may create small opportunitiesforbuildinglinks. Forexample,therearesignificantbarriersincentralRakhinestatebetweenpeople of Rakhine ethnic background and those from Bengali and Muslim backgrounds. However, in the first week of the emergency response, a large amount (by local standards)offundingwasraisedbytheIslamiccommunityinMandalay.PaungKu experiencewasthatthismoneywasthenusedbylocalorganisationsforthewider emergencyresponsereportedlybenefittingbothRakhineandBengaligroups.The perceptionofthisisnotyetclear. Also, historically the division between Bamar and Rakhine ethnic groups stems fromthefirstBamaroccupationofRakhine(andmostpointedly,theconfiscation of the Maha Muni Buddha image) over two hundred years ago. The Maha Muni image still remains in Mandalay and therefore the city of Mandalay is seen as a flash pointofthe divisions between Rakhine and Bamar groups. It has also been interesting in the Giri response that many of the first responding local organisations (from outside the immediate area) and much of the locally raised relieffundshavecomefromMandalay. TheCycloneNargisemergencyresponsehaditsownchallengesandopportunities related to ethnic dynamics and tension. However, the Rakhine situation is more complex and as the Giri emergency response continues these issues may play a muchlargerrole.International(andlocal)agenciesshouldprepareforthis.

Whileitmaynowseemisolatedand inaccessible,inthecomingyearsCentral RakhineStateandespeciallyKyaukpyuwill becomeastrategichub

Further, the role of local actors in engaging with authorities will be particularly important as Rakhines state level governance evolves following the recent election.TheRakhineNationalsProgressivePartywasoneofthemoresuccessful partiesintheelectionandtheRakhineStatehluttawwillpotentiallybeoneofthe

more plural bodies in the new government. Whether this will translate into any increased opportunities at this level remains to be seen, however the Giri emergencyresponsemayplacelocalgroupsinabetterpositionshouldthespace forcivilsocietystateengagementincrease. While it may now seem isolated and inaccessible, in the coming years Central Rakhine State and especially Kyaukpyu will become a strategic hub which is governedbyapotentiallynewsetofactors.Theopportunitytowidenthespace for civil society actors in this area and increase their ability to influence policy makersandbuildtrustandparticipationshouldnotbemissed.

Conclusion
TheroleofcivilsocietyiscriticallyimportantinemergencyresponsesinMyanmar fortwomainreasons. First,inbothNargisandGiriresponseslocalactorshaveshownthemselvestobe rapid and effective responders. In collaboration with international and state actors,civilsocietyorganisations(andespeciallylocallevelones)candomuchto reducetheimpactandsufferingfromdisasters. Second, local organisations and wider civil society play a key social and political role in building trust, increasing participation and in monitoring and influencing the performance of policy makers and authorities. Emergencies like Cyclone Giri create opportunities to strengthen the position of civil society actors in fulfilling thesewiderroles. Morecanbedonebyinternationalactorstoenhancebothoftheseroles. Commentsandquestionscanbedirectedtopaungkuadvisor@gmail.com

Recommendations
1. 2. Empowerlocalactorstomakelocaldecisions. Donorsshouldreconsidertheapproachofdetailedsectorbasedcallsfor proposals (especially in the early period after a disaster). It encourages homogenous and centralized planning from Yangon and does not allow fortheflexibilityandresponsivenessthatisrequired. Emphasise existing local accountability mechanisms with a focus on transparency and participation. International and local NGO systems for accountability should be designed at the local level using key principles ratherthanstandardizedformats. If local groups are being supportedby INGOs or donors,projects should be flexible and, as far as possible, designed by local groups themselves. This will maximize potential for capacity building and responsiveness to localneeds. Donors, international and local groups should place relief work in the widercontextofRakhineState.Strategiesforaddressingissuesofethnic tension, the impact of private sector investment and civil societystate relationsshouldbeidentifiedaskeylongtermopportunities.

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