The Salween Peace Park is an initiative in Myanmar declared by Indigenous Karen people in December 2018 to bring peace, cultural harmony, self determination, and environmental integrity after 70 years of armed conflict in the region. However, the community continues to face threats from the Burmese military dictatorship. In this webinar, Saw Paul Sein Twa and Naw Wah Ku Shee talk about the experience of the Karen people working towards self determination, navigating a global pandemic, and facing a violent military offensive.
| Webinar date | 2021/08/01 |
|---|---|
| Topics | Biodiversity, Commons, Earth jurisprudence, Environmental justice |
| Participants | Saw Paul Sein Twa and Naw Wah Ku Shee |
More Information
After enduring more than 70 years of civil war, and with a long-term vision of fostering peace, cooperation, cultural resilience, sustainable natural resource management, biodiversity conservation and local livelihood improvement, the Indigenous Karen People in northern Kawthoolei, southeastern Myanmar established the 5,400 km2 Salween Peace Park. This bold community-governed initiative has received positive international response, being awarded the prestigious Equator Prize and Goldman Environmental Prize in 2020.
However, the Covid-19 pandemic, combined with an intensified armed conflicts including airstrikes after the Feb 1 Burmese military coup, have seriously impacted the Park's security and stability. Two-thirds of the population have been displaced into the jungle or have temporarily sought shelter across the border in Thailand. However, the resistance continues. As much as possible, local people have used their traditional knowledge and practices, such as traditional ritual lockdown, to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. Karen Civil Society Organisations are taking many risks in responding to the humanitarian emergency, by supporting those displaced by the war. The SPP Governing Committee has been mobilising external support, encouraging communities to find local solutions and mitigation plans, channeling pivotal news updates, and sustaining the forests, mountains, and rivers as a safe-haven.