Political turmoil from coup impacts donation activities for water in hot summer months

March 29, 2021

HURFOM: The political situation of Burma continues to worsen every day since the February 1st coup. Armed forces have been brutally cracking down and killing peaceful protestors. There have been heavy casualties everyday as the armed forces use live ammunition.

Local villagers report that due to this situation, donors who had provided financial support to provide clean water during hot summers are diminishing.

Most of the townships in Mon State have a shortage of clean water every summer, but donation activities in the past had helped to assist villagers with access to water.

“The political situation is getting worse this year so we can’t manage to get donations of water. Also our members have lost their concentration (on doing charity) and we can’t organize them. So there is no water donation this year,” said a member of a water donation group in Mudon Township.

Temperature levels in Mon State are rising every year and the wells and pools are getting dry so villagers have to buy clean water. Deforestation and environmental destruction is a contributing factor to rising summer temperatures in Burma, and shortages of clean water are more evident across the country.

“People have died everyday (due to brutal crackdown) so no one thinks about donating water. We aren’t happy to do charity. We can’t organize people. The worsening political situation makes a huge impact on charity,” said an official of a water donation group in Mawlamyine.

Young people and students are those most interested in doing charity work. Now they have been involved in protesting against the dictatorship.

“As there was no water donor group, we have had to buy water for a long time. Each time this costs us about 3,500 or 4,000 Kyat. There were lots of water donors in the previous years so it didn’t cost us much. This year, we have to buy water till the rains come. It looks like we have to use extra money to buy water,” said a woman from Thanbyuzayat who has to buy water for daily use.

Written by Modinator · Filed Under News