Myanmar Spring Chronicle – September 5 Scene
(MoeMaKa) September 6, 2024
To successfully administer and provide public services in the territories they have seized:
In the past 10 months, ethnic armed groups and some PDF (People’s Defense Forces) have managed to seize towns and areas in northern Shan State, western Myanmar’s Rakhine State, Chin State, Sagaing Region, Mandalay Region, and Karenni State.
The capture of towns is not just significant militarily; it serves as a symbolic victory beyond taking over strategic military bases or battalion headquarters. It also signals the potential dismantling of parts of the junta’s administrative apparatus.
However, with the capture of towns comes the immediate responsibility of establishing governance and ensuring the population can live peacefully. Key questions arise, such as how to manage basic services like water, electricity, sanitation, healthcare, and education, and who will take charge of this governance. So far, ethnic armed groups and the NUG/PDF have announced plans for governance in some captured towns, while in others, no formal announcement has been made. Nevertheless, the burden of governing these towns falls on the armed groups in control.
For instance, after TNLA (Ta’ang National Liberation Army) seized control of towns like Namhsan, Mantong, Namtu, and Namkham in northern Shan State, they announced plans to establish governance earlier this year. Likewise, in early August, when MNDAA (Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army) captured Lashio, they quickly declared plans for governance and declared the town as part of “Special Region 1,” designated during the previous military government’s reign. MNDAA appears eager to demonstrate that they are restoring normalcy to the areas they have captured.
Ethnic armed groups and PDF forces have successfully captured towns and areas through superior military strength, high morale, and robust manpower and weapons. However, once these towns and areas are seized, the challenge of governance looms large. The responsibility goes beyond military capabilities; it involves finding skilled personnel, resources, and rebuilding civilian administration in war-torn areas, as well as providing basic needs like water, electricity, and healthcare for the people.
In some places, the ruins of buildings, the scattering of civil servants, and the need to levy taxes from trade are among the immediate challenges. These groups must figure out how to replace the parts of the system that have broken down and address gaps in service.
Although there is consensus that war-torn towns and areas need reconstruction, the question remains as to when the process should begin. For example, in the town of Lashio, seized by MNDAA, some residents have returned, but economic activities, trade, and services have not fully resumed. Even if residents repair their homes, the lack of any ceasefire or peace agreement leaves them in a precarious situation, unsure of whether the war is truly over. The fear of looting or damage to property left behind also brings residents back to their homes, though it remains an uneasy return.
The prospect of the junta seizing any opportunity to reclaim lost towns is ever-present, and residents and armed groups alike are aware of the risks. Therefore, while seizing control of towns may signal victory, it is uncertain whether the situation is truly resolved.
TNLA’s recent operation in Kyaukme, where its armed forces went house to house assessing damage, further illustrates the absence of civil administration. This has raised concerns among residents about whether this assessment is for reconstruction or for military recruitment.
The challenge of staffing administrative offices with skilled and experienced personnel is significant. TNLA has previously stated they would not use non-CDM (Civil Disobedience Movement) workers, and after MNDAA captured Lashio, reports indicated that they were recruiting CDM healthcare workers. While some local CDM workers may remain in the area, many who worked in other regions may have left before the conflict escalated.
For the armed groups controlling these territories, the responsibility extends beyond military control. They must also establish rule of law, healthcare services, transportation infrastructure, and more. In terms of the rule of law, there is a need to enact legal codes, establish law enforcement, courts, and prisons.
Healthcare, hospitals, and clinics are also crucial, as is ensuring the movement of goods and trade, both domestically and internationally.
Although capturing a town requires significant sacrifice, including loss of life and resources, successfully governing the captured town presents an even greater challenge.