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Myanmar, July 2009



The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established on 8August 1967. The Member States of the Association are Brunei Darussalam,Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore,Thailand and Viet Nam. The ASEAN Secretariat is based in Jakarta, Indone-sia.

For inquiries, contact:Public Outreach and Civil Society DivisionThe ASEAN Secretariat70A Jalan SisingamangarajaJakarta 12110IndonesiaPhone : (62 21) 724-3372, 726-2991Fax : (62 21) 739-8234, 724-3504E-mail : [email protected]

General information on ASEAN appears online atthe ASEAN Website: www.asean.org

Catalogue-in-Publication Data

A Bridge to Recovery: ASEAN’s Response to Cyclone NargisJakarta: ASEAN Secretariat, July 2009

363.345951. ASEAN – Disaster Management2. Social Action – Emergency Management

ISBN 978-602-8411-10-3

The text of this publication may be freely quotedor reprinted with proper acknowledgement.

Copyright ASEAN Secretariat 2009All rights reserved



A Bridge to Recovery:ASEAN’s Response to

Cyclone Nargis



A Bridge to Recovery: ASEAN’s Response to Cyclone Nargis i

Foreword by the Secretary-

General of ASEANThe scale of Cyclone Nargis was unprecedented in thehistory of Myanmar and its effects on the people andenvironment will leave a wound for years to come. Yet inthe midst of the destruction and the enormous human loss,there is hope that, in time, the people and areas affectedwill not just recover, but emerge safer, healthier and moreprosperous than before.

As ASEAN member countries rise to the challenge ofcreating a more dynamic, inclusive and caring ASEAN, ourcollective response to the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis –from outpourings of sympathy to the generous humanitarianassistance – may be taken as an example of the bene tsthat broader integration and close partnerships can yield.

This publication documents ASEAN’s involvement inhumanitarian assistance and disaster recovery in Myanmar,with a view to using the experience as a replicable modelelsewhere in the region. Development and humanitarianchallenges await us, but we can be sure that our experiencein Myanmar can guide our future response, recovery anddisaster risk reduction initiatives, whilst also providingvaluable insights that can be shared with other regionalbodies that have or may engage in similar activities.

Strong regional collaboration can better serve the interestsof ASEAN member countries and enhance global stabilityand interconnectedness. The closer we work together tosolve regional challenges with effective regional solutions,the more we can look forward to greater strength, prosperityand peace.

Dr. Surin PitsuwanDr. Surin Pitsuwan (right) during his visit to Seik Gyi village inSeptember 2008, together with Chairman of the Tripartite CoreGroup, U Kyaw Thu (left).

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ii

We wish to express our sincere appreciation to theGovernment of the Union of Myanmar, the UN agencies, andthe international and national humanitarian organisationswhose untiring commitment to alleviate the hardship andimprove the lives of those affected by Cyclone Nargis havefacilitated our progress to date.

We are grateful to the ASEAN member countries for theirsteadfast commitment during a time that will undoubtedlyshape the organisation’s approach to humanitarian relief inthe future.

We also wish to extend our thanks to the donor community,whose generous on-going support has assisted the affectedcommunities in rebuilding their lives.

This document is dedicated to the survivors of CycloneNargis, whose strength and resilience in the face of tragedyhas continued to drive the recovery effort.

The Coordinating Of ce for the ASEANHumanitarian Task Force for theVictims of Cyclone Nargis

Acknowledgements



A Bridge to Recovery: ASEAN’s Response to Cyclone Nargis iii



iv

Foreword by the Secretary-General of ASEANAcknowledgementsTable of ContentsList of Abbreviations and AcronymsExecutive SummaryChapter I: Cyclone Nargis and the Need for Action

Chapter II: The ASEAN-led Coordination2.1. Overview2.2. Key Events

Chapter III: Rising to the Challenge – ASEAN Engagement Post-Nargis3.1. Assessment, Planning and Monitoring

3.1.1. ASEAN-Emergency Rapid Assessment Team (ASEAN-ERAT)3.1.2. Post-Nargis Joint Assessment (PONJA)3.1.3. Periodic Review I (PR I)3.1.4. Social Impacts Monitoring (SIM)3.1.5. Post-Nargis Recovery and Preparedness Plan (PONREPP)

3.2. ASEAN Volunteers – A People-Centred Approach3.2.1. Achievements3.2.2. Summary

3.3. Humanitarian Hub Coordination3.3.1. Strengthening TCG Coordination Roles at the Community Level3.3.2. Facilitating the Periodic Review3.3.3. Bringing ASEAN Closer to the People3.3.4. Building Safer, Disaster-Resilient Communities3.3.5. Meeting the Needs of Vulnerable People3.3.6. Strengthening Local Capacity3.3.7. Summary

Chapter IV – The Way Forward4.1. Challenges on the Path Towards Recovery4.2. The Continued Role of ASEAN4.3. The Way Forward

References

Table of Contents

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A Bridge to Recovery: ASEAN’s Response to Cyclone Nargis v



vi

ACDM ASEAN Committee on Disaster ManagementADB Asian Development BankADPC Asian Disaster Preparedness CentreAHTF ASEAN Humanitarian Task Force for the

Victims of Cyclone NargisARF ASEAN Regional ForumASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations

ATEO Assistant Township Education Of cerCBER Community-Based Early RecoveryDALA Damage and Loss AssessmentDPDC District Peace and Development CouncilDRR Disaster Risk ReductionDRM/R Disaster Risk Management/ReductionERAT Emergency Rapid Assessment Team

IASC Inter-Agency Standing CommitteeIDE International Development EnterpriseIDRL International Disaster Response Laws and

RegulationsINGO International Non-Governmental OrganisationIOM International Organisation for MigrationMAPDRR Myanmar Action Plan for Disaster Risk

ReductionMIMU Myanmar Information Management UnitNDPCC Natural Disaster Preparedness Central

CommitteeNGO Non-Governmental OrganisationPONJA Post-Nargis Joint Assessment

PONREPP Post-Nargis Recovery andPreparedness Plan

RCC Recovery Coordination CentreRF Recovery ForumRH Recovery HubsRHO Recovery Hub Of ceSASOP Standard Operating Procedure for Regional

Standby Arrangements and Coordinationof Joint Disaster Relief and EmergencyResponse Operations

SIM Social Impacts MonitoringTCC Township Coordination CommitteeTCG Tripartite Core GroupTDPC Township Disaster Preparedness Committee

UN United NationsUNESCAP United Nations Economic and SocialCommission for Asia and the Paci c

UNDAC United Nations Disaster Assessment andCoordination

UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner forRefugees

UNISDR United Nations International Strategy forDisaster Reduction

UNOCHA United Nations Of ce for the Coordination ofHumanitarian Affairs

UNRC United Nations Resident CoordinatorVTA Village Tract Assessment

“Government” refers to the Governmentof the Union of Myanmar

List of Abbreviations and Acronyms



A Bridge to Recovery: ASEAN’s Response to Cyclone Nargis vii



1

Executive SummaryThe role of ASEAN in the response to and recovery fromCyclone Nargis has been critical in ensuring effectivecoordination of international assistance. ASEAN has beenworking at the strategic policy level between ASEAN, theGovernment and the international humanitarian communityled by the UN, through the Tripartite Core Group (TCG).However, it has also extended outwards to incorporate awide range of stakeholders at the community level through

i) data collection and monitoring within the Post-Nargis JointAssessment (PONJA), the Periodic Reviews and SocialImpacts Monitoring, and ii) project implementation throughASEAN volunteers and partner organisations.

An overview of the effects of Cyclone Nargis, which struckMyanmar on 2 and 3 May 2008, is given in Chapter I . Thecyclone left 140,000 people dead or missing and destroyedinfrastructure, property and livelihoods in the affected areas

of Ayeyarwady and Yangon Divisions. In the weeks andmonths following the disaster, the immediate needs of thoseaffected by Nargis, such as shelter, food and medical care,were pressing and provided the rationale for the wide-scalemobilisation of national and international humanitarian aid.ASEAN was active in facilitating access into Myanmar forrescue teams and humanitarian aid through the TCG, whilealso providing a bridge between the international communityand the Government that soon expanded.

The legal basis for ASEAN’s engagement is the subject ofChapter II , which considers the importance of the ASEANAgreement on Disaster Management and EmergencyResponse (AADMER). This agreement defnes theapproach of ASEAN member countries towards expandingthe integration of disaster management and response.

Key events are also covered in this chapter, detailing thequick response of ASEAN, the Government and national andinternational actors in both prioritising the rapid delivery ofhumanitarian assistance and creating effective coordination

to facilitate the emergency response and early recoveryprocess. The ASEAN Humanitarian Task Force (AHTF) andthe TCG have been instrumental in successfully coordinatinga humanitarian response of immense complexity.

The TCG has been acknowledged as an innovative bodythat ASEAN and other regional bodies can replicate infuture emergency responses. It has demonstrated ASEAN’s

usefulness as a bridge between the Government and theinternational community, which facilitates trust-building andacts as a nexus for the transfer of knowledge and locally-adapted expertise, providing regional solutions to regionalproblems.

Chapter III details the diverse roles ASEAN has assumed inassisting the post-Nargis response and recovery, includingassessment, planning and monitoring, the ASEAN Volunteer

Programme, and humanitarian hub coordination.

Assessment, Planning and Monitoring

The ASEAN-led TCG was instrumental in commissioningthe PONJA to establish baseline quantitative data on



A Bridge to Recovery: ASEAN’s Response to Cyclone Nargis 2

Nargis-affected communities to inform the programming andimplementation of response and early recovery activities.

The on-going Periodic Reviews will continue to guide therecovery progress.

Large-scale data collection in the cyclone-affected areaspresented numerous logistical and operational challengesbecause physical infrastructure is limited and accessdif cult. Effective assessment and monitoring has provenvital to guiding coordination and implementation of aidprogrammes, with a view to “building back better.”

ASEAN Volunteers Programme

Following the premise that after a disaster, ASEAN can drawon the expertise, knowledge and experience of others livingin the region, the ASEAN Volunteers Programme has beenestablished for volunteers to assist in building disaster-resilient and safer communities. This has also promoted thecohesion of ASEAN.

To this end, ASEAN has established three Community-Based Early Recovery (CBER) projects in Nargis-affectedareas that draw on volunteers from Myanmar and otherASEAN member countries to create a pool of experiencedvolunteers that can be mobilised in future emergencies.

The Myanmar CBER projects represent the rst deploymentof ASEAN volunteers since the rati cation of the ASEAN

Charter and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural CommunityBlueprint. The experience of ASEAN volunteers in Myanmarhas shown that the programme can facilitate cross-culturaldialogue, add value to Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)initiatives and further ASEAN cohesiveness.

Hub Coordination

The TCG’s effective facilitation of response and recovery

efforts at the national level provided an opportunity forASEAN to strengthen its role in eld coordination. In October2008, UNOCHA and ASEAN initiated a hub co-locationaimed at strengthening the TCG coordination role at thetownship level. This partnership was driven by a commonneed for collaborative humanitarian community action inclose coordination with the Government. The milestonesand lessons learned in ASEAN-UNOCHA’s hubs can bedeveloped into regional guidance notes or a supplement

to AADMER. At the 41st

ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in July2008, the presence of ASEAN in Myanmar was extendedinto 2009.

Chapter IV considers the way forward for ASEAN inMyanmar, noting the challenges that lie ahead in the contextof the post-Nargis recovery effort. These challenges includemaintaining the momentum of international support; ensuringtransparency, accountability and effective communicationbetween ASEAN, the Government and the internationalhumanitarian community led by the UN; and re ning TCGcoordination to better suit medium and long-term recovery.

This chapter is unequivocal on the role that ASEAN can playin disaster response and recovery – the experiences andlessons learned in Myanmar can inform ASEAN’s approachto DRR and recovery in other ASEAN countries. ASEANis uniquely suited to tackling regional development issuesbased on regional approaches and expertise.



3

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Chapter ICyclone Nargis and the

Need for Action

Statement by John Holmes, Under-Secretary-General forHumanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinatorat the Press Conference for the Release of the Post-Nargis Joint Assessment Report, 21 July 2008.

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“The leadership role of ASEAN, with the Governmentof Myanmar and the UN, in the response to

the devastation brought by Cyclone Nargis on2 and 3 May, has been critical to the effectivenessof the relief effort. ASEAN has been instrumental infacilitating a coordinated response to the needs of

the people most affected. ”

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5

On 2 and 3 May 2008, Cyclone Nargis swept in from the Bayof Bengal and struck Myanmar’s Yangon and AyeyarwadyDivisions, resulting in large-scale loss of life and destruction ofinfrastructure, property and livelihoods. Approximately 140,000people were killed or unaccounted for following the cyclone.2.4 million people – one third of the population of Ayeyarwadyand Yangon Divisions – were affected by the cyclone in 37townships covering an area of 23,500 square kilometres.Cyclone Nargis is the 8 th deadliest cyclone ever recorded andby far the worst natural disaster in the history of Myanmar.

Cyclone Nargis had a signi cant, long-term impact onpeople’s livelihoods and resulted in enormous physicallosses, including the destruction of homes and criticalinfrastructure such as roads, jetties, electricity, water andfuel supplies and sanitation systems. A large proportionof water supplies were contaminated and food stocksdamaged or destroyed. This damage was most severe inthe Delta region, often referred to as the country’s rice bowl,where the effects of extreme winds were compounded by

a 3-4 metre storm surge, which inundated broad areas ofthe fertile land and submerged countless villages. Nargisstruck just as the Delta’s paddy farmers were at the verylast stage of harvesting the so-called “dry season” crop,which accounts for 25 per cent of the annual production inthe affected areas, and destroyed several rice warehousesand their stocks. The total damage and losses estimatedfor the agricultural sector ranged from K570,000 million toalmost K700,000 million. 1

With such immense human suffering, combined with thesevere social and economic toll on the affected families andcommunities, immediate assistance to address the basichumanitarian needs of the population was required. So toowas the initiation of an early recovery programme that couldmake the transition into medium and long-term recoveryfocused on the restoration of livelihoods, assets of the poorand essential services.

The national response following Cyclone Nargis wasimmediate but overwhelmed by the scale of the devastation.Similarly, humanitarian assistance from internationalagencies was available quickly but prepositioned stocks

1 The PONJA used an exchange rate of USD1 = K1100

Overview of loss and damage resulting

from Cyclone Nargis, based on the PONJA:

□ Damage from the cyclone was estimated at USD4 billion, with USD 1 billion needed for recoveryuntil 2012.

□ Total economic losses amounted to approximately2.7 per cent of Myanmar’s projected GDP in 2008.

□ Affected households were extremely vulnerable –55 per cent reported having only one day of foodstocks or less. Reliance on the steady flow of reliefsupplies was widespread.

□ The scale of the impact was similar to that inflictedon Indonesia following the Indian Ocean Tsunamiin 2004.

□ Over 90 per cent of needs were at the community level and could be addressed through community-based approaches.





were limited and soon exhausted. In this context, it was vitalthat the international community be granted access to bringin relief items for the cyclone-affected communities.

Acknowledging the unprecedented scale of the disaster,ASEAN rose to the challenge and collaborated with theGovernment to allow international relief workers to operatein the country. The ASEAN Secretary-General approachedseveral key ministers in the Government, requesting thatASEAN relief and rescue teams, which were on standby,

be granted permission to enter Myanmar to assist in theemergency response.

This approach was in line with the spirit and commitmentof the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management andEmergency Response (AADMER). The Government agreedto accept the immediate dispatch of medical teams fromall ASEAN member countries, providing the basis of whatwould become a strong and effective working partnership inthe post-Nargis response.

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A Bridge to Recovery: ASEAN s Response to Cyclone Nargis 8

Chapter IIThe ASEAN-led

Coordination

U Kyaw Thu, TCG Chairman and Chairman of the CivilService Selection and Training Board of Myanmar.

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“The extension given to the TCG re ects ASEAN’scon dence that the mechanism is working ef cientlyin facilitating distribution and utilisation of assistance

from the international community to support the

Government of the Union of Myanmar’s relief andrecovery efforts. It also shows the Government ofMyanmar’s trust in the TCG partners to continue

helping the cyclone-affected people. We thank theASEAN Leaders for acknowledging the TCG’s workand their pledge to continue supporting Myanmar in

its recovery efforts. ”

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9

2.1. Overview

Cyclone Nargis occurred on the eve of the ASEAN Charter,a critical juncture in the region’s progressive integration.The ASEAN response was an opportunity to beginworking towards the goals of the Charter, such as bringingASEAN closer to the people and enhancing the well-beingand livelihood of the peoples of ASEAN through closecooperation with civil society, and national and internationalhumanitarian agencies.

The ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management andEmergency Response (AADMER) is the cornerstone ofASEAN’s regional cooperation on disaster management.

The Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami in 2004 andthe Hyogo Framework for Action provided the momentumto expedite the nalisation of AADMER. 2 This agreement –which several ASEAN states including Myanmar have rati ed

– is a framework to develop regional cooperation in disasterrisk reduction, preparedness, response and recovery. Assuch, it builds upon ASEAN’s experiences in disaster reliefand rescue operations, the International Disaster Response

Laws, Rules and Principles (IDRL) and the United NationsInternational Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR).




g y p y g 10

2.2. Key EventsImmediately after the cyclone, ASEAN provided emergencyassistance by coordinating the international response incollaboration with the Government and UN agencies.

5 May 2008 Forty-eight hours after Cyclone Nargisstruck Myanmar, ASEAN member countries, under theleadership of the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Surin

Pitsuwan, successfully extended relief assistance to thevictims of Cyclone Nargis. Singapore and the Philippinesdispatched experts to join the UN Disaster Assessment andCoordination (UNDAC) team assembled in Bangkok. TheASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta noti ed all relevant ASEANfocal points to be on high alert and prepare the mobilisationof emergency assistance.

The Secretary-General of ASEAN appealed to all ASEAN

Governments, the private sector, and civil society to help thepeople of Myanmar. The ASEAN Secretary-General alsosought to mobilise resources to assist survivors and alleviatesuffering through funds from the ASEAN Cooperation Fund forDisaster Assistance, an emergency humanitarian relief fundcreated by the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta on 8 May 2008.

9-18 May 2008 A week after the cyclone, an ASEAN-Emergency Rapid Assessment Team (ASEAN-ERAT),

ASEAN’s response to Cyclone Nargis has been in line withthe spirit and purpose of AADMER, even though the 2005agreement had not yet entered into force. ASEAN rose to thechallenge by activating the Standard Operating Procedurefor Regional Standby Arrangements and Coordination ofJoint Disaster Relief and Emergency Response Operations(SASOP), which provided emergency assistance, situationupdates, around-the-clock monitoring, and recommendationsfor action.

coordinated by the ACDM, was dispatched to assess criticalneeds in the aftermath of the cyclone. The team comprisedexperts with speci c knowledge in coordination, waterand sanitation, health, logistics and food. The ASEAN-ERAT was deployed to complement the rapid assessmentefforts by the UNDAC team and those of the Government.The ASEAN-ERAT recommended the establishment of a“Humanitarian Coalition for the Victims of Cyclone Nargis”to act as a coordinating platform for relief and recovery.

19 May 2008 At the Special Meeting of the ASEAN Foreign

Ministers in Singapore, the Ministers recognised theoutpouring of goodwill and the strong determination of theinternational community to help the survivors of CycloneNargis. Following the recommendation of the ASEAN-ERAT, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers agreed to establishan ASEAN-led coordinating mechanism to facilitatethe effective distribution and utilisation of incominginternational assistance, including the expeditious andeffective deployment of relief workers, especially health

and medical personnel.

To operationalise this approach, the Foreign Ministers setup the ASEAN Humanitarian Task Force for the Victims ofCyclone Nargis (AHTF), comprised of 20 high-level andsenior of cials from ASEAN member countries, and chairedby the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Surin Pitsuwan.The AHTF provided policy decisions and set the prioritiesand targets for the implementation of the initiative. In order

to assist the AHTF in providing relevant technical expertiseand inputs, an Advisory Group to the AHTF was established,consisting of representatives from Myanmar’s neighbours(i.e. China, India, and Bangladesh), the United Nations,the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the WorldBank, the Asian Development Bank and international non-governmental organisations. At a later stage, the AHTFalso invited representatives from the donor countries toparticipate in the Advisory Group.

2 The World Conference on Disaster Reduction was he ld in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan, 18 – 22 January 2005. The main outcome of the conference, the Hyogo Declarationand Hyogo Framework for Action, represents a strong commitment from the international community to address disaster reduction and to engage in a determined,results-based plan of action for the next decade: 2005-2015.

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□ Facilitation of unimpeded access for humanitarianworkers. The TCG has granted over 3,000 visas inthe past year.

□ Comprehensive assessment of need, loss anddamage through the Post-Nargis Joint Assessment(PONJA).

□ Monitoring to inform humanitarian assistancestrategies and programme change to benefitaffected communities through the Periodic Reviewsand Social Impacts Monitoring.

□ The Post-Nargis Recovery and Preparedness

Plan (PONREPP), which provides a frameworkfor medium and long-term recovery to promoteproductive lives, healthy lives, and protected lives.

□ TCG-endorsed projects to assist in livelihoodsrehabilitation, infrastructure reconstruction anddisaster risk reduction with support from ASEANvolunteers.

□ Strengthening humanitarian coordination at thetownship level through ASEAN-UNOCHA hubco-location and collaboration to ensure focusedassistance to the affected population.

□ Sustaining a coordinated effort as recovery entersthe medium to long-term stage based on theguiding framework articulated in the PONREPP.

The achievements of the AHTF workingthrough the TCG mechanism:




Tripartite Core Group (TCG)Chaired by Myanmar

Representatives of the Governmentof Myanmar

Representatives of ASEANRepresentatives of the UN

The ASEAN-led Coordinating Mechanism

Myanmar CentralCoordinating Board

(CCB)

Advisory Group(UN and invited

internationalorganisations and

countries)

ASEAN Humanitarian Task Force forthe Victims of Cyclone Nargis (AHTF)

(Chaired by the Secretary-General ofASEAN)

25 May 2008 An ASEAN-UN International PledgingConference on Cyclone Nargis was held in Yangon,attended by representatives from 51 countries. Thisconference was a central event in building greater trust,con dence and cooperation between the Governmentand the international community. There was unanimousagreement on the urgent need to increase the scale ofexisting relief efforts signi cantly in order to ensure that allthose in desperate need would be reached quickly and withadequate life-saving relief supplies. Furthermore, it wasagreed that an effective ow of supplies be maintained for

as long as necessary through the establishment of suitablelogistical arrangements and an acceleration of the arrival

and distribution of vital relief goods. To manage day-to-dayoperations, the AHTF set up a Yangon-based TripartiteCore Group (TCG) comprised of nine representatives fromthe Government, ASEAN, and the United Nations, as abody for coordinating, facilitating and monitoring the owof international assistance to Myanmar.

To support the TCG, the Secretary-General of ASEAN, asChairman of the AHTF, established a Coordinating Of cein Yangon to work closely with representatives from theGovernment and UN under the TCG, and provide secretariatsupport for the AHTF.

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31 May 2008 At the rst meeting of the TCG held in Yangon,the TCG decided to conduct a Post-Nargis Joint Assessment(PONJA) to determine the full scale of the impact of CycloneNargis and requirements for both immediate humanitarianassistance needs and medium to long-term recovery.

2 June 2008 The PONJA team entered Yangon andAyeyarwady Divisions, facilitated by 10 commercialhelicopters contracted by the World Food Programme. Thehelicopters played a key role in the deployment of the teamsfrom 11 to 20 June 2008.

10–19 June 2008 The PONJA was conducted by 250enumerators who visited 291 villages across 30 townships.

23 June 2008 A workshop was held in Yangon to elicitfeedback from national and international medical missionson post-Nargis relief and early recovery. The workshopsought recommendations for future collaboration andconsidered future protocols for disaster management and

response for medical and public health.

24 June 2008 The AHTF convened the “ASEAN Roundtablefor Post-Nargis Joint Assessment for Response, Recoveryand Rehabilitation” in Yangon, to serve as part of ASEAN’sefforts to help Myanmar deal with Cyclone Nargis. TheRoundtable brought disaster recovery management expertsfrom countries with similar experiences, such as Indonesia,Thailand, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

21 July 2008 The PONJA report was nalised for launch atthe meeting of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers in Singaporeon 21 July 2008. The report was released concurrentlyin Yangon. In addition, ASEAN’s mandate to continue itsrole coordinating relief and early recovery in Myanmar wasextended for a further 12 months.

26 November 2008 A TCG Roundtable was organised,at which the TCG was recognised as being instrumentalto the post-Nargis relief effort, providing a new way forthe international humanitarian community to work in a




post-disaster context. It was recommended that the TCGmechanism be extended and expanded.

17 January 2009 The Fifth Meeting of the AHTF wasconvened to review the progress of the relief and recoverywork in Nargis-affected areas. At the same time, AHTFmembers discussed recommendations for the ASEAN-ledmechanism, including the proposed extension of the TCGbeyond July 2009.

9 February 2009 The TCG launched the Post-NargisRecovery and Preparedness Plan (PONREPP), whichcomplements the Government’s reconstruction planand seeks to provide a platform for the transition fromemergency relief and early recovery towards medium-termrecovery.

27 February 2009 During the 14 th annual ASEAN Summitat Cha-am, Thailand, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers agreedto extend the mandate of the AHTF and the TCG until July

2010. The ASEAN Secretary-General was made the ASEANHumanitarian Assistance Coordinator, a role that may beactivated at the request of an affected ASEAN membercountry in the event of a major disaster. The extension ofthe TCG up to July 2010 served as the platform for the TCGto further develop the existing coordination and fundingmechanisms defned in the PONREPP.

ASEAN reiterated its commitment to working closely with

other components of the TCG to continue communitymonitoring through the second Periodic Review and SocialImpacts Monitoring and to facilitate the implementation ofthe three-year PONREPP, which aims to restore productive,healthy, and protected lives for Cyclone Nargis survivors.

2 July 2009 The Sixth Meeting of the AHTF was convenedin Jakarta and recommended the continuation of theTCG’s coordination role in the Delta, with an emphasison strengthening coordination between the Government’snational development strategy and the existing recoverystrategy articulated in the PONREPP.

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Chapter IIIRising to the Challenge:

ASEAN EngagementPost-Nargis

Yves-Kim Creac’h and Lilianne Fan, 2008, ‘ASEAN’s Rolein Cyclone Nargis Response: Implications, Lessons andOpportunities’, Humanitarian Exchange, no. 41, December 2008.

“In its response to the devastation caused by CycloneNargis, ASEAN as an organisation took a bold stepby proactively assuming a leadership role, both in

convincing the Myanmar government to cooperatewith the international community and in managing

the response itself. In so doing, it has helped to openup an unprecedented level of humanitarian space.

ASEAN’s approach to the post-Nargis response maywell offer a model for other regional organisations. ”

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3.1. Assessment, Planning and Monitoring

The TCG has been widely praised for its success in facilitatinghumanitarian assistance to cyclone-affected populations.

The Post-Nargis Joint Assessment (PONJA) de nedfour principals to guide relief and recovery activities:i) effectiveness, transparency and accountability; ii)independence, self-suf ciency and capacity building; iii)

focusing on the most vulnerable groups; and iv) aiming tostrengthen communities sustainably.

The recovery effort is now moving into the medium and long-term phases. It is worthwhile re ecting on the achievements,opportunities and challenges to date so that future policyand action may be better informed.




3.1.1. ASEAN-Emergency Rapid Assessment Team (ASEAN-ERAT)

On 5 May 2008, within 48 hours of Cyclone Nargis strikingMyanmar, the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. SurinPitsuwan, called on ASEAN member countries to providerelief assistance to the survivors. ASEAN already had anestablished record of cooperation and a joint commitmentto disaster management as articulated in the AADMER,which is a key institutional framework on disastermanagement in the region. Member countries, in closepartnership with the UN and donors, mobilised in a shorttime to provide essential support to the Government andhelp bring assistance.

Under the AADMER, the ACDM organised, brought togetherand deployed the ASEAN-Emergency Rapid AssessmentTeam (ASEAN-ERAT) for the rst time with representativesfrom Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Philippines, Singaporeand the ASEAN Secretariat. In addition, three members ofthe UNDAC team from Malaysia, Philippines and Singaporeserved as resource persons.

The ASEAN-ERAT mission gathered and analysedassessment ndings, and through consultation with seniorgovernment of cials, provided recommendations on supportfor the Government. The ASEAN-ERAT, consisting ofexperts in humanitarian coordination, water and sanitation,health, logistics and food, together with a representative

from the ASEAN Secretariat, worked over 10 days from 9May until 18 May 2008. The ASEAN-ERAT complementedthe on-going rapid assessment efforts of the United NationsDisaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team andthe Government.

Following the ERAT assessment, the teams from the ASEANmember countries were deployed to Myanmar to providetargeted assistance. These teams increased the capacity of

the Government to implement effective aid distribution to theaffected population. One of the ERAT’s recommendationswas to immediately establish a “Humanitarian Coalition for

the Victims of Cyclone Nargis” to coordinate and facilitate theon-going relief, recovery and future reconstruction efforts.

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□ Access: The overarching concern for the internationalcommunity, including other ASEAN membercountries, was access to the affected areas. Thepossibility existed that a second wave of deaths dueto disease and nutritional deficiency might take placeif relief was not effectively negotiated between theinternational community and the Government.

□ Logistics: The Government allowed internationalflights carrying aid into Myanmar. However, maintainingan efficient logistics pipeline in the affected areas,particularly the Ayeyarwady Delta where access byroad is limited, was difficult and required specialisedequipment and personnel to be effective.

□ Shelters: Providing shelter and resettlement for theaffected population was one of the many prioritiesas many people were living in cramped tents andtemporary shelters with inadequate sanitationfacilities. The onset of heavy monsoon rains inthe following weeks compounded the problems ofovercrowding, poor hygiene and the potential spreadof disease.

□ Water: The provision of clean drinking water wasparamount. Reports suggested that large numbers ofpeople did not have access to clean drinking waterand adequate sanitation. Water purification systemshad to be made available to temporary settlementsurgently. The need for high volume water purificationsystems was similarly pressing, as was the needfor expertise in setting the systems up and training

national staff to manage and maintain them.

□ Health: There were reports of diarrhoea in theaffected population. Stagnant water, a result of theflooding, increased the risks of malaria and denguehaemorrhagic fever. There was a need for on-going,continuous health surveillance and vigilance. Therewere reports that many of the survivors in the remoteareas of the delta did not have adequate accessto health care. WHO estimated that at least 60 percent of health infrastructure in the delta was eitherdestroyed or damaged.

□ Food Security: As the monsoon season intensified,there was a critical need to plant rice in theAyeyarwady Delta. The Ministry of Agriculture

undertook a thorough evaluation and determinedthat replanting would have to be carried out as soonas possible if there was to be a harvest. In order todo this, rapid mobilisation of funds, equipment andsaline resistant seeds, together with the resettlementof farmers, would help ensure that there would be aharvest. Failure to do so would compromise futurefood security, thereby resulting in the need for foodaid.

□ Education: The return of children to school was vitalto their psychological recovery from the disaster.Data from the Ministry of Education revealed that75 per cent of schools were destroyed or damagedin the affected areas. The strategic plan of theEducation Working Group in Myanmar highlightedthat temporary schools should be establishedimmediately before long-term construction could

begin .

Key ndings of the ASEAN-ERAT report

Presented to the Special Meeting of theASEAN Foreign Ministers in Singapore on 19 May 2008.

21



3.1.2. The Post-Nargis JointAssessment (PONJA)

At the ASEAN-UN International Pledging Conference thattook place in Yangon on 25 May 2008, donors demandedboth full and unfettered access to the affected areas for reliefworkers, and an objective and credible needs assessmentto determine the scale of the impact of the cycloneand the requirements for both immediate humanitarianassistance needs and medium to long-term recovery. This

became the responsibility of the TCG, which responded bycommissioning the Post-Nargis Joint Assessment (PONJA)on 31 May 2008. The PONJA was designed as a comprehensive assessmentthat would provide baseline data for the formulation ofhumanitarian and recovery programmes during earlyrecovery, but would also be useful in medium and long-termrecovery and disaster risk management. It aimed to assess

the existing vulnerabilities and needs of the populationliving in the most affected areas, the damage to assets in allNargis-affected areas, and the loss of income in the affectedhouseholds and the Myanmar economy until assets andlivelihoods could be restored to pre-cyclone levels.

Speci cally, the assessment identi ed relief and earlyrecovery priorities for intervention in the immediateaftermath. Information was gathered across a range ofsectors or “clusters” from a range of communities acrossthe affected areas.




23



Methodology

The de nition of “cyclone-affected” used to select thetownships was based on the loss of life and/or property thathad an impact on an individual’s, family’s or community’slivelihood, without any consideration for their ability tocope with the damage or loss. The PONJA relied on twoapproaches to gather data for its analysis: the Village TractAssessment (VTA), a survey of households, key informantsand focus groups in the worst affected townships; and theDamage and Loss Assessment (DALA), a survey to assess

the impact of Cyclone Nargis on physical assets and theeffect on the economy arising from the loss of such assets.The 30 townships assessed by the VTA were distinct fromthe 57 townships included in the DALA, in that the townshipsselected for the VTA had populations requiring humanitarianassistance that were identi ed in previous assessments.

The assessment tool used in the PONJA combined keyquestionnaires from nine clusters: Health, Food andNutrition, the Protection of Women and Children, Waterand Sanitation, Agriculture, Early Recovery, TemporarySettlements, Education and Emergency Shelters. Thequestionnaires were developed through the cluster systemand evaluated in a pilot survey. Two hundred and ftyenumerators were trained and visited 291 villages across30 townships over 10 days in early June 2008 to implementthe VTA assessment.




Challenges

Although the PONJA was lauded as one of the TCG’s majorachievements, being a re ection of close partnership,several challenges emerged throughout the process.These included policy issues such as the lack of standbytechnical capacity to support the conception, planning andimplementation of assessments, while attempts to createassessment instruments at the global level have tended to

be too complex and drawn out, with far too much expectedfrom a broad-based assessment tool. Keeping tasks simpleand realistic is essential to completing a workable, timelyassessment, and providing an analysis that is useful formaking appeals and decisions on programme and fundingin a timely manner.

Key ndings of the PONJA report

The preliminary ndings of the PONJA were presented at an ASEAN Roundtable in Yangon on 24 June2008 and provided the basis for a revised Flash Appeal, which was launched in New York on 10 July and

requested USD 303.6 million. On 21 July 2008, the occasion of the 41 st ASEAN Ministerial Meeting inSingapore, ASEAN and the UN jointly launched the nal PONJA report.

□ More than half of the households living in the mostaffected townships lost all food stocks during thecyclone, with 55 per cent of households having oneday of food stocks or less.

□ While more than half of households reported thatthey were able to secure food from local markets, thisdid not preclude their dependence on humanitarianassistance.

□ More than 65 per cent of households surveyedreported health problems among householdmembers during early June 2008. Among the mostcommonly reported diseases were cold, fever anddiarrhoea. Injuries sustained during the cyclonewere surprisingly low at 8 per cent, although 23per cent of households reported mental problemsfollowing the cyclone, with large variation across

townships from 6 to 51 per cent.

□ An estimated 50 to 60 per cent of public schools,including monastic schools, were destroyed ordamaged. In addition to the many casualties andmental trauma suffered by children, the use ofschools as emergency sites further strained limitededucational resources. Food security and the riskof acute malnourishment were therefore of highconcern.

□ Vulnerable groups in the aftermath of the cyclonefaced severe challenges. Problems included: i) theloss of documentation and essential papers, makingit difficult for people to secure assistance and restarttheir livelihoods; ii) an inflow of predominantly malemigrant workers into the Delta, which exacerbated agender imbalance created by the cyclone and furtherincreased vulnerabilities for women, and; iii) potentialpressure to engage in high-risk occupations in search

of income.

25



3.1.3. Periodic Review I

Following the PONJA, the TCG commissioned a series ofinterim assessments, or “Periodic Reviews”, to gauge changein the cyclone-affected population over 12 months. EachPeriodic Review seeks to inform humanitarian assistancestrategies by providing relevant data on the situation andneeds of the affected people. The comprehensive geographicand multi-sector coverage of the Periodic Review pioneersa new approach to post-disaster needs assessment andmonitoring. The Periodic Reviews are meant to provideobjective, credible data that can serve as a measure ofthe degree to which humanitarian relief and early recoveryefforts have succeeded in meeting the needs of peopleliving in the Nargis-affected areas. The rst Periodic Reviewwas undertaken in November 2008 and the second in June2009. Each Periodic Review covers the same geographicalarea as the PONJA, in 30 townships. Periodic Review Iused the VTA as its baseline for comparison.

The rst round of the Review improved on the methodologyof the VTA in two important ways. First, the questionand sampling method were adapted so that whereverpossible a comparison could be made with the VTA.Second, a qualitative “plug-in” assessment was included

that was designed to collect more detailed informationabout vulnerable populations in cyclone-affected areas,with the quantitative survey being used to direct follow-upintervention.

In common with the VTA, the sampling area covered theareas worst affected by the cyclone and was divided intoequal non-overlapping areas using a hexagonal lattice anda spatial distribution approach. The community nearest tothe centre of the hexagon was selected using post-Nargissatellite imagery. Using this method, 113 communities were

selected and 22 households chosen within each of thecommunities for assessment. In total, 2,376 householdswere assessed.

Methodology

27



Challenges

The rst Periodic Review assessed the humanitarianrelief and early recovery efforts in Nargis-affected areas.It complemented the PONJA and provided data nearly sixmonths after the cyclone. The implementation of PeriodicReview I at the hub level was facilitated by the ASEANHub Coordinators based in four locations: Yangon, Pyapon,Bogale and Labutta.

The Periodic Review teams faced several challenges

in implementing the assessment, including dif cultieswith logistics, timeframes, reviewing the questionnaires,translation, and the participation of, and consultation with,multiple partners.

A consultation on the next Periodic Review was convenedin Yangon on 11 February 2009 to solicit feedback from thePeriodic Review I survey teams so that future assessmentscould be improved. These teams suggested severalimprovements to the questionnaire covering terminology,scope and design, while also pointing out the valueof reviewing, updating and providing greater technicalexplanations on a number of the indicators. They furtherhighlighted the need to develop greater interpersonal skills

and improve the depth of the analysis and presentation ofthe data for the Periodic Review II.

□ The areas covered by the survey were affected tovarying degrees and the situation of the surveyedcommunities prior to Cyclone Nargis was nothomogeneous. It was therefore not possible toattribute the results exclusively to the cyclone.

□ Indicators for the health sector revealed goodresults for access to health care and outreach intocommunities. However, the findings raised concerns

about the functioning of the health system.□ Food aid had reached every surveyed community

along the path of the cyclone. However, foodinsecurity persisted in the South-West and aroundYangon. This may reflect chronic problems, inaddition to the impact of Cyclone Nargis.

□ High proportions of households remained in

inadequate shelters that were often overcrowded andoffer little protection from the elements.

□ Across the survey area, the majority of householdswere using an improved (safe) water source ortreating their water effectively, with the exception of asmall area south of Yangon.

□ With the end of the monsoon season, householdswere using less rainwater and more surface water.Increased dependence on surface water and thesalination of ponds caused by the storm surge could

result in water shortages during the dry season.□ Livelihoods were disrupted across the affected area.

Recovery will take several years due to the nature ofthe losses suffered and the breadth of need.

□ The breadth of geographic coverage was notsufficient to meet all needs. The persistence of need,even in areas that received substantial aid, meant that

the breadth of that assistance was not yet sufficient andgreater efforts were required for needs to be met.

Key ndings of Periodic Review I




29



3.1.4. Social Impacts Monitoring (SIM)In addition to the Periodic Review, which represents aprocess and programme to monitor results primarily usingquantitative survey methods, the TCG also approveda community monitoring assessment, known as theSocial Impacts Monitoring (SIM). The SIM constitutes acomplementary, qualitative monitoring of the social impactsof Cyclone Nargis and the aid effort.

In-depth qualitative eldwork was conducted with over 1,500

people in 40 villages in eight townships in the Delta betweenlate October and late November 2008. The research wasconducted in three rounds: a pre-test in eight villages,where the methodology was re ned, and then two roundsof 16 villages each. Villages were selected using a numberof criteria aimed at getting as accurate a representation ofvillages in the Delta as possible. In each village, researchersinterviewed a wide range of people. Overall, the researchteams conducted 222 formal “key informant” interviews,

159 “focus group discussions”, with an average of seven toeight people each, and 102 informal discussions.

Methodology




Key ndings of the SIM report

□ Similar to the Periodic Review I, the SIM found thatrelief and recovery assistance had reached even themost remote villages. All affected villages sampledhad received assistance within two to four weeks.

□ Levels of aid varied between and within villages.Although there was a correlation between the levelof aid received and the level of damage and loss,villages far from urban areas generally received less aid.

□ The types of aid most frequently received were food,household goods, shelter and farming supplies. A linkwas found between the amount of aid received andthe speed of recovery. However, the level of damageand loss was a large determinant of recovery.

□ As time has passed, needs have changed. Accordingto villagers, the most important need was to re-

establish their livelihoods and food security, which isin line with the findings of the Periodic Review I.

□ The most recurrent theme across all the affectedvillages studied was an increased burden of debt.Possible reasons for this include the continueddepression of local economies, increased migrationout of villages and the Delta, farmers and fishermenlosing their land use or fishing rights, and theredistribution of assets to the few.

□ Although relief assistance reached all villages, muchmore assistance was needed for communitiesto recover. If people’s livelihoods and the villageeconomies do not recover quickly, there arelikely to be profound long-term impacts, such asmigration out of Delta villages and the destruction ofcommunities.

□ The participation of the villagers in cyclone-affected

communities in aid management has been limited,leading to a mismatch between provided aid andlocal needs.

□ The depth of geographic coverage was not suf cientto meet all needs. The persistence of need, evenin areas that received substantial aid, means thatthe depth of that assistance is not yet suf cient andgreater efforts are required if needs are to be met.

□ The SIM underscored the need for future aid to bedelivered in ways that build on local strengths, thatgive communities real decision-making power in howthat aid is delivered and used, that include effectiveinformation and complaints-resolution processes, andthat enable communities to advocate for their ownneeds with aid providers.

31



3.1.5. The Post-Nargis Recovery & Preparedness Plan (PONREPP)As immediate humanitarian needs were increasingly metand early recovery was underway, the focus gradually shiftedtowards the medium-term recovery and the re-building oflives and livelihoods in a sustainable manner. The PONREPPwas a response to this progression, providing a frameworkfor the international community to consolidate their progressand promote durable recovery in the affected areas in waysthat complement the Government’s reconstruction plan. ThePONREPP outlines a three-year recovery plan from 2009through 2011, taking a community-based, people-centredapproach to promote productive, healthy, and protected liveswhile also strengthening aid coordination, management, andtracking to promote maximum aid effectiveness. The reportwas of cially launched on 9 February 2009 in Bangkok.

The PONREPP considers the communities of the Delta bothas bene ciaries of assistance and as key implementers atthe centre of the recovery process. Hence the basic criteria

for assessing and improving assistance processes andsystems are: (i) the difference that target bene ciaries seein terms of amount, suitability, effectiveness, and timelinessof assistance, and (ii) greater cost ef ciency.

The scale of the destruction from Nargis has accentuatedthe need for continued commitment to support sustainablerecovery from all stakeholders. The TCG High-LevelRoundtable on Post-Nargis Relief and Recovery Efforts

in Myanmar held in Yangon in November 2008 noted thata realistic timeframe for recovery, based on experiencesafter disasters of a similar scale, including the 2004 IndianOcean Tsunami, would be four to ve years. In this context,a subject under discussion was how to ensure the futurecoordination of recovery efforts during a period whichincludes the PONREPP’s own three-year timeframe.

A number of coordination mechanisms currently exist atvarious levels. Field coordination was facilitated by UNOCHA

and ASEAN in six hub locations, with participation of NGOsand the respective Township Coordination Committees(TCCs), which are government bodies established tocoordinate the humanitarian response at the township levelacross the affected area. From 1 July 2009 the hubs wereconsolidated into TCG Recovery Hub Of ces (RHO) in fourkey locations. 3

Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, UN Under-Secretary-General and

Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commissionfor Asia and the Paci c (UNESCAP).

< <

“ The PONREPP provides us with a framework forthe medium and long-term post-Nargis recovery effort,including the priorities of supporting food security andlivelihood recovery, improving public health, restoringeconomic and social infrastructure, and integratingdisaster risk reduction into the recovery process. ”

While the relief and early recovery activities have much toinform the long-term recovery phase, major issues facingthose efforts as addressed in the PONREPP are:

□ Defining what an enhanced coordination architecture

should be, including increased government presence. □ How to improve accountability, taking into considerationthe lessons learned from the relief efforts to date, andhow to create the best processes and capture the bestexpertise available for the recovery phase.

□ How to move to a more streamlined and cost-effectivecoordination and oversight mechanism as quickly aspossible, which includes achieving delivery efficiency.

□ How to mobilise new resources while limiting the

number of funding channels.3 UNOCHA established six sub-of ces in the following locations: Bogale, Labutta (covering Labutta and Myaungmya), Mawlamyinegyun (covering Mawlamyinegyunand Wakema), Pathein (covering Pathein and Ngapudaw), Pyapon (covering Pyapon, Kyaiklat and Maubin) and Yangon (covering affected townships in YangonDivision and Dedaye).




33



Proposed StructureThe PONREPP has adopted a holistic approach to enhancing

the recovery effort. To ensure the effective coordinationand implementation of recovery efforts, it suggests theTCG consolidate its key roles in two ways: i) strategic andoperational coordination; and ii) aid funding coordinationand aid tracking.

The proposed architecture includes a Recovery Forum(RF) as a deliberative body with wide stakeholdermembership, meeting every two or three months to makerecommendations concerning post-Nargis recovery.

A Recovery Coordination Centre (RCC) will serve boththe RF and the TCG as a technical unit for information,data collection, and analysis, thus streamlining currentarrangements in these areas and adding further expertise.The RCC will be in close contact with the Recovery HubOf ce (RHO) in the eld, building on the hub structuredeveloped during the emergency response in order tostrengthen two-way information ows. The recovery eldhubs will give technical support to the TCCs to strengthenexisting coordination structures in the recovery phaseat both the township and village level, while recognising,encouraging and learning from community level decision-making and implementation.

Following the launch of the PONREPP and the TCG’s

endorsement of its Operational Handbook in April 2009, aTransition Team, comprising members from the Government,ASEAN, UN, and NGOs was set up to manage and guide theimplementation of various tasks during the transition phase.The Transition Team undertook a number of activities, layingthe foundation for activating the RCC and helping shapethe various forums within it. A number of consultations havebeen held with all the clusters in Yangon, with additional eldconsultations in the hubs, and special sessions organisedto explain the PONREPP architecture. Notably, a workshopwas held on 21 May 2009 to share the PONREPP withvarious Government agencies, where participants exploredways to promote synergy between the PONREPP and therecovery plan of the Government, and ways to build greatertransparency and accountability into the implementation ofthese plans both in Yangon and the townships.

A seamless transition is now taking place in the townships,with the twin-hub system implemented by UNOCHA andASEAN merging into a uni ed system that will assume andaugment existing hubs and their resources under the soleleadership of the RCC, with administrative assistance fromASEAN and UNOCHA. In the meantime, a consolidatedbudget using extant resources has been prepared to startthe implementation.



35



Towards Better Engagementand CoordinationASEAN has been fully engaged in post-Nargis operations,beginning with the emergency phase, into the early recoveryphase, and now towards medium and long-term recovery.Looking back at its activities to date, ASEAN has contributedto several important milestones, including the deploymentof the ASEAN-ERAT; providing leadership, structure andlegitimacy to the Nargis response; organising communitymonitoring assessments such as the PONJA, Periodic

Reviews and Social Impacts Monitoring; and engaging in,and contributing to, the development of the PONREPP.

ASEAN’s experience in the post-Nargis relief and earlyrecovery efforts clearly indicates that with committedpartners working together under a suitable body – in thiscase the TCG – signifcant achievements can be made,despite the challenging and complex nature of the tasks.Furthermore, strong working partnerships at all levels can

provide greater coordination and increase the effectivenessof the implementation of relief.

As recovery has moved towards the medium and long-term phase, ASEAN’s role as a neutral party has remainedcentral to facilitating policy dialogues among stakeholdersin critical areas such as education, food security, DRR,disaster preparedness and shelter. ASEAN will continueto play a role under the political umbrella it has created.

The TCG has provided a bridge for better coordinationand understanding between the Government and theinternational humanitarian community. Existing regionalorganisations and arrangements should be used to buildregional capacity in disaster management and humanitarianassistance.

37



3.2. ASEAN Volunteers – APeople-Centred Approach

In addition to its role in the TCG, Cyclone Nargis presentedan opportunity for ASEAN to enact its commitment to apeople-centred approach through its ASEAN VolunteersProgramme. Provision for this approach is enshrined in theASEAN Charter, which states that the organisation seeks“to promote a people-oriented ASEAN in which all sectorsof society are encouraged to participate in, and bene t from,

the process of ASEAN integration and community building”,as well as the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprintfor the years 2009 – 2015. The mobilisation of ASEANvolunteers in Myanmar following Cyclone Nargis marks the

rst deployment of the programme since the rati cation ofthe two documents.

The ASEAN Volunteers Programme can be used to assistin building disaster-resilient and safer communities, in

addition to promoting ASEAN-wide unity. To this end,ASEAN established three Community-Based EarlyRecovery (CBER) projects in Myanmar, the rst of whichwas established in August 2008 and drew volunteers fromThailand and Myanmar. 4 To date, the CBER projects havemobilised 18 ASEAN volunteers from ve ASEAN countries,including Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and thePhilippines.

In each project, ASEAN volunteers – deliberately chosenfrom mixed, professional backgrounds – work in teamsof six, comprising three from Myanmar and three fromother ASEAN member countries. The TCG-endorsedprojects seek to address the early recovery needs of thecommunities involved. The ASEAN volunteers work closelywith the ASEAN coordination team at the hub level to provideinformation from the eld, assist in the development ofproject proposals, and are responsible for initiating dialoguebetween local authorities and communities.

4 The projects were funded by the ASEAN Cooperation Fund and Norwegian Fund.




Partnerships with other development and humanitarianorganisations are part of ASEAN’s approach towards project

implementation. For example, a TCG-endorsed projectcovering ve villages in Hayman Village Tract, BogaleTownship, was implemented by Mingalar Myanmar, a localNGO specialising in disaster risk reduction. Supported byASEAN Volunteers, the on-going project promotes theplantation of mangroves, provides livelihoods and buildsinfrastructure. Started in January 2009, the project will becompleted by August 2009.

In Pyapon, a TCG-endorsed project covering six villages inTha Leik Gyi Village Tract was implemented in cooperationwith International Development Enterprise – Myanmar or“IDE/M”. The project addressed the immediate needs ofsmall-plot farms and landless households – identi ed asparticularly vulnerable – through the provision of agriculturalinputs and the reconstruction of community infrastructure,such as schools, monasteries and public markets.

U Aung Mo, 30, Seik Gyi Village < <

“ After Nargis I was struggling because I

didn’t have another job or source of income tosupport my family. Now I’ve received a boat and

shing nets from ASEAN so I can maintain anincome. I’m grateful to ASEAN for giving me theopportunity to have a boat and nets. I’m nowplanning to save money to buy land to build myown house because at the moment we’re living

with my aunty. ”



ASEAN Volunteers Project 1 ASEAN Volunteers Project 2 ASEAN Volunteers Project 3

Input ASEAN volunteers, cash funds, betel seeds,fertilizers, chemicals, shing boats, shinggear, construction tools and materials.

ASEAN volunteers, cash funds, seeds, powertillers, fertilizers, irrigation pumps, constructiontools and materials.

ASEAN volunteers, cash funds, mangrove seeds,trainers, livelihood items, cash grants, shing boatsand gear, construction tools and materials.

Evaluation □ ASEAN volunteers conducted fieldand resource monitoring, and tracked

nances and quality of output. Regularobservation of each project was madeto evaluate progress and improveprocesses.

□ Avoidance of overlap in the distributionof livelihood items through use of acommunity map.

□ Likert scale questionnaire and groupdiscussion used in evaluation meetings.

□ Survey interviews to gather information fromvillagers.

□ Suggestion box and survey questionnairesdeveloped by IDE.

□ Project monitoring, measurement and statisticalmethods used. Project analysis and reporting.

EvaluationOutputs/

Outcomes

□ Break-even point at 4.5 months. Monthlyincome up to 200 USD per household.

□ 34 shing boats with drift nets for SeikGyi village and an additional 29 shingboats and 31 drift nets for Mayt Lay Yonvillage.

□ Monastery hall rebuilt as cycloneshelter. Monastery walkway entranceand stupa hall also reconstructed.Renovation of Ordination Hall.

□ Three toilets built and two MSP drinkingwater tanks installed within the monasterycompound in Seik Gyi village and threetoilets built in Kyun Chaung village.

□ 33 wells renovated and two reservoirtanks installed.

□ Betel leaf lessons learned document.□ DRM workshops, an initial preparedness

plan and 25 ducks provided by projectpartner Mingalar Myanmar.

□ 1,100 acres of paddy prepared. Provision of11 hand power tillers and 255 gallons ofdiesel.

□ Distribution of 1,152 bags of fertilizer to 472rice paddy farmers covering 944 acres ofpaddy. Estimated 103,840 baskets (2,160metric tons) of rice paddy worth approximatelyUSD 224,672 of income for the whole villagetract or 476 USD per household.

□ Provision of vegetable seed packets to 170vegetable growers. Potential income generationof approximately 200 USD per household inthe village tract.

□ Construction/renovation of small-scale infra-structure, including improved roads in Tha LeikGyi, Tha Leik Kalay and Mae Nyo, ii) repairedfootbridges in Tha Leik Chaung, Tha Leik TooMyaung and Poe Swa and iii) improved farm-to-market road.

□ DRM action plan produced during a 2-daycommunity-based DRM awareness workshop.Further 4-day awareness workshops conductedin all villages. 500 villagers trained.

□ 436 households received livelihoods supportsin the form of animals, sewing machines,small scale trading assistance, gardeningand farming, shing boats and gear, artisanaltools.

□ Seven bridges, three jetties, ve water ponds,four village roads, gas res, electricity andtelephone lines and community centres built orimproved through the use of local labour. One

dam improvement.□ Approximately 64,000 mangrove plants

planted and a support plan created. Mangroveplantation and preservation with communityengagement.

□ Establishment of a village committee forDisaster Risk Management and DisasterPreparedness.

□ The creation of five community centres, one ofwhich functions as a nursery/primary school.

41



3.2.2. Summary

ASEAN volunteers are making a valuable contribution tocommunities, complementing the assistance provided by theGovernment and national and international organisations.The ASEAN Volunteers Programme guarantees dailyinteraction between the volunteers and Myanmar nationals,promotes transparency and creates a space for meaningfulcommunity participation that over time fosters trust,con dence and cohesion, in the spirit of ASEAN’s people-centred approach.

The ASEAN Volunteers Programme can be expandedthrough the creation of a database of ASEAN volunteers thatcan be mobilised at short notice in the event of a disasterin one or more ASEAN countries. If the programme isexpanded in the future, then ASEAN volunteers can play animportant role in strengthening ASEAN expertise in DRR.

“ The best thing about this project is thatthe ASEAN volunteers are living togetherin our village ... they know what we really

need, our concerns as part of our families.I will always remember their strongcommitment to rebuild our village throughmass meetings. The villagers are nowmore active in community consultationactivities. ”

U Maung Naing, Tha Leik Gyi Village TractLeader. Recognising the efforts of the projectand the ASEAN volunteers.

<

<

43

3 3 H it i H b C di ti



Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of ASEAN

“The achievements of the past ninemonths in ASEAN’s humanitarianoperations in Myanmar have shownASEAN’s potential as a regionalmechanism in the internationalhumanitarian arena, that ASEAN canplay proactive roles in bridging nationalinterest and international assistance, andis increasingly competent to coordinatecomplex humanitarian operations. It hasput substance to the ASEAN Charter andhas brought ASEAN closer to the people. ”

The TCG’s effective facilitation of relief and recoveryefforts at the national level presented an opportunity forASEAN to further strengthen the coordination betweenthe Township Coordination Committees (TCCs) andhumanitarian agencies working in affected communities.At the 4 th Meeting of the ASEAN Humanitarian Task Force(AHTF) held on 12 July 2008, participants agreed to aproposal to establish TCG-Integrated Regional Hubs. Theproposal was subsequently submitted to the 41 st ASEAN

Ministerial Meeting, held on 21 July 2008, as part of theAHTF Chairman’s Recommendations.

The ASEAN Ministerial Meeting held in Singapore in July2008 extended the mandate of the TCG for another yearto continue the relief and early recovery phase. It alsoendorsed the establishment of a coordination structure forthe regional hubs and a mechanism to facilitate the PeriodicReviews and recovery planning.

In October 2008, four ASEAN Hub Of cers were stationed inthe regional coordination hub sub-of ces, which UNOCHAhad established, to replicate the TCG at the communitylevel and to further strengthen coordination amongstTCG members, the Government, and other national andinternational humanitarian agencies. Hub sub-of ces wereestablished to facilitate township coordination in Bogale,Labutta, Pyapon and Yangon.

This chapter elaborates on milestones at the eld level,where ASEAN has de ned its role through its involvementin communities and partnerships. Activities in the eld havecentred on TCG-endorsed community projects, capacitybuilding and advocacy to local government on behalf ofcommunities.

3.3. Humanitarian Hub Coordination

< <



45

3 3 2 Facilitating the Periodic Review



3.3.2. Facilitating the Periodic Review

The TCG instituted the Periodic Review as a means ofassessing, monitoring and reporting on the situation and needsof the people and communities affected by the cyclone.

The Periodic Reviews I and II were jointly led by ASEAN,in consultation with local government authorities. Datacollection at the household level is the principal responsibilityof the hub teams. During each household survey period,the hubs are responsible for ensuring credible information

ows from the hub to Yangon, organising safe and accuratelogistical plans, and observing strict guidelines concerningresearch ethics. Detailed planning and close coordinationwith the local authorities and humanitarian communityhave helped avoid major complications. Logistics planningfor selected survey villages has been enhanced throughcollaboration with UNOCHA, MIMU, and townshipauthorities.

The implementation of the rst Periodic Review in November2008 provided an entry point for the hub teams to introduce

and make themselves familiar to stakeholders. Furthermore,the Periodic Review was the rst opportunity for each hub toacquaint itself with the geography of its respective workingarea and enhance the capacities of hub team membersfor community monitoring and logistics management. Forexample, in the Bogale hub the Periodic Reviews havebeen instrumental in strengthening relationships with thegovernment of cers, NGOs and UN staff, while allowingthe team to create a good rapport with stakeholders in the

Township.In the Yangon hub, the Reviews have been catalysts forthe hub team to cover an area larger than the existingcoordination hub structure. This has allowed the team toexplore and develop contacts in places where no coordinationmechanism was yet in place. The Yangon hub has alsohelped UNOCHA and the MIMU in the development of adatabase of township pro les, particularly in the northern

townships in Yangon Division.


3 3 3 Bringing ASEAN Closer to



3.3.3. Bringing ASEAN Closer tothe People

ASEAN hubs are vital in promoting ASEAN’s goals at thecommunity level. The hubs foster better communicationbetween the AHTF in Yangon and humanitarian communitiesin the affected townships. Apart from facilitating coordinationbetween local authorities, NGOs and stakeholders, each hubis also mandated to promote ASEAN within communities.Since Myanmar is a relatively new member of ASEAN,raising awareness about the role of ASEAN in the region isimportant. 5

Since establishing the hub of ces, ASEAN’s pro le hasimproved substantially at the community level owing to thedistribution of visibility materials, the consistent presence ofthe AHTF, and the professionalism of the hub staff. Effortshave been made to explain ASEAN’s mission in Myanmar,especially at village meetings where such information may

not be common knowledge.

5 Myanmar became a member of ASEAN on 23 July 1997.

47



49

3.3.5. Meeting the Needs of



3.3.5. Meeting the Needs ofVulnerable People

Working closely with communities over the past nine months,ASEAN has witnessed the plight of those made vulnerableby Cyclone Nargis. In Labutta, ASEAN was instrumentalin persuading local authorities to allow greater access toinformation, invaluable to project planning for populationsdisplaced by a disaster.

The vulnerability and livelihood constraints the populationfaced in Ah Mar village in Pyapon Township provided one ofthe key motivations for ASEAN to intensify its partnershipswith the Government and other agencies. An initial dialoguewith the TCC chairman involved the United Nations HighCommissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), ASEAN andUNOCHA and sought to address the immediate concernsat the community level. Continuous engagement with thelocal authorities resulted in the provision of land for 60temporary shelters, constructed by UNHCR and Solidarité,a French NGO, with latrines provided by the InternationalOrganisation for Migration (IOM).

Similar activities were also conducted in Yangon, wherethe hub was involved in inter-agency activities, such asproviding hygiene kits in Dedaye Township following anoutbreak of skin disease among children.



53




3.3.7. Summary



Throughout ASEAN’s nine-month involvement in hub

operations, township authorities have demonstrated greateropenness to sharing information and active participationin activities in areas where access for outsiders may belimited.

Mr. Antonio Massella, UNOCHA Deputy Head of Of ceand Field Coordinator observed that, ‘‘Close coordinationbetween the hub humanitarian community and governmentauthorities was strengthened with the presence of ASEAN

Hub Of cers at the eld level. ASEAN’s co-location with

UNOCHA completes the representation of the tripartite

structure at the eld level. This had marked bene t tocollaborative actions with local authorities that translatedinto real gains for vulnerable populations.”

ASEAN Hub Of cers are paving the way towards addingvalue to existing mechanisms at the township level,addressing gaps together, and exploring opportunities withlocal authorities by building trust and con dence, despitefacing problems with geography, non-parallel expectations

and challenging mandates.

55



Chapter IVThe Way Forward

Chairman’s Statement of the 14 th ASEAN Summit,Cha-am, Thailand – February 2009.

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“We welcomed the success of the ASEAN-ledmechanism to help the victims of Cyclone Nargis

and pledged to continue supporting Myanmar in its

recovery efforts following the launching of the Post-Nargis Recovery and Preparedness Plan (PONREPP).

We also welcomed the decision of our ForeignMinisters to extend the mandate of the ASEAN

Humanitarian Task Force (AHTF) andthe Tripartite Core Group until July 2010. ”




4.2. The Continued Role of ASEAN



ASEAN’s engagement following Cyclone Nargis is anexample of how a regional system can complement andstrengthen coordination between a national governmentand the international community.

□ ASEAN understands the local development contextof the region in terms of its history, social and culturalendowments, geographical characteristics and economicinstitutions. This knowledge is valuable to ASEAN’sapproach to its relief and recovery efforts and can better

define the principles of “build back better” in a post-disaster recovery process suited to the local context.

The approach of “building back better” necessitates theincorporation of DRR into the existing policies of theaffected country. In this respect, ASEAN can promotegreater involvement of and support from neighbouringcountries in providing and exchanging knowledge,experience and expertise. The ASEAN Agreementon Disaster Management and Emergency Response(AADMER) will serve as a framework for this exchange.

□ The ASEAN-led TCG facilitates internationalhumanitarian assistance in Myanmar . ASEANfacilitates communication between the internationalhumanitarian community and the Government at alllevels. ASEAN works at the highest policy level, such asat the ASEAN-UN International Pledging Conference,the AHTF, and the TCG. At the local level, ASEANcoordination works through its hub offices established inthe affected townships, which strengthen coordinationbetween the international community and localgovernment.

□ ASEAN facilitates the monitoring and evaluationof relief and recovery activities . ASEAN led thedevelopment of the Post-Nargis Joint Assessment

(PONJA), which provides baseline information forreviewing, monitoring and evaluating relief and recovery

efforts. The Periodic Reviews and the Social ImpactsMonitoring reports assess humanitarian needs in affectedareas, the pace of recovery and the socio-economicimpact of recovery activities. ASEAN should continueto facilitate the monitoring and evaluation efforts in therecovery stage.

□ ASEAN supports the development andimplementation of the PONREPP . In partnership withthe UN and the international humanitarian community,ASEAN has been deeply involved with recovery inMyanmar by helping the development and implementationof the Post-Nargis Recovery and Preparedness Plan(PONREPP). The PONREPP, which outlines a three-year recovery plan from 2009 to 2011 and complementsthe Government’s reconstruction plan, takes a people-centred approach in promoting productive, healthy,and protected lives for the people affected by CycloneNargis.

59

4.3. The Way Forward



The mandate for the ASEAN-led coordinating mechanismhas been extended to July 2010, giving rise to four needs: i)to strengthen the TCG structure; ii) to secure greater donorsupport; iii) to bring ASEAN recovery programmes closer tothe needs of the affected people; and iv) to link the recoveryeffort to the country’s long-term development framework.

Improving the TCG

Coordination StructureThe authority of the TCG should be expanded in terms ofcoordinating resources and operations, and monitoringand evaluating relief and recovery activities. A seamlesstransition in the coordination structure from the relief to therecovery phases requires the adaptation of the existingstructure so that it may better cope with the complex andchallenging recovery process ahead.

The improved structure must be ef cient and inclusive underthe TCG, in which ASEAN, the Government and the UN playan integrated coordinating role. The structure of the TCGfacilitates the creation of effective policies, budgets, operationcoordination, and in- eld operations. The new structuremust build on the existing TCG coordinating units ratherthan establishing new entities, and must accommodate theviews of all stakeholders fairly, including donors and NGOs.Furthermore, to better facilitate international assistance, theTCG should be responsible for providing access to areasaffected by the cyclone.

As de ned in the PONREPP, an effective TCG in therecovery phase should:

□ Coordinate the Recovery Forum, in which all recoverystakeholders can engage in strategic discussions onrecovery in Nargis-affected areas.



61

An effective Recovery Coordination Centre must:

□ Establish a database on recovery programme

are being consolidated to accommodate the presence andleadership of district and township representatives and theinternational community.



coordination, which can also be a donor assistance

database. This database will include information onplanning and monitoring and evaluation, and will buildon the database system established by MIMU duringthe relief operation. The system can adopt the modelapplied in the Aceh-Nias recovery programme.

□ Create a uni ed unit/secretariat connected to the Recov eryForum, Recovery Coordination Centre and RecoveryHubs.

□ Participate in the budgeting and allocation of fundsfrom donors and stakeholders, with a view towardsimplementation.

□ Effectively collaborate with Government programmes.

□ Effectively monitor and evaluate the use of funds andmaintain a transparent auditing system.

At the eld operation level, the Recovery Hub system shouldbuild on the collaboration of ASEAN and UNOCHA. Onlyone coordination system at the hub level is necessary tosupport the TCCs. Cluster meetings at the township level

international community.

An effective Recovery Hub must:

□ Possess an effective coordination structure at the hublevel, supported by the RCC and Recovery Forum, whichwill also serve as a problem solving body.

□ Promote strong hub teams, which can bene t from theexperience of ASEAN and UNOCHA collaboration duringthe relief operation.

□ Facilitate programme implementation by agencies inaffected townships.

□ Cooperate effectively with TCCs.

A uni ed and integrated recovery coordination mechanismat all levels is vital. The multiple secretariats that haveworked during the relief operation under ASEAN, theGovernment and the UN, or others should be integratedunder the TCG system. The AHTF of ce in Yangon must bestrengthened so it may better work with the UN coordinationsystem under the UN Resident Coordinator (UNRC) andthe Government.



63

Securing Donor Support in theRecovery Process



The international community supported the establishmentof an AHTF Of ce in Yangon and the creation of the TCGmechanism. The mechanism depends on their continuedsupport. The international community continues to engagein the coordination mechanism and implementation of therecovery programme through:

□ Participation in the Recovery Forum, which should allowgreater engagement of the international community in

the discussion of policy and strategic issues related topost-Nargis recovery.

□ Sharing relevant expertise needed in the recoveryprocess.

□ Continuation of funding support.

□ Participation in recovery implementation oversight.

□ Participation in the RCC.□ Participation in working groups and cluster meetings at

the Yangon and hub levels.

□ Communication with all TCG stakeholders.

Bringing ASEAN Recovery

Programmes Closer to the PeopleThe TCG has now been extended until July 2010 to continuethe coordination of international support in the post-Nargisrecovery process. ASEAN member countries shouldsupport and contribute to the process to ensure an effectiveworking mechanism that is capable of addressing recoverychallenges. ASEAN member countries should demonstratetheir full support to the continued recovery process bycommitting new pledges.

There are ve areas in which ASEAN’s involvement isnecessary:

□ Livelihoods: agriculture, sheries and employment,including the development of village level infrastructure.

□ Shelter: to engage in efforts to facilitate safe housing andsettlement.

□ Improving services in education.

□ Health service improvement.

□ Disaster risk reduction with a focus on community-basedDRM.

At the Recovery Forum level, ASEAN member countriescan play a strategic role in the post-Nargis recovery phasethrough the transfer of knowledge and experience. The

successful recovery following the Indian Ocean Tsunami inIndonesia and Thailand can provide an example for Nargis-affected areas. ASEAN member countries can support the


TCG by engaging in policy dialogue based on the lessonslearned from Nargis recovery. Within the framework of theAADMER, other ASEAN member countries can also share

The Government is expected to assume a greater leadershiprole in coordination and should carry out the following:

□ Provide suf cient authority to the TCG so that it may



their experience and expertise in promoting their disasterrisk reduction initiatives.

At the budget facilitation level, ASEAN member countriesshould contribute to the running of the TCG coordinationmechanism.

At the recovery coordination level, ASEAN member countriescan transfer their own tools including a database, aidtracking and recovery management information systems,and monitoring and evaluation, for utilisation in the RCC.ASEAN member countries can give tasks to experiencedof cials with assisting in the management of the RCC.

□ Provide suf cient authority to the TCG so that it may

better conduct its role in facilitating support to the Delta.□ Outline clear policies and regulations related to

international assistance to the Nargis-affected areas.

□ Contribute suf cient resources and actively participate inthe RCC.

□ Facilitate hub/township level coordination and activelyengage in solving problems on the ground.

65

Coordinating Post-Nargis RecoveryEfforts with the Government’s



Development StrategyThe extension of the TCG mandate provides an opportunityfor ASEAN to engage in a recovery policy dialogue onMyanmar at the regional level. Following the framework ofthe ASEAN Charter, this dialogue would ensure progresstowards realising an ASEAN Community by 2015, anda regional commitment to achieving the “MillenniumDevelopment Goals” by 2015. 8 Myanmar will bene t from

capacity-building support provided by regional neighbours,donor agencies and international organisations.

Commitment from donors and international developmentpartners is essential to the sustainability of the recoveryeffort, which depends on their on-going integration into thecountry’s long-term development strategy. Internationaldonors have demonstrated a greater readiness tocooperate with Myanmar in humanitarian relief followingCyclone Nargis. However, many remain reluctant to commitresources for long-term development. ASEAN will be vitalin forging pragmatic partnerships between the MyanmarGovernment, the region and the international community.

Moving from the relief phase to the recovery process, ASEANwill need to continue to develop strategic partnerships withthe international community for the post-Nargis developmenteffort. The AHTF is working closely with the Government tocreate a coordinated strategy for development with Myanmarwithin the framework of the ASEAN Charter following theexpiration of the TCG mandate. ASEAN will support regionaldevelopment cooperation initiatives by ensuring that itspost-Nargis efforts are closely coordinated with the UN andother international development actors.

To achieve this, ASEAN needs to further de ne its strategy – following the framework of the PONREPP – to guide therecovery process in Myanmar in a manner that explicitlylinks recovery to long-term development while enlargingthe role of respective ASEAN member countries in therecovery process. The TCG mandate has only beenextended until July 2010. Concrete initiatives for regionalcooperation, which can link recovery and development

8 The Millennium Development Goals are eight goals to be achieved by 2015 that respond to the world’s main development challenges. The MDGs are drawn fromthe actions and targets contained in the Millennium Declaration that was adopted by 189 nations and signed by 147 heads of state and governments during the UNMillennium Summit in September 2000.




in Nargis-affected areas, must be quickly formulated andimplemented. Accordingly, an appropriate institutionalframework will be required to deliver this re ned strategy,requiring adaption of the AHTF and TCG to support thisnew phase.

At the 6 th AHTF Meeting held on 2 July 2009 in Jakarta,members agreed to adapt the role of the AHTF to improvecommunication with Government ministries concerning

the synchronisation of the recovery plan and the country’sdevelopment framework. To this end, the AHTF and TCG

must work closely with relevant ministries such as theMinistry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement;Ministry of Planning and Economic Development;Ministry of Agriculture; Ministry of Health and Ministry ofEducation.

The 6 th AHTF Meeting encouraged ASEAN member countriesto support the implementation of coordinated recovery andsustainable development programmes, focused on capacity

building, to ensure a smooth transition from the ASEAN andTCG to the normal Government mechanism.

67

References



AHTF, 2008, Report of the First Meeting of the ASEAN HumanitarianTask Force for the Victims of Cyclone Nargis, 25 May 2008, Yangon.

AHTF, 2008, Report of the Second Meeting of the ASEAN HumanitarianTask Force, 29 May 2008, videoconference.

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Contributing Writers:

Adelina KamalAnggiet AriefantoHnin Nwe Nwe ChanJoseph ViandritoKyaw Myat ThaLwin Lwin AungMai Phuong TangNatthinee RodraksaNaw PrimroseDr. Niken GandiniPhilipp DanaoSok PhoeukThaw Thar KhaingWanna SuksriboonamphaiDr. William Sabandar

Photography:

ASEAN Hub CoordinatorsASEAN volunteersChristopher DavyPeriodic Review/Ohnmar WinPeriodic Review Enumerators

Editing and Design:

Christopher Davy



Printed in BangkokJuly 2009

On 2 and 3 May 2008, Cyclone Nargis swept in from the Bay of Bengal

and struck Myanmar’s Yangon and Ayeyarwady Divisions, resulting in large-

scale loss of life and destruction of infrastructure, property and livelihoods.Approximately 140,000 people were killed or unaccounted for following the

cyclone. Cyclone Nargis is the 8 th deadliest cyclone recorded and by far the

worst natural disaster in the history of Myanmar.

Acknowledging the unprecedented scale of the disaster, ASEAN rose to the

challenge and actively collaborated with the Government of Myanmar to

allow international relief workers to operate in the country. Since then, the

organisation has played an instrumental role in coordinating both the initial

response to the disaster and the transition towards medium and long-term

recovery.

press release launched: two books capturing asean’s response to cyclone nargis phuket, thailand,...

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