Coup, Corona, poverty: a dangerous mix in Myanmar (Deutsche Welle)

Deutsche Welle published an article on the latest news in Myanmar. The protests have not yet escalated, but the situation in Myanmar is extremely tense. The Tatmadaw, as the military is called in Myanmar, has so far mainly disrupted communication in order to make it difficult to organize protests. The pandemic has already caused serious damage to the Myanmar economy. A study, Poverty, food insecurity, and social protection during COVID-19 in Myanmar examined the impact of COVID-19 on the economy. As a result of the pandemic, there was no tourism, textile factories were closed, and the lockdown deprived many day laborers of the basis of work. The study found that income-based poverty rose from 16 percent to 63 percent between January 2020 and September 2020. Two-thirds of the country’s population lives on less than $ 1.90 a day. 38 percent of all households in Yangon said they had no income in September 2020.