Inside the CDM
The recent podcast conversation with Philipp Annawitt was immensely valuable. This following quote highlights the challenges that the NUG is facing in terms of resource mobilization and support for their civil servants. The NUG is currently relying on volunteers to run the government and provide services to the public. The civil servants who are striking and participating in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) are putting themselves and their families at risk by working in areas that are not under full control. These civil servants need support for their physical needs and livelihoods, but the resources that are incoming are not adequate to meet these needs.
Overall, Annawitt underscores the urgent need for development partners to come in with financial resources and technical assistance to support the NUG's operations and help build up government structures. Without this support, the NUG may struggle to survive and improve the situation for the people of Myanmar, who are facing significant challenges under the military junta's rule.
“And also these people are all volunteers. There are no salaries! There are no living allowances.”
“So, the way it currently works is that whatever resources are mobilized by the NUG go into the support of the CDM, meaning of those striking civil servants, whether for active service delivery or not. Not everybody is being used; it's a question of volunteering, so people are comfortable. Because CDM staff performs services in areas that aren't under full control, they do that at significant personal risk and risk to their families! So, a lot of resources that are incoming are spent on supporting the physical needs and livelihoods of these people. And it is by no means adequate.
What is incoming is just not adequate. It's currently the prerogative of each ministry to care about their CDM staff; it's their role to do that. In terms of what that is, that is the public administration. That is the civil service of the of the NUG. There is not yet a regulatory framework around that civil service. And it may be too early to do that, but in the future, as they progress, that is probably also a priority that needs to be tackled. But beyond or above that civil service, there is of course, the cabinet. And then there are people who work with and around the ministers there, the head office of the ministries, and these vary in size. They can be a few people and can be larger, or even dozens of people. And also these people are all volunteers. There are no salaries! There are no living allowances. Because what money comes in - really, I have to say, in a spirit of self-sacrifice - is used to support CDM. And to a certain degree, of course, what resources come in are being used to support the defense effort against the Myanmar military. And that is currently the situation. Apart from that, whatever resources are available are used for service delivery. That means running schools, providing health services, sometimes mobile health services, sometimes famous bush clinics, and to support the livelihood of the large numbers of internally displaced people.”