Email: Gumsha@protonmail.com

Affiliation: International Institute of Social Studies (ISS), The Hague

Nationality: Myanmar

Humanitarian Sovereignty: Agrarian relations, shocks, societal transformations and humanitarian work

Abstract

This paper explores the concepts of a 'humanitarian sovereignty' in the context of agrarian societies, building on an argument that 'shocks' brought about by extreme weather, wars, famine, economic crisis, or violent expulsions unfold in long-running agrarian social relations, pre-existing agrarian structures and institutions, and broad agrarian and societal transformations. What humanitarian justice means is therefore inherently embedded within the interpretations of what agrarian justice means, and vice versa, and can only be understood fully when seen from its temporal and spatial specificities. This argument, in some ways, requires bringing food and agrarian justice into humanitarian justice debates.

Globally, humanity is confronted by multiple-crises- often, all at the same time. Humanitarian needs are rising exponentially, and the existing global humanitarian systems can no longer cope with the demand. One of the persisting concerns is provision of timely, sufficient and life-saving food. However, how food is being understood and treated by the humanitarian sector is not only insufficient, but deeply flawed. Within the mainstream humanitarian system, food is being treated as a commodity to be bought, stored, distributed or exchanged through cash distribution mechanisms. This paper argues that, firstly, the humanitarian sector with its million-dollar buying power participates as a key partner within the capitalist industrial food system, or with the economy controlled by authoritarian states. Secondly, agrarian justice is a co-constitutive part of humanitarian justice: what humanitarian justice means is therefore inherently embedded within the interpretations of what agrarian justice means. Thirdly, humanitarian sovereignty with its critical component of justice and political agency is a better alternative compared to the donor-driven "humanitarian-development nexus" agenda, and that the key concepts of food sovereignty and agroecology can contribute to achieving humanitarian sovereignty.

For the last few years, a network of local humanitarian actors in Myanmar have been attempting to conceptualise the intersection between food/agrarian justice and humanitarian justice as "Humanitarian Sovereignty"- while the former concerns democratising food systems, the latter concerns democratising humanitarian systems. The deadly 2008 Cyclone Nargis gave rise to a proliferation of humanitarian actors. The democratic opening during 2010-2020 brought in various INGOs and multi-million-dollar funding. However, the conventional humanitarian concepts emphasise that humanitarian work must be apolitical. However, many first responders, national and local NGOs ran into contradictions and dilemmas with such a position. The "Humanitarian Activists" are actors who are not only grounded in life-saving daily humanitarian assistance but also strongly believe that it is essential to address root causes of these crises. They believe that it is essential to understand and influence the power relations and resources control within and beyond the humanitarian architecture and that politics exist at the core of every humanitarian strategy.

This paper focuses on the period from the 2008 Cyclone Nargis to the present day. The empirical material for this paper combines data generated through mixed methods since the military coup of February 2021, with data generated through archival work and participant observation methods. The paper is framed from the tradition of critical agrarian studies.

Bio

Gum Sha Aung is a PhD student at the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS, The Hague) as part of a special program, led by Prof. Borras, the "Myanmar initiative on political economy education for activists" in collaboration with the Chiang Mai University in Thailand. His PhD research explores Food Sovereignty and social movements in the context of hostile situations, under the supervision of Jun Borras. He has earned his MA in Development Studies at Kimmage Development Studies Centre, Dublin in Ireland in 2008. He is the current executive director of one of the national NGOs from Myanmar, Metta Development Foundation. His previous field work with Metta focuses on the life of farmers and their social mobilization through Farmer's Field School. His area of work related to agrarian justice include lands, seeds, natural resources and climate change at both grassroots and national level. He has held the secretariat role of Joint Strategy Team (JST) for Kachin and Northern Shan States Humanitarian Response since 2013. Later he helped set up Myanmar Local Humanitarian Network with a vision of humanitarian sovereignty. This network continuously provides critical humanitarian assistance for the people affected by conflict, aftermath of the 2021 military coup. From 20ll, Metta collaborated with Jun Borras on the right to land issues, including the Mosaic research project (2014 to 2018). From 2019 to present, Metta has collaborated with Jun Borras on the research on land and social life through the RRUSHES-5 project and Political Economy for social activists in Myanmar.