32 A NATION LEFT BEHIND leader of a community forest within the peace included a two-week lockdown to encourage park, 56-year-old Saw Thet Mee of Htee Baw social distancing in Yangon, the public Kee Village in Mutraw District. According to the distribution of masks to government health KPSN, he was returning with food for IDPs in workers in state capitals, and Burmese language the forest, and was shot while crossing a road. awareness materials; the latter involved near In a 2 April statement, KPSN attributed Saw daily shelling of 11 Mutraw District villages by Thet Mee’s death to “decades of inaction by more than one dozen Myanmar army battalions the international community over the killings of since January, and the burning of hundreds of ethnic people in Burma.”99 acres of farmland. It is of note, then, that KNU The civil society network pointed to the stands accused by the Myanmar government102 killing of Saw Thet Mee as evidence that the of breaching the NCA because it implemented military has used the international attention COVID-19 prevention activities within its focused on the COVID-19 pandemic to “step territory. The government has not leveled up their agenda of repression, especially against the same accusation against the Myanmar ethnic people.”100 Later, on 17 April, KPSN military for its ongoing offensives and killings of contrasted the government’s urban response civilians as well as for its obstruction of EAOs’ to the coronavirus to the state-sponsored COVID-19 prevention activities. violence against Karen villagers.101 The former Shan State Medics from the RCSS have been providing military column has tried to block their health basic health checks and promoting COVID-19 team from entering the area since early April, awareness in southern Shan State. Yet on one and locals have said that government troops such visit on 12 April to Nar Won Village tract have warned them against accepting healthcare in Mongpan Township, the Myanmar military’s from RCSS medics.103 LIB 153 opened fire on RCSS soldiers while Within two days of the 23 March confirma- RCSS medics were carrying out medical checks tion of the coronavirus’ presence in Myanmar, in the village. According to the RCSS, the same the RCSS reported that the Myanmar mili- 99 Karen Peace Support Network. “Media Release From the Karen Peace Support Network: Burma Army Kills Karen Community Leader Shopping for Food.” 2 April 2020. Available at: https://www.facebook.com/KPSN.karen/photos/ pcb.2622917034651888/2622935031316755/?type=3&theater 100 Ibid. 101 Karen Peace Support Network. “COVID-19 response in Burma exposes glaring double standards.” 17 April 2020. Available at: https://www.facebook.com/KPSN.karen/photos/pcb.2635124270097831/2635114806765444/?type=3&theater 102 Mon News Agency. “Karen State Security and Border Affairs Minister Oppose KNU’s Response to COVID-19.” 20 April 2020. BNI Multimedia Group. Available at: https://www.bnionline.net/en/news/karen-state-security-and-border-affairs-ministry-oppose-knus-response-covid-19 103 Nang Seng Nom. “Burma Army Attacks RCSS While Shan Medics Perform COVID-19 Wellness Checks.” Shan Herald Agency for News. 15 April 2020. Available at: https://english.shannews.org/archives/20783