Ko Hla Maung’s Oral History
Item
Title
Ko Hla Maung’s Oral History
Synopsis
• Male, 39
• Lives in provincial Myanmar city
• Muslim community leader and businessman
• Actively involved in welfare activities prior to the pandemic
• Invited employees to move into the staff quarter of his business compound to prevent spread of COVID and enable business to continue during lockdown.
• Business lost a lot of money during COVID as buyers could not make repayments on their past purchases
• Donated to the Health Department and to charity groups involved in COVID relief via Muslim Association and individually
• Distributed rice and cooking oil three times to 70 needy families in the neighbourhood during second wave
• Had to intervene and explain to a Muslim man (now COVID patient) that his positive swab test administered in the presence of a Buddhist monk volunteering at a testing centre had nothing to do with religion.
• Not worried about catching COVID-19 from voting because he wore and then was given an additional facemask on – plus the number of COVID cases was very low.
• Hope that the next government continues to support the grassroots people to get through this difficult time, to create job opportunities for unemployed people when conditions improve and to offer more loans to business people.
• Hopes that the NLD government would be able to foster diversity and equality in the next term, especially for Muslim community.
• Lives in provincial Myanmar city
• Muslim community leader and businessman
• Actively involved in welfare activities prior to the pandemic
• Invited employees to move into the staff quarter of his business compound to prevent spread of COVID and enable business to continue during lockdown.
• Business lost a lot of money during COVID as buyers could not make repayments on their past purchases
• Donated to the Health Department and to charity groups involved in COVID relief via Muslim Association and individually
• Distributed rice and cooking oil three times to 70 needy families in the neighbourhood during second wave
• Had to intervene and explain to a Muslim man (now COVID patient) that his positive swab test administered in the presence of a Buddhist monk volunteering at a testing centre had nothing to do with religion.
• Not worried about catching COVID-19 from voting because he wore and then was given an additional facemask on – plus the number of COVID cases was very low.
• Hope that the next government continues to support the grassroots people to get through this difficult time, to create job opportunities for unemployed people when conditions improve and to offer more loans to business people.
• Hopes that the NLD government would be able to foster diversity and equality in the next term, especially for Muslim community.
Date Created
First interview: November 4, 2020
Second interview: December 2, 2020
Language of interview
Burmese
Index
Border closures/restrictions 1
Conflict over Covid-19 diagnosis 3
Changes to daily routine
-Social gatherings
Elections (2020)
-Election day 3
-Hopes for new government 4
-Precautions during Covid-19 3
-Pre-election 2-3
-Previous elections 3
-Post-election 4
Job 1
Response measures for Covid-19
-Assistance for Covid-19 relief 1-2
-Government measures 2
-Local measures 1
-Reactions to measures 2
Conflict over Covid-19 diagnosis 3
Changes to daily routine
-Social gatherings
Elections (2020)
-Election day 3
-Hopes for new government 4
-Precautions during Covid-19 3
-Pre-election 2-3
-Previous elections 3
-Post-election 4
Job 1
Response measures for Covid-19
-Assistance for Covid-19 relief 1-2
-Government measures 2
-Local measures 1
-Reactions to measures 2
