Staying alert, being innovative and finding solutions in post-coup Myanmar
Lucas Riegger, an agronomist by training, has worked in countries as diverse as Angola and Türkiye. Since October 2022, he has been based in Myanmar as Head of Direct Action and Programme Officer for Strengthening Ethnic Institutions. He describes an average day – as average as a day can be since the military coup in 2021.
«I wake up at 7am and feed the Queen of All Things In The Premises – a street cat we adopted in Türkiye. Despite the deteriorating supply chain, one can get very decent croissants and brioches for breakfast in Yangon. My wife departs a little before 8am for the nearby French Lycée and I read analyses and reports before leaving for the office. I then treat myself to a 12-minute bicycle ride, passing through densely planted parks, avenues filled with squirrels and birdsong, enormous butterflies flapping across the roads and the seasonal blossoming on my way to the office. Compared to more urbanised cities in the region, Yangon looks like a «jungle city». Trees grow unchallenged and canopies reach higher than most buildings.
We are a team of ten, composed of project officers with backgrounds in engineering or facilitation, all dedicated to supporting the delivery of basic services to vulnerable communities in selected ethnic-controlled areas of Myanmar. This particular task requires much attention to information from the field and coordination with other embassy programmes. Needless to say, it’s very exciting.
Myanmar is a fantastic and complex context, with a rich history and a wonderful heritage, both material and immaterial. This is not my first time in Myanmar. I was a secondee at the WFP in 2007-2008. My wife was with the IOM. We experienced the Saffron Revolution in 2007 and cyclone Nargis in 2008. Returning happily to Myanmar in 2022, this time I am again supported by the most dedicated colleagues I could dream of.
I am particularly proud that Switzerland is the only donor country engaged in «hardware»: the renovation of clinics and schools.
The Direct Action focused on school renovations and technical support to the Ministry of Education. Switzerland, like other like-minded donors halted all support to the central institutions after the coup. The Direct Action now focuses on ethnic groups’ service departments, recognised as qualified by their constituencies. I am particularly proud that Switzerland is the only donor country engaged in «hardware»: the renovation of clinics and schools. Each building is equipped with the necessary amenities and is singular in its design. Our engineers guarantee that maintenance and sustainability are ensured by using local materials.
When I have time, I take my bicycle to get lunch at a nearby bistro. The local cuisine includes Thai or Indian, even vegetarian hamburgers.
I visit the field 5-6 times per year, not as much as I would like. Missions by foreign staff require a «travel authorisation» from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which takes four weeks to be issued. The language barrier makes my courageous and highly capable national colleagues obviously more efficient than me in dealing with project issues. The Myanmar language is beautiful and as complex as its context.
Working in this country has its challenges. Continuity and safety are the key to managing them. It requires the constant monitoring of conflict areas and of junta-enacted by-laws. This is what I like most about working here: staying alert, being innovative, finding solutions. One has to consult a lot with as many pertinent stakeholders as possible before taking a decision – and fast, at that.
I will miss the ever-caring and gentle attitude of the people of Myanmar, navigating through the confusion, they remain kind. The post-coup developments have also demonstrated that they can be resolute and fierce fighters.
My day usually ends at around 6pm. The bicycle ride home is completely different: it’s rush hour and darker and diesel engines, not fine-tuned for best efficiency, roar.
First one home feeds the Queen of All Things.»
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