"Under the threat of conflict, adhering to social distancing and disease prevention measures are a secondary priority in many ethnic minority states in Myanmar. People are faced with inadequate medical care, curbs on movement due to both conflict and the pandemic, and trouble accessing basic goods and services. Despite the government's stated commitment to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, the Myanmar military, also known as the Tatmadaw, has continued its offensives in many of the country's seven minority states, particularly Rakhine and Chin states, as well as Karen state. The Karen ethnic group — who constitute roughly 7% of the country's population — have for decades faced forced relocation, military offensives, systematic rape and murder, and have seen their villages, farms and property burned — like many other minority groups in Myanmar. Subscribe to Corona Compact — DW's newsletter tracking coronavirus in Asia Conflict-stricken country The conflicts in Myanmar between ethnic armed groups and the military, which have gone on since 1948, constitute what can be considered the world's longest civil war. In February, over 2,000 Karen were forced to flee their homes in northern Karen state amid an offensive launched by the army, while other regions of the state are still facing regular attacks initiated by the military. "In ethnic states including Karen, the government and its security forces are drastically increasing the vulnerability to the deadly virus because of military's brutal offensive attack on communities without caring calls of ceasefire from ethnic armed organizations, ethnic political parties, civil society, and the United Nations," the Karen Peace Support Network (KPSN) said in a statement last month..."