Myanmar’s military faces criticism of the ongoing airstrikes, claiming that international organizations have urged “free access” to humanitarian assistance in conflict-states, thus preventing assistance to earthquake survivors.
The 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck central Myanmar on Friday caused widespread destruction, killing more than 2,000 people and intensively needs basic necessities such as food and water.
The two Australia-based doctors have helped coordinate emergency responses at the Mandalay and Saga epicenter, accusing the junta of blocking the supply of emergency aid.
“Some of the supply of aid was given to people who mostly needed it. In some areas of Mandalay, aid did not arrive. The aid was confiscated by the military regime,” Dr. Nan Wynn said.
Since the earthquake hit, Dr. Nan has been communicating with his colleagues in Mandalay, where aid is rare and makes-up clinics have been set up in place of a suitable emergency response system.
A medical colleague in the city signed the paperwork to receive $1,000 in assistance, but only received about $100, she said.
“There’s a market that happens then and they have to go around and buy it themselves,” she said.
Since the Myanmar military seized power in a February 2021 coup, the military has been trapped in a chaotic, deadly civil war with an armed resistance movement made up of various ethnic groups. Over the past year, the junta has consistently lost ground and maintained control of the largest city, but has controlled less than 30% of the country’s territory.
In areas where the military did not have full control, the military blocked aid and prevented teams of rescuers from entering, Dr. Nan said. “If a group of rescuers come in and say we want to enter, especially in Sagar, they won’t allow you, they’ll say you need permission and it’s too late once you get permission,” she said.
The administration’s spokesman did not respond immediately to the claim.
Dr Tun Aung Shwe, a physician and Australia’s representative for Myanmar’s exiled opposition National Unified Government (NUG), said the military is leveraging checkpoint management to block medicines flowing into areas controlled by nags and ethnic resistance groups.
“Outside major cities, the military is already checking and then trying to stop the flow of aid,” he said, adding that the community has been forced to seek alternative routes.
“They’re finding other ways, so they’re getting there, but it’s taking longer.”
Emergency assistance was blocked by areas such as Sagar and Mogwe, he said.
The claim comes as the junta faces criticism of air strikes in villages.
The Karen National Union, one of Myanmar’s oldest ethnic forces, said in a statement that the junta “continues to carry on air strikes targeting civilian regions despite the population suffering very much from earthquakes.”
International organizations are denounced the response.
Myanmar’s UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews confirmed that what is happening on the ground due to the suspension of communications was challenging, but said there were “consistent reports of aid being blocked,” and that airstrikes are continuing.
“Instead of focusing energy, attention and resources on every ounce, the junta is not focusing on saving lives that are taking lives. That’s the first thing. Secondly, yesterday there were consistent reports of aid being blocked and aid workers being denied access at checkpoints,” he said.
These reports emerge from areas that are under or contested by the opposition, he said, adding that the military should “stop focusing on killing people and saving people.”
On Monday night, the airstrikes were reported in Singh Township in the Mandalay region and Nongkio Township in Shan Province.
“Even after the horrific natural disasters that have killed and wounded thousands, the Myanmar junta still evokes fear,” said Briony Lau, Associate Asia Director at Human Rights Watch.
“The junta needs to break away from its appalling past practices and ensure that humanitarian aid will soon reach people whose lives are at risk in areas affected by the earthquake.”
2016 – Scott Marciel, a US diplomat and Myanmar ambassador who retired from 2020, said the military has a bad track record when it comes to providing support to citizens in need.
“Myanmar has a very poor infrastructure, and the military government, within the limits of control of things, [it] “It’s a really bad place where that happens,” he said.
During the community pandemic, he said the military would provide oxygen only with significantly limited aid, primarily to its supporters. In the 2008 Cyclone Nargis, a disaster that claimed almost 140,000 lives, military leaders initially refused all international aid.
“Their history shows that, essentially, they are trying to get up and make many suffering and even death happen, even if they are not giving themselves, rather than doing things that may endanger their position of power,” Marciel said.
