The United Nations human rights office has reported that Myanmar’s military is restricting humanitarian aid in several earthquake-stricken regions.
Over 3,000 fatalities have been confirmed following the 7.7-magnitude earthquake, with UN estimates suggesting that as many as three million individuals may have been impacted, many left homeless due to the destruction of their houses.
Numerous countries have dispatched aid and rescue teams; however, in some of the most severely affected areas, there is minimal evidence of support from Myanmar’s ruling military for the survivors.
Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, described the humanitarian situation in the earthquake-hit regions as catastrophic, particularly in areas that are beyond the control of the military.
Firefighters pose for a photo in front of collapsed buildings of a fire station in Sagaing
She noted that “at least 14 military attacks have been recorded since the announcement of a temporary ceasefire that took effect on April 2.”
Protests occurred as the earthquake-affected Myanmar junta leader attended a summit in Bangkok, with demonstrators displaying a banner labeling him a “murderer” just a week after the massive earthquake that claimed numerous lives.
Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing engaged in discussions with leaders from Bay of Bengal nations at an upscale hotel in Bangkok today.
The invitation extended to him faced backlash, and protesters outside the venue unfurled a banner from a bridge declaring: “We do not welcome murderer Min Aung Hlaing.”
Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing arrived in Thailand yesterday
According to state media, the current death toll in Myanmar stands at 3,145, with 4,589 injured and 221 missing.
In Bangkok, 22 individuals perished, most of whom were crushed during the collapse of a tower block under construction.
In Sagaing, the city near the quake’s epicenter where approximately 80% of buildings have sustained damage, AFP journalists observed desperate scenes as hundreds of weary, hungry survivors scrambled for essential supplies.
Citizen volunteer teams from across Myanmar have converged on Sagaing in trucks loaded with water, oil, rice, and other basic necessities.
With countless homes in Sagaing and adjacent Mandalay rendered uninhabitable by the quake, survivors have been sleeping on the streets for a week and desperately require proper shelter.
An area in Mandalay, littered with debris, has transformed into a tent city for those displaced from their homes or too fearful to return due to aftershocks.
Workers clear the rubble from a collapsed building in Kyaukse Township
“There are many people in need,” shared 30-year-old cab driver Hla Myint Po, currently living in a tent with his family, in an interview with AFP.
“Sometimes the chaos ensues when donors arrive with supplies,” he added.
As the crisis unfolds in Myanmar, Min Aung Hlaing dined last night at a gala with fellow BIMSTEC leaders in a luxury hotel in Bangkok.
The veteran general, who led the coup ousting Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in 2021, triggering a bloody civil war, faces accusations of war crimes and severe human rights violations.
Min Aung Hlaing met earthquake survivors gathered in the compound of a hospital in Naypyidaw last week
Min Aung Hlaing is under various global sanctions, and the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has sought an arrest warrant for him over alleged crimes against humanity committed against Rohingya Muslims.
Despite the struggles faced by the Myanmar populace in the quake’s aftermath, the military conducted air strikes against rebel groups, drawing sharp condemnation from international powers.
Yet, the Thai government provided a red-carpet welcome to the junta chief as he arrived for discussions with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and other leaders from Bay of Bengal nations.
‘Deplorable’ Thailand welcomed junta chief – campaign group
Myanmar’s shadow opposition, the National Unity Government (NUG), condemned his attendance at the summit, calling it an affront to justice “considering the immense suffering he has caused the people of Myanmar.”
“Allowing the junta leader and his representatives to participate in regional and international forums risks legitimizing an illegal regime,” stated the NUG in their announcement.
Yadanar Maung from the Justice for Myanmar campaign group criticized Thailand and BIMSTEC’s hospitality towards him, calling it “deplorable.”
Isolated and sanctioned by numerous Western nations since the coup, the junta has turned to close allies China and Russia for assistance as it navigates a complex, multi-sided civil war.
Read more: Who is giving aid to Myanmar after the earthquake?
This trip marks Min Aung Hlaing’s first foreign visit outside China, Russia, or Belarus since he participated in a regional summit in Indonesia in 2021 shortly after the coup.
The Bangkok meeting provides the isolated leader with a rare opportunity for face-to-face diplomacy, which he utilized by meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Thailand’s Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
Several key armed factions in the civil war declared a temporary ceasefire following the earthquake—Myanmar’s most significant in decades—to facilitate aid delivery, with the military agreeing to do the same.
However, all factions maintain their right to self-defense, and sporadic fighting has already been reported.
The foreign ministry of India stated that the so-called “Quad Partners,” which include Australia, Japan, and the United States, welcomed “recent commitments to temporary, partial ceasefires.”
