International Aid Must Not Be Abused by Junta

On 28 March 2025, major quakes with magnitudes of 7.7 and 6.4 struck Myanmar and Thailand, followed by a series of aftershocks, leaving behind utter devastation amidst an already dire humanitarian crisis and a collapsing economy in war-torn Myanmar.

As of 6 April, the catastrophic earthquake has killed 4,316 people, with 6,588 injured and hundreds still missing. Areas hit by the earthquake include Sagaing, Mandalay, Magwe, and Bago Regions, eastern and southern Shan State, and Naypyidaw. Most of these areas are under the effective control and administration of the National Unity Government (NUG), Ethnic Resistance Organizations, and People’s Defense Forces.

Even during and immediately after the earthquake, the junta’s campaign of terror persisted unabated. Between 28 March and 4 April, the junta launched a total of 63 air and heavy weapons attacks in five regions and seven states, killing 68 people. Not only were these actions reprehensible and show callous contempt for human life, the junta broke its own ceasefire only hours after it was declared. Meanwhile, legitimate representatives of Myanmar people—namely the NUG, Three Brotherhood Alliance, and Kachin Independence Organization—declared separate ceasefires in areas affected by the earthquake with the purpose of ensuring that rescue and relief efforts can be carried out swiftly and effectively. Their declarations stand in stark contrast to the junta’s inhuman war of terror and farcical ceasefire.

Taking advantage of the natural disaster, the junta is attempting to seek legitimacy from the international community. Presenting itself as the “government” of Myanmar, the military junta requested international assistance and has since accumulated approximately USD 136.88 million in foreign aid. Serious concerns were raised by 271 civil society organizations about the Myanmar military’s decades-long, well-documented history of corruption and weaponization of aid, including during Cyclone Nargis in 2008, Cyclone Mocha in 2023, and Typhoon Yagi in 2024.

Yet again, the military junta is showing its true colors by obstructing rescue efforts and withholding international aid. The junta turned down assistance from Taiwan and opened fire on a Chinese Red Cross convoy carrying aid supplies. Revealing the experience on the ground, an Indian rescue worker spoke out about the junta’s obstruction of rescue efforts and tightened security. He stated, “I wished to visit Sagaing, the most affected area, but [I] was stopped in Mandalay for no reason.”  The Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) also reported, “The SMART operation in the country faced security issues, including reports of conflict areas still being bombed by the Myanmar military and the risk of landmines around Sagaing, especially near temples.” The junta cannot even put on a façade of cooperation in the presence of foreign personnel on the ground, stressing its unwillingness to save lives and unsuitability to oversee aid. Ultimately, its contempt for human life is evident in the prioritization of clearing temples over rescuing people during the critical first 72 hours.

On the ground, the junta issued a requirement for all rescue teams to obtain approval from them and work only with groups approved by them—impeding rescue and relief efforts and putting the security of frontline local responders and volunteers at risk. Local responders further reported that entry to and exit from Sagaing city has been restricted, with junta personnel forcing aid groups to obtain approval to operate. Taking advantage of its strategic location, the junta is leveraging control over Sagaing and obstructing relief efforts to areas beyond Sagaing city, particularly those under resistance control. One rescue team member in Sagaing stated, “When we try to transport supplies from Mandalay, the military [junta] doesn’t permit it. Even yesterday, when food supplies were being transported from Mandalay, they confiscated half of everything.”

Amidst all of this, junta chief Min Aung Hlaing had the audacity to show face on the international stage joining the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, on 4 April—amid calls from civil society and demonstrations by people in Thailand. Thai civil society also condemned the Thai government for extending an invitation to Min Aung Hlaing—war criminal and leader of an illegitimate body—to falsely represent Myanmar. It is crucial for the international community and ASEAN not to normalize relations with the junta, particularly by supporting its sham election plan and using the earthquake disaster as an opportunity. Ultimately, the international community must not forget that the junta is the root cause of Myanmar’s decades-long human rights and humanitarian crises, further placing the people of Myanmar at greater vulnerability in the aftermath of this devastating natural disaster.

We once again reiterate our calls that humanitarian response must not cause further harm to already vulnerable populations. Donors and humanitarian organizations must actively prevent the military junta from aid manipulation, weaponization, or exploitation and take action to facilitate a cessation of the junta’s aerial and ground attacks. In tandem, the UN, ASEAN, and aid agencies must recognize that junta-controlled and affiliated aid groups cannot reach those in critical need in areas under control by the democratic resistance forces. Instead, they must work with local CSOs who are raising funds and mobilizing both immediate relief and long-term recovery and rehabilitation activities, operating with an accountable and transparent system in cities and beyond.

Business as usual does not apply when responding to disasters in a war-torn country like Myanmar where the Myanmar military—the perpetrator of the crisis—only destroys human life. As expressed by Khin Ohmar, Chairperson of Progressive Voice, “They [the international community] have to step out, out of the way they do in other countries’ natural disaster because Myanmar in the current situation, with this military junta [who has] been launching terror campaigns against the people more than four years.”

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[1] One year following the 1988 pro-democracy uprising, the former military junta changed the country’s name from Burma to Myanmar overnight. Progressive Voice uses the term ‘Myanmar’ in acknowledgement that most people of the country use this term. However, the deception of inclusiveness and the historical process of coercion by the former State Peace and Development Council military regime into usage of ‘Myanmar’ rather than ‘Burma’ without the consent of the people is recognized and not forgotten. Thus, under certain circumstances, ‘Burma’ is used.

Progressive Voice is a participatory, rights-based policy research and advocacy organization that was born out of Burma Partnership. Burma Partnership officially ended its work on October 10, 2016 transitioning to a rights-based policy research and advocacy organization called Progressive Voice. For further information, please see our press release “Burma Partnership Celebrates Continuing Regional Solidarity for Burma and Embraces the Work Ahead for Progressive Voice.”