Myanmar quake relief hampered by lack of aid, airstrikes

Myanmar’s strongest earthquake since 1912 has left thousands homeless, complicating relief efforts amid an ongoing civil war.

Some 60,000 people are living in tent encampments in central Myanmar following last month’s 7.7 magnitude earthquake — the country’s strongest since 1912.

Myanmar suffered heavy damage in the March 28 quake,  in which apartment blocks and hotels collapsed, and roads and bridges were destroyed.

Natty Tangmeesang, a blogger from neighboring Thailand who visited the affected areas of Myanmar, including the city of Sagaing, said many people who have been left homeless by the quake lack the necessary funding to rebuild their homes.

“The areas that I went to were homes to many monasteries, schools for nunneries, and remote villages,” Natty told DW. “They are still in need of everything from food, drinking water, daily necessities, and funds. Many families have to stay on the small streets and beg for donations from passersby.”

Myanmar’s military government, which calls itself the State Administration Council (SAC), said 3,145 people have been killed, more than 4,500 injured and more than 200 remain missing.

The Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), a media outlet, reported 4,346 people killed with 7,890 people injured and 210 missing.

Relief efforts have been complicated by Myanmar’s brutal civil war, which has been raging since Myanmar’s military seized power in a 2021 coup that deposed the democratically elected civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

The military has been battling with resistance groups, including the opposition National Unity Government (NUG), and ethnic armed organizations. The NUG was created by elected Myanmar lawmakers removed from their posts by the junta.

Although the SAC controls less than half of the country’s territory, any international aid has had to go through the regime, which is still in command of major cities like Mandalay, Yangon and the capital, Naypyidaw.

What is hampering relief efforts?

Aid workers say they have been struggling to provide relief amid the devastation. The UN Human Rights Office said in a statement that Myanmar’s military has continued airstrikes — despite a declared ceasefire — at a time when the sole focus should be on ensuring aid reaches disaster zones.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said heavy rain on Tuesday evening flooded streets and camps around Myanmar’s second-largest city, Mandalay.

The Progressive Voice Myanmar, an advocacy organization working on the ground to assist those affected, said international aid has not reached areas of Sagaing beyond the city.

“But our locally-led aid delivery missions and first phase of recovery efforts have reached some impacted communities beyond Mandalay and Sagaing cities,” the organization’s founder, Khin Ohmar, told DW. “These locally led efforts are both from civil society as well as by the NUG, including health care.”

Khin said, “The junta is blocking and obstructing aid and threatening aid workers and extorting money.”

‘More aid is needed’

The quake saw a rare request for aid from Myanmar’s military, which asked for international support and relief, despite junta chief Min Aung Hlaing being largely isolated in the international community. The 10-member  Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has shunned Min from its summits over a lack of progress on a peace plan for Myanmar.

Teams from the US, China, the UK, Malaysia and South Korea have pledged millions of dollars in emergency aid, while Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, New Zealand, India, Japan, Singapore and Russia have sent rescue units to help with the emergency.

Soe Myint, editor-in-chief at the Mizzima media outlet, told DW that it is not enough.

“More support needed for transportation of the aid to reach the affected areas. The need for setting up mobile clinics, the need for trained medics for first aid care and psychological support, and more reports on the ground,” he added.

While international aid has been allowed into Myanmar, many international journalists have been blocked from covering the quake aftermath.

Reporting difficulties

The junta has claimed Myanmar is not safe in the aftermath of the quake, and there is a lack of accommodation. But state-controlled media outlets from China have been given access to the epicenter.

Tin Tin Nyo, managing director of Burma News International, said it’s even difficult for local Myanmar media to report on the devastation, “especially the independent media cannot go to the territories controlled by the SAC, but the media can access information through the areas controlled by the NUG and the ethnic resistance organizations.

“Most media have to rely on citizen journalists and some stringers that they are being assigned in certain areas,” she told DW, adding that the airstrikes, which are hindering relief efforts, need to stop and UN agencies need to do more.

“Bombing has become really rapid and intense, killing many civilians. UN agencies and diplomats … need to go out to those areas to see people. They must pressure the junta to stop weaponizing aid and stop bombing,” Khin said.

Min Aung Hlaing will travel to Bangkok, Thailand, later this week for the second time in a month to discuss humanitarian aid with Malaysian Prime Minister and ASEAN chair Anwar Ibrahim.

“We are sending our rescue team there, so we want to ensure safety,” he said, adding that he would appeal for the truce to continue beyond its April 22 expiration date.

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