Statement
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Appeal to local, international aid organisations, and donor countries in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar
January 12th, 2024 •
Author:
National Unity Government of Myanmar
•
4 minute read
Republic of the Union of Myanmar
The National Unity Government
Appeal to local, international aid organisations, and donor countries in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar
January 12, 2024
People across Myanmar have been actively resisting the unlawful military coup since February 1, 2021. To suppress the resistance, the Myanmar military council has committed numerous human rights violations, resulting in grave humanitarian crises. Ever since the coup started, the Myanmar military used excessive force against unarmed peaceful demonstrators and when the civilians resorted to armed resistance to defend themselves, Myanmar military escalated their ruthless attacks further. Myanmar military has engaged in extensive violence to weaken the revolution such as mass brutal killing of civilians, a destruction to cultural heritage sites, religious buildings, aerial bombardments of hospitals, schools, and public places and burning down villages throughout the country.
The terrorist Myanmar military council, that openly commits war crimes and crimes against humanity, weaponize the humanitarian aid for their political and military gains and hinders the delivery of aid to innocent civilians who are enduring the consequences of their brutal actions. Due to these oppressive actions of Myanmar military council, the number of internally displaced persons and those in need of humanitarian assistance is on the rise daily. As the number of territories under the control of the National Unity Government and allied ethnic revolutionary forces are increasing, local administration initiatives are being instituted in these areas. Myanmar military has amplified their targeted attacks towards the unarmed civilians and now more than 2.5 million people ae in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
There are now over 950,000 displaced persons in Sagaing, over 700,000 in Karen National Union (KNU) controlled areas, around 350,000 in Rakhine State and around 350,000 in Karenni State. Other states and regions also have several thousands of displaced persons. Both local and international humanitarian organisations are facing significant challenges in delivering essential aid such as food, medicine, and shelter to those in need, due to Myanmar military’s blockade and restricitions.
Despite the efforts of the National Unity Government and revolutionary forces to safeguard civilians during the defensive resistance war, Myanmar military council is perpetrating aerial attacks, causing destruction and loss of civilian lives. As a result of Myanmar military council’s arson attacks on civilian residences and villages, more than 90,000 private houses have been destroyed across the country, over 5,000 individuals have lost their lives, and about 4,000 suffered injuries due to Myanmar military’s aerial bombings, indiscriminate shelling, and extrajudicial killings.
The revolutionary forces, along with the people of Myanmar, strongly urge against any humanitarian assistance operations collaboration with Myanmar military council, which has systemically and intentionally committed atrocities against innocent civilians. Ensuring prompt assistance to those in need is crucial for the well-being of impacted communities. Therefore, in order to expedite the delivery of humanitarian aid to the displaced people, it is essential for local and international humanitarian organisations to coordinate with the National Unity Government and allied ethnic revolutionary forces, who have been seamlessly working to protect civilians, to facilitate the capacity building of local community-based organisations and civil society organisations, to implement the cross-border assistance delivery, to advocate neighbouring countries to allow such assistance, and to relax donors’ rigorous financial procedures, and to increase the humanitarian support budget for Myanmar.
Based on the consensus of the people of Myanmar and ethnic revolutionary forces, the National Unity Government urges the international community to cooperate in solving the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar by imposing economic sanctions on terrorist Myanmar military, by reviewing and stopping international organisations’ projects which favour the financial flow to the Myanmar military council, and by exerting political pressure to end the import of jet fuel in order to stop their devasting aerial bombings and heavy artillery attacks against unarmed civilians.
Progressive Voice is a participatory rights-based policy research and advocacy organization rooted in civil society, that maintains strong networks and relationships with grassroots organizations and community-based organizations throughout Myanmar. It acts as a bridge to the international community and international policymakers by amplifying voices from the ground, and advocating for a rights-based policy narrative.