Title: UN Condemns Military Attacks Amid Earthquake Relief Efforts in Myanmar
As Myanmar reels from a devastating earthquake, the country’s military has been accused of continuing assaults that hinder critical humanitarian aid efforts. Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office, criticized the military’s actions during a press briefing in Geneva, stating, “At a moment when the sole focus should be on ensuring humanitarian aid gets to disaster zones, the military is instead launching attacks.”
According to Shamdasani, more than 120 military strikes have been reported since the earthquake struck on March 28—over half of them occurring after a ceasefire was supposed to begin on April 2. Many of these alleged attacks occurred in areas hit by the earthquake and involved air and artillery assaults.
“Numerous strikes have been reported in populated areas, with many appearing to amount to indiscriminate attacks,” she said. These actions, she added, likely violate international humanitarian law, particularly the principle of proportionality.
Background: A Country in Crisis
Prior to the earthquake, Myanmar was already in the throes of political turmoil, economic instability, and a widespread human rights crisis. The military’s 2021 coup ousted the democratically elected government, plunging the nation into ongoing civil conflict between military forces and opposition militias.
Aid Access and Amnesty Appeal
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk is urging Myanmar’s military to lift all obstacles preventing the delivery of life-saving aid and to halt military operations immediately.
In quake-affected regions like Sagaing—many of which are held by anti-military groups—local communities have been forced to conduct their own search and rescue missions and provide for basic needs.
“With the traditional Thingyan festival and new year approaching, we urge unified efforts to support those most affected,” Shamdasani said.
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) also called on the military to grant full amnesty to all political prisoners jailed since the February 2021 coup. This includes prominent figures such as State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint.
Health Risks Escalate
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has expressed deep concern over the potential outbreak of infectious diseases in the aftermath of the quake. Prior to the disaster, Myanmar was already experiencing outbreaks of diseases like measles, malaria, dengue, and cholera.
Eric Ribaira, UNICEF’s Chief of Health in Myanmar, described the situation as “a perfect storm for the emergence of infectious disease outbreaks,” particularly in overcrowded temporary shelters with poor hygiene and contaminated water supplies.
He highlighted the increased vulnerability of children and pregnant women, noting that respiratory illnesses from dust and debris are an added threat.
UNICEF has distributed clean delivery kits to around 700 pregnant and lactating women so far. It also sent out medical kits capable of serving roughly 250,000 people for the next three months. “The needs are huge,” Ribaira emphasized. “We must do everything we can to prevent outbreaks and provide urgent medical care.”
UN Scales Up Response
In response to the escalating humanitarian crisis, the United Nations and its humanitarian partners have launched a $275 million funding appeal to assist 1.1 million people in Myanmar. The earthquake has added an estimated two million people to the existing pool of nearly 20 million already in need of assistance.
The aid effort includes emergency shelter, clean water, food, hygiene kits, and medical aid. To bolster these efforts, the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has released an additional $5 million, bringing its total allocation for the earthquake response to $10 million.
As the country marks the start of a new year amid chaos and loss, the international community continues to call for an end to violence and unrestricted access for humanitarian aid to support Myanmar’s most vulnerable.
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