The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has sounded the alarm, describing the situation in earthquake-hit Myanmar as one of “absolute devastation.” From Geneva, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights denounces that the Burmese army is “restricting humanitarian aid in numerous earthquake-affected areas,” also conducting raids. The death toll from the earthquake has now surpassed 3,100 victims. ChildFund’s concern for the safety of children is growing.
By: Giada Aquilino – Vatican News
Date of publication:
An “absolute devastation” coupled with equal “desperation.” United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres describes the situation in earthquake-ravaged Myanmar, where the tragic death toll has exceeded 3,100 victims, with thousands injured and many still trapped under rubble. Two men were rescued alive from collapsed buildings in Mandalay and Sagaing yesterday, after 125 hours since last Friday’s earthquake, while “almost twenty million people, one in three in the country, are in need of humanitarian assistance,” specifies Guterres. “Urgent action on multiple fronts is required,” he emphasizes, calling for an “end to the fighting” within the ongoing civil war between the army and ethnic militias. Meanwhile, from Geneva, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has raised concerns that the army is “restricting humanitarian aid in numerous earthquake-affected areas,” as stated by spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani, at a time when, despite the military junta in Naypyidaw announcing a ceasefire, the UN “has received reports that the army has conducted at least 53 attacks, including air and drone raids and artillery strikes in the devastated areas.”
The junta leader, Min Aung Hlaing, is currently meeting leaders of the Bay of Bengal countries in Bangkok – a Thailand also affected by the earthquake – who will send Foreign Ministers from Thailand and Malaysia to Myanmar tomorrow. Meanwhile, the global emergency response effort is expanding.
The international mobilization
The Quad security partnership countries – the United States, India, Japan, and Australia – urging further efforts for a ceasefire in Myanmar, have reaffirmed their commitment to humanitarian assistance. Already on the ground, according to a spokesperson from the U.S. State Department cited by CNN, a “small team” from the United States Agency for International Development (Usaid) is present, amid controversies over recent cuts to humanitarian aid.
The first international humanitarian flight, organized by Unicef and the European Union, has landed in Yangon, transporting 80 tons of emergency aid for children and families in the hardest-hit areas of the country.
ChildFund’s commitment
The earthquake’s impact has been devastating for millions of children who are often at greater risk in times of disaster,” explains Win May Htway, Country Director in Myanmar for ChildFund, a partner organization of the WeWorld network operating in the Southeast Asian country since 2012 with projects in child protection, youth development, and emergency response. The most urgent needs remain “food, water, shelter, and medical care,” especially as “reports indicate that medicine supplies are dwindling.” However, ChildFund’s representative warns that “as people cannot return to their homes, we are also concerned about the safety of children.” “Children who have been separated from their families or are sleeping on the streets or in temporary shelters can be very vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. We also know that the psychological impact will be enormous. Adequate psychosocial support focused on the youngest will be crucial to responding to the emergency. This is a long-term need for the affected communities,” emphasizes Win May Htway.
Nearly a week after the earthquake, “we are only now seeing the true extent of the disaster, and it is clear,” she adds, “that support from the international community is vital,” as “even before this latest catastrophe, over 30% of Myanmar’s population was in need of assistance.”
