Despite recent announcements of temporary ceasefires by Myanmar’s military junta and a coalition of rebel groups to facilitate earthquake relief, violence persists across the nation. Reports indicate that, as of Friday, the military has conducted at least 14 attacks since the declaration of the ceasefire.
The military has accused two of the rebel factions involved in the ceasefire agreement of launching their own attacks. In response, one of these groups stated that hostilities erupted due to “offensives” initiated by the military. Maj Gen Zaw Min Tun, the spokesperson for the military council, emphasized that “we will respond if military bases are attacked without reason.” However, an army representative did not respond to a request for comments from BBC Burmese.
Humanitarian efforts challenged by ongoing violence
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has called for “a halt to all military operations” and stressed the importance of prioritizing assistance for those affected by the earthquake, alongside ensuring unobstructed access for humanitarian organizations. This plea follows a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck on March 28.
The country has been embroiled in a civil war since the junta’s power seizure in a coup in 2021, facing fierce resistance from ethnic militias and other opposition forces. Following the earthquake, the military council announced a 20-day ceasefire on April 2, shortly after the rebel coalition had made a similar declaration.
The official death toll from the earthquake has reached 3,564, with state media reporting an additional 5,012 injured and 210 individuals still unaccounted for. In Mandalay, rescue teams are continuing the grim task of recovering bodies from the rubble of collapsed structures, as reported over the weekend.
Challenges in relief efforts amid ongoing needs
Efforts to provide relief are further complicated by recent rainfall, which aid organizations warn could hinder their operations. The UN Human Rights office noted that while humanitarian initiatives have made progress in areas with granted access, “longstanding limitations imposed by the military on humanitarian operations and access” have left many severely affected regions inaccessible, save for what local residents can organize themselves.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher shared a video from Mandalay on Saturday, highlighting the urgent needs of the population: “They need food. They need water. They need the power back on. They’re telling me that they need shelter.”
Compounding the crisis, aftershocks continue to be felt, with a 4.9 magnitude tremor recorded over the weekend. Fletcher remarked that people are “living with that trauma.” Before the earthquake struck, nearly 20 million individuals were already in need within the community, indicating a dire situation exacerbated by the natural disaster.