New York: Growing conflict, insecurity, Covid-19, and a failed economy, has given around three million Burmese who need humanitarian assistance that save lives in Myanmar, UN emergency assistance coordinator Martin Griffiths said on Monday.
“The humanitarian situation in Myanmar deteriorates”, said Martin Griffiths in a statement, adding that “without ending the violence and peaceful resolution of the Myanmar crisis, this number will only rise”.
Since the military takeover on February 1 expelled a democratically chosen government, hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to escape their homes because of the crackdown throughout the country.
At the same time, 223,000 Burma continued internally displaced, including 165,000 in the southeast of the country – adding those who had been moved on Rakhine, Chin, Shan and Kachin stated before the takeover.
“Long-term displacement remains unresolved, with 144,000 Rohingya still limited to campsites and arrangements such as camps in Rakhine, many since their displacement in 2012, and more than 105,000 people fled in Kachin and Shan, many years”, said the head of affairs humanity.
“I am also increasingly worried about reports of increasing levels of food insecurity in and around urban areas, including in Yangon and Mandalay.” In recent weeks, Griffith noted that the situation in Northwest has become “highly concerned”, with escalation of hostility between the Mianmar armed forces, Chinland defense forces in Chin State and community defense forces in the Magway area and Sagaing.
“More than 37,000 people, including women and children, have just been moved, and more than 160 houses have been burned, including the Church and the Office of Humanitarian Organization”, he detailed.
Underlining that attacks directed towards civilians and civil infrastructure, including workers and humanitarian facilities, “clearly prohibited under international humanitarian law”, he stressed that they had to “stop immediately”.
Humanitarian workers have reached more than 1.67 million people in Myanmar with the help of food, cash and nutrition this year alone and even though they are ready to do more, it is still prohibited from access and additional funds proved to be difficult to obtain.
“Access to many people with desperate needs throughout the country remains very limited because of the bureaucratic barriers placed by the armed forces”, Griffiths explained.
He asked Myanmar’s armed forces and all parties to “facilitate safe, fast and unrestricted humanitarian access” and in the international community to “fund response”.