The devastating earthquake in Myanmar has claimed the lives of 3,354 people, with 4,850 others injured and 220 still missing, according to the latest report from state media on Saturday. Despite the widespread destruction, the U.N. aid chief, Tom Fletcher, praised the courageous efforts of humanitarian and community groups who have taken the lead in the relief response.
Myanmar’s military leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, returned to the capital, Naypyitaw, after attending a regional summit in Bangkok with leaders from South and Southeast Asia. While there, he met with various heads of state, including the leaders of Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and India. During his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Min Aung Hlaing reaffirmed the junta’s commitment to holding “free and fair” elections in December, as reported by Myanmar state media.
However, critics have dismissed the planned elections as a mere façade, aimed at maintaining military control through proxy candidates. Prime Minister Modi also called for a permanent ceasefire in Myanmar’s ongoing civil war, stressing that any elections must be “inclusive and credible.”
Since the military coup that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, Myanmar’s military regime has struggled to govern effectively, leaving the country’s economy and essential services, including healthcare, in a state of collapse. The situation was further worsened by the earthquake on March 28, which has left over 3 million people displaced and exacerbated food insecurity, with more than a third of the population in need of humanitarian assistance, according to the U.N.
The U.N. aid chief, Tom Fletcher, visited Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city and near the earthquake’s epicenter, where he commended local humanitarian and community groups for their exceptional efforts in the relief operations. He shared on social media that many of these volunteers had lost everything in the quake but continued to provide aid to survivors with “courage, skill, and determination.”
However, the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has raised concerns about the junta’s restrictions on aid delivery to areas where communities oppose its rule. The U.N. is currently investigating reports of 53 attacks by the military, including airstrikes, targeting opposition forces, with 16 of these incidents occurring after a ceasefire was declared on Wednesday.
The ongoing crisis in Myanmar presents immense challenges to both the country’s military regime and the international community, as the search for peace and stability continues amid severe humanitarian needs.
