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Myanmar crisis deepens five years after coup, as military ballot entrenches repression

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The people of Myanmar continue to suffer amid “widespread violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law,” as the cycle of impunity persists, the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement, on Friday, marking the anniversary.

“The suffering of the people of Myanmar has deepened,” Farhan Haq, the UN Deputy Spokesperson, said, pointing to escalating military airstrikes hitting civilians, acute food insecurity and nearly 5.2 million people displaced, both inside the country and across borders.

The Secretary-General, he added, remains “deeply concerned by the rapidly deteriorating situation” and its serious regional repercussions, including rising transnational crime, economic volatility and soaring humanitarian needs.

Elections deepen divisions

The grim anniversary has coincided with the conclusion of three-phased elections imposed by the military, which UN officials say have further polarised society and intensified violence instead of providing a credible political pathway.

They warned that the military-controlled ballot has compounded the crisis rather than offering a route back to civilian rule.

The process “failed to respect the fundamental human rights” of Myanmar’s citizens and “served only to exacerbate violence and societal polarisation,” Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said.

The vote was held in only 263 of 330 townships, largely confined to urban areas under military control. Large swathes of conflict-affected regions were excluded, along with displaced populations and minorities, including the Rohingya.

The main opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), which won the 2020 elections in a landslide, was barred from participating. Dozens of other parties opposed to military rule were also banned, and many of their leaders remain detained.

Violence and coercion during voting

The voting period between December 2025 and January 2026 was reportedly marked by intense violence. Open sources documented 408 military air attacks, which killed at least 170 civilians during the election period alone.

On 22 January, a military airstrike on a populated area in Bhamo Township, Kachin State, reportedly killed up to 50 civilians, with no reported presence of combatants.

To suppress dissent, the military arrested 324 men and 80 women under a unilaterally adopted election protection law, including for minor online activity. In one case, a 49-year prison sentence was imposed for posting anti-election material.

Mounting humanitarian and economic toll

The political repression is unfolding alongside a rapidly worsening humanitarian and economic crisis.

Nearly one quarter of Myanmar’s population now faces high levels of acute food insecurity, while more than one third are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. Humanitarian access has been repeatedly obstructed, including in Rakhine State, where desperately needed aid for starving communities has been blocked.

Myanmar’s economy has lost nearly $100 billion since the coup, with the gross domestic product (GDP) not expected to recover to pre-pandemic levels for years.

“The military’s usurpation of power has also been accompanied by disastrous mismanagement of the country’s economy,” Mr. Türk said.

An IDP camp in Kayah (Karenni) state, eastern Myanmar / © UNOCHA/Siegfried Modola

At the same time, accountability mechanisms warn that serious international crimes against civilians continue unabated.

Nicholas Koumjian, head of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, said there is evidence that civilians across the country have endured atrocities amounting to crimes against humanity and war crimes since the military takeover.

“The military has carried out air strikes, indiscriminately or deliberately attacking civilians in their homes, hospitals, and schools,” he said, adding that many detainees have been subjected to brutal torture.

The Mechanism is also investigating a growing number of allegations of atrocities committed by opposition armed groups.

Rohingya seek justice at world court

Amid the bleak outlook, an independent human rights expert pointed to a rare moment of accountability as Rohingya survivors testified before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the genocide case brought by the Gambia against Myanmar.

Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews praised the survivors’ courage, saying their testimony allows “the light of truth to shine through the darkness of the most horrific of crimes.”

He stressed that justice is not abstract, but “built on the courage of individuals who are willing to speak truth to power.”

Mr. Andrews has been appointed by the Geneva-based Human Rights Council to independently monitor and report on the situation in Myanmar. He is not a UN staff and does not draw a salary from the Secretariat.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague hears arguments concerning the case brought by the Gambia against Myanmar / UN Photo/ICJ/Frank van Beek

The Secretary-General reiterated that a viable path back to civilian rule must be founded on an immediate cessation of violence, a genuine commitment to inclusive dialogue and the swift release of all arbitrarily detained leaders, including President Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.

“Regional and international unity and sustained engagement are needed,” the statement said, “to support a Myanmar-led solution that fully addresses the root causes of conflict, ensures accountability and responds to immediate humanitarian and development needs.”

The Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar, Julie Bishop, continues to engage with all stakeholders, in close cooperation with ASEAN and regional partners, in the search for common ground toward a durable resolution and sustainable peace.

 

World News in Brief: Iran in the Human Rights Council, Myanmar election ‘fraud’, migration chief in Cyprus, Mozambique flood update

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Addressing the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Mr. Türk said that although the “killing on the streets of Iran may have subsided…the brutality continues”.

He said that violent repression did not solve any of Iran’s problems but instead created conditions for further violations, instability and bloodshed.

“We have indications that the security forces made mass arrests in several cities, even pursuing injured people into hospitals, and detaining lawyers, human rights defenders, activists, and ordinary civilians,” he told diplomats.

Prosecutions ongoing

“The Tehran Prosecutor’s Office has reportedly opened criminal cases against athletes, actors, people involved in the movie industry, and the owners of cafes, on charges of supporting the protests,” Mr. Türk continued. 

Protests erupted across Iran on 28 December in response to the collapse of the national currency, soaring inflation and worsening living conditions.

Also speaking at the Council, former international prosecutor Payam Akhavan described how one protester pretended to be dead in a body-bag for three days until his parents found him. 

The civil society representative said that parents looking for their relatives usually started at hospitals, where “many of the wounded (protesters) have been abducted and killed”. 

Others have been forced to sign confessions which blame imaginary “terrorists” for the murder of their children, Mr. Akhavan maintained.

He cited a medical report circulating among Iranian doctors that 16,500 people had been killed during the demonstrations. “The number increases by the day, because the killings haven’t stopped,” he said.

Rejection of Myanmar military’s ‘fraudulent’ election must be unequivocal: UN independent expert

The international community must unequivocally reject as illegitimate the election results in Myanmar and any power arrangement that follows, said Tom Andrews, the Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar on Friday.

The UN-appointed independent expert described the elections, which began in late December and are expected to be concluded this weekend, as ‘fraudulent’, urging countries not to accept the results. 

“The junta is banking on the world’s fatigue, hoping that the international community will accept military rule dressed up in civilian clothing,” he said. “Governments must not allow that to happen.”

‘Fear and coercion’

The junta’s election scheme was marked by violence, low turnout and widespread coercion, said Mr. Andrews.

Voters reported being monitored and pressured by local authorities, with threats explicit or implied. Junta officials were pushing citizens to polling stations even as military jets bombed villages throughout the country.

Mr. Andrews added that the junta banned credible opposition parties, jailed popular political figures and muzzled the press, “crushing fundamental freedoms, and using fear and coercion to drive a reluctant electorate to the polls.”

UN migration chief backs EU presidency efforts on migration

This week, the UN migration agency (IOM) Chief Amy Pope concluded a visit to Cyprus after a round of high-level talks, which focused on advancing a comprehensive migration and asylum agenda. 

“Cyprus knows what it means to be on the frontline – and that experience really matters right now,” said Ms Pope. “As the European Union (EU) moves from agreement to action, this is the moment to make sure policies really work – for migrants, for communities, and countries.

This trip marks the IOM Chief’s first visit to Cyprus in her current role, as Cyprus assumes the EU Council Presidency and the EU begins implementing the landmark Migration and Asylum Pact.

Humane returns 

With persistent instability Afghanistan, Syria, Sudan and the Sahel, Ms Pope reaffirmed IOM’s support and engagement with the EU to ensure refugee returns are humane and dignified. 

During her visit, she underscored the urgent need to address conditions along key migration routes, with IOM emphasising efforts to curb irregular migration, disrupt smuggling networks, meet humanitarian needs, and save lives.

Ms Pope also called for stronger migration data systems and evidence-based policymaking.

Nearly 600,000 people upended by Mozambique floods

Nearly 600,000 people have been affected by severe flooding across southern and central Mozambique. Weeks of heavy and sustained rainfall have caused homes to collapse and roads to wash away, displacing more than 73,000 people, according to figures from the IOM. 

Flooding has been reported in 10 of Mozambique’s 11 provinces, with Gaza Province “hosting significant concentrations of displaced people”. Humanitarian response partners expect reported figures to rise as access to affected communities improves.

IOM teams there have described acute shortages of shelter, constraints on food and basic services, overcrowded centres, and limited access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene – increasing the risk of waterborne diseases spreading.

Preliminary reports from the International Red Cross (IFRC) indicated between 50 and 60 deaths, a figure likely to rise as waters levels recede. 

Response ahead of cyclone season 

Following a Government request for international support on 16 January including air assets for search and rescue efforts, the IOM plans to appeal for up to $20 million to reinforce life-saving assistance and strengthen water, sanitation and hygiene. 

With this being only the start of the cyclone season and dams at near capacity, representatives from the IFRC have underscored the need for investment in early warning systems, climate‑resilient infrastructure, and locally led preparedness. 

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Myanmar begins defence in landmark genocide case at UN World Court

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Addressing judges in The Hague, Ko Ko Hlaing, speaking as Myanmar’s agent, said his country fully recognizes the importance of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide but firmly denies breaching its obligations under international law.

“A finding of genocide would place an indelible stain on my country and its people,” he said, describing the proceedings as “of fundamental importance for my country’s reputation and future.”

Mr. Hlaing accused the applicant of relying on what he called rudimentary and partisan, including reports by a fact-finding mission, “which are neither reliable nor objective, and were a condemnation without trial of Myanmar.”

 

UN Photo/ICJ-CIJ/ Frank van Beek

Ko Ko Hlaing, Agent of Myanmar, addresses judges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.

Myanmar acted against terrorists

Myanmar also rejected claims that its military’s so-called “clearance operations” in northern Rakhine state in 2016 and 2017 were genocidal in intent, maintaining they were counter-terrorism operations launched in response to attacks by the armed groups.

“Obviously, Myanmar was not obliged to remain idle and allow terrorists to have free rein of northern Rakhine state,” Mr. Hlaing told the Court, while acknowledging that civilians were killed and large numbers of people fled to Bangladesh as a result of the clashes.

He further disputed allegations that Myanmar denies the existence or rights of the Muslim population in northern Rakhine state, arguing that questions of citizenship, terminology and identity “have nothing to do with genocide.”

Myanmar said it has complied with all procedural orders of the Court, including provisional measures issued in January 2020, and has submitted regular reports on steps taken.

It also reiterated its stated commitment to the repatriation of displaced people from Bangladesh, citing bilateral agreements and delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters.

The case before the ICJ

The case stems from an application filed by Gambia in November 2019, accusing Myanmar of violating the Genocide Convention through acts allegedly committed during military operations in Rakhine state.

Those operations escalated in 2017, forcing more than 700,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh amid widespread killings, sexual violence and village burnings, according to UN investigations. Nearly one million Rohingya remain refugees in Bangladesh.

The hearings, which will continue through late January, mark the first time the Court is examining the merits of the case. The Court’s final judgment, which could take months after the hearings conclude, will be legally binding.

 

World News in Brief: Typhoon generation, disability rights in Myanmar, new refugee-led climate fund

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After slamming into the island nation on 9 November with winds of around 185 kilometres per hour (or 115 miles per hour) leaving at least six dead, Super Typhoon Fung-wong hit homes, schools and access to health services across 16 regions, UNICEF reported on Thursday.

The archipelago has already been exhausted by multiple climate-related and geophysical shocks this year. Just days ago, more than 200 people died in the Typhoon Kalmaegi disaster.

From one crisis to another

“Children and their families are barely climbing out of one crisis before another strikes, pushing them back to zero,” said UNICEF Philippines Representative Kyungsun Kim.

The agency is carrying out joint assessments with the authorities and partners to determine the highest needs.

In addition to providing life-saving support, UNICEF prioritises child-centred climate policies, climate-resilient social services and mobilising climate financing to safeguard communities from natural shocks.

UN launches first refugee-led green fund to restore land and cut carbon

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has launched the Refugee Environmental Protection Fund, the first major refugee-led initiative using carbon finance to tackle deforestation, promote clean energy and create green jobs.

The new fund will start projects in Uganda and Rwanda, aiming over the next decade to restore more than 100,000 hectares of land and bring clean energy access to 1 million people.

Seeded in Uganda and Rwanda

In Uganda’s Bidibidi and Kyangwali settlements, activities will include reforestation, seedling production and the rollout of cleaner cooking technologies, expected to cut over 200,000 tonnes of CO₂ each year and create thousands of jobs for refugees and host communities.

In Rwanda’s Kigeme camp, the project will rehabilitate degraded hillsides, promote safer cooking for 15,000 people and support sustainable livelihoods through nursery management and soil conservation.

Revenues from verified carbon credits will be reinvested in local environmental projects, ensuring communities share the benefits.

“Refugees often live on the front lines of extreme weather,” said Siddhartha Sinha, UNHCR’s Head of Innovative Financing. “This fund helps them protect the land they depend on.”

Expansion is already being explored in Brazil and Bangladesh, linking environmental recovery with long-term community resilience.

Daily fight for survival for people with disabilities in Myanmar

Soldiers loyal to Myanmar’s military junta have reportedly executed, tortured and sexually assaulted persons with disabilities, trapping many in a daily fight for survival, according to a new report issued by the independent UN human rights expert for Myanmar.

Since seizing power in 2021, Myanmar’s military has ruled by force, violently targeting opposition, protests, ethnic minorities, and especially persons with disabilities, said Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews on Thursday.

Burned alive

“Dozens of persons with disabilities have been burned alive in their own homes as junta forces carried out campaigns of mass arson throughout the country,” he added.

Deep-rooted religious and cultural beliefs continue to perpetuate the isolation and disenfranchisement of people with disabilities in Myanmar, leaving them trapped in a vicious cycle of repression and discrimination, underscored the report.

“The widespread belief that impairments result from misdeeds in a past life not only fuels discrimination but is also internalised by persons with disabilities, leading many to withdraw from community life out of shame and an erosion of personal dignity”, said Mr. Andrews. 

Nevertheless, a remarkable network of organisations, many led by persons with disabilities, continue to work against all odds to provide essential services and defend the rights of persons with disabilities.

“As a distracted world fixes its attention on other crises and conflicts, the situation of persons with disabilities in Myanmar has truly become a hidden crisis within a forgotten humanitarian catastrophe,” said the independent expert.

“It is critical that the world pay attention.”

Independent experts and Special Rapporteurs are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to report on specific human rights issues. They serve in a personal capacity and are not UN staff. 

‘Wars, disasters, displacement, hunger’ continue to burden Myanmar

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Four years after the military coup which deposed the democratically elected government, Myanmar’s civil conflict grinds on, leaving millions displaced and without a home.

“The suffering of millions of people across Myanmar is immense,” said UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi. “With aerial bombardments, destruction of property, and forced recruitment, they live in daily fear for their lives.”

He added that “civilian men, women and children must be protected from violence, and solutions found so that they can choose to return home in safety and dignity.”

Many crises in need of response

A brutal civil war is not all Myanmar has to face.

In March, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit the country affecting multiple regions including the capital, Nay Pyi Taw. The UN relief chief Tom Fletcher said then on X that the humanitarian response “has been hampered by lack of funding.”

Mr. Grandi, who visited the affected communities earlier this year, urged wider humanitarian access and discussed solutions for the forcibly displaced.

“Millions of people forcibly displaced within the country and as refugees throughout the region, want nothing more than to be able to return home. They demand – and are entitled to – the safety and security that comes with peace.” Mr. Grandi said.

Homes destroyed

Thousands of people also had their homes destroyed after floods swept through many regions in July.

“Wars, disasters, displacement, hunger: the forgotten plight of so many people in Myanmar, like the Rohingya, never ends,” Mr. Grandi said in a post on X.

In the last year and a half, 150,000 Rohingya, a mainly Muslim minority in the majority Buddhist country, have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh. This marks the largest exodus to the country since 2017, when 750,000 Rohingya sought refuge from the violence in Rakhine state.

A call for solutions

UNHCR works with other UN agencies, NGO partners and communities in Myanmar to address the basic needs, physical safety and well-being of forcibly displaced and stateless people.

But many communities still suffer from lack of access to vital aid. This year’s UN response plan for Myanmar is currently only funded at 22 per cent.

Later this month in New York, Mr. Grandi will attend a high-level conference on the Rohingya and other minorities in Myanmar, calling for greater regional and international efforts to address the crisis.

“All parties – with the support of the international community – must engage seriously to find solutions to their plight. This is particularly needed for the Rohingya, who have not only been attacked and displaced, but deprived of their basic rights for far too long,” the UNHCR chief said.

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Thailand grants work rights to long-term refugees from Myanmar, UN welcomes resolution

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Some 81,000 forcibly displaced people are hosted in temporary shelters along the Thai-Myanmar border where they have been living in the camps for decades.

Nearly half the refugee population were born under canvas, where displaced families have largely depended on humanitarian assistance.

Over a million Rohingya, a mostly-Muslim minority from Myanmar, have fled conflict and persecution in multiple waves of displacement.

Monday marked eight years since the mass exodus of Rohingya from Myanmar’s Rakhine state in Myanmar and the UN on Monday called for greater international solidarity over their plight.

‘Turning point’

UNHCR’s Representative in Thailand, Tammi Sharpe, described the Government’s decision as a major “turning point.”

She said it would not only help refugees support themselves but also benefit local economies and strengthen Thailand’s long-term growth.

“By unlocking the potential of these individuals, Thailand is not only upholding humanitarian principles but also making a strategic investment in its own future,” Ms. Sharpe said.

Although the new resolution covers a limited number, the UN agency said it would continue to advocate for wider refugee inclusion – offering support to the Thai Government in rolling out the new policy.

Aid cuts

The move comes at a time when aid budgets for displaced people worldwide are facing severe cuts.

For the UN agency, Thailand’s move could set a regional precedent for sustainable, rights-based refugee policies – and serve as a model for countries facing similar challenges, UNHCR said.

According to agency, $25.4 million is needed in 2025 to ensure operations covered by the Thailand-based international office is sustained – which also oversees operations in Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Viet Nam.

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World News in Brief: Gaza humanitarian update, more killings in Sudan, ending impunity in Myanmar

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Multiple strikes overnight into Friday were reported in the Jabalya Al Balad and An Nazla neighbourhoods, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in its latest update.

As a result, around 900 people reportedly fled towards the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood and western Gaza City.

Safe passage, more aid

The UN and partners again reminded parties to the conflict of their obligation to protect civilians, in line with international law, including humanitarian workers and people who cannot or choose not to move. 

“Those fleeing must be allowed to do so safely. They must also be allowed to return if they wish to do so, as the situation allows,” OCHA said.

The agency underscored the need to ensure that people have access to aid and basic services, whether they leave or stay.

Supplies also must be allowed to enter the Gaza Strip through all available crossings and corridors, and humanitarians must have safe, predictable and sustained access to deliver aid at scale.

Hospitals under strain

Meanwhile, as strikes continue to intensify across the enclave, casualties are flooding hospital emergency departments.  

Humanitarians warned that the expansion of military operations would further cripple the collapsing healthcare system. 

Nearly half of all hospitals and field hospitals are located in Gaza City, accounting for some 40 per cent of bed capacity in the entire enclave.  Additionally, many medical facilities in the south are operating several times over their bedspace capacity.

Humanitarians stressed that access to healthcare must be immediately restored to avert more preventable deaths. 

Sudan: UN rights office horrified by recent killings in El Fasher 

Recent brutal attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan have left at least 89 people dead in North Darfur state, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Friday

The RSF have been battling the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) for control of the country for more than two years.

OHCHR said RSF attacks on the besieged North Darfur capital El Fasher and the adjoining Abu Shouk camp for displaced people resulted in the killing of at least 89 civilians, though the actual number could be higher.

The attacks took place over a 10-day period ending on 20 August.

Apparent summary executions 

At least 32 civilians were killed in attacks between 16 and 20 August, while at least 57 were killed in previous attacks on 11 August.

OHCHR was particularly horrified that 16 of the most recent killings appear to have been summary executions, Spokesman Jeremy Laurence told journalists in Geneva.

“Most of the victims were killed in Abu Shouk camp and belonged to the African Zaghawa tribe, according to information gathered by our Office,” he said.

“In another case in the El Fasher area, a victim was asked which tribe he belonged to. He was killed after responding that he was from the African Berti tribe.” 

Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in El Fasher has reached a critical stage after more than a year of siege, and there is growing risk of famine in the city and other areas of North Darfur.

OHCHR was appalled by two separate attacks on UN humanitarian convoys in North Darfur this month and in June, saying such attacks only worsen the human rights situation for civilians.

© UNICEF/Ilvy Njiokiktjien

Ending impunity for violence critical for Rohingya in Myanmar

The UN human rights office has also called for ending impunity in the violence against the Rohingya people in Myanmar and ensuring their rights to security, citizenship and equality.

It said the Rohingya – a mostly Muslim minority community in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar – continue to suffer, eight years after a deadly crackdown by the military.

More than 700,000 fled to Bangladesh in the wake of the assault which began on 25 August 2017, joining others who had escaped earlier waves of attacks. 

Break the cycle

OHCHR said that ending impunity and ensuring the Rohingya’s rights to security, citizenship and equality, are essential for breaking the cycle of violence.

The Rohingya mainly live in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, and the office noted that the human rights and humanitarian situation there have sharply deteriorated since November 2023, further deepening the already life-threatening conditions they face.

OHCHR urged the international community to step up support for the Rohingya by increasing humanitarian funding to secure access to basic needs, essential services, and to ensure accountability. 

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In Myanmar, conflict and floods collide as UN warns of deepening crisis

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Farhan Haq, UN Deputy Spokesperson, stressed the need for unimpeded relief operations and a peaceful path out of crisis.

“The UN remains concerned by ongoing violence in Myanmar, including aerial bombardment hitting civilians and civilian infrastructure,” he said, at the regular press briefing in New York.

“Civilians and humanitarian workers must be protected.”

His remarks come as monsoon rains and flooding – worsened by Cyclone Wipha – swept through parts of the country, further straining regions already destabilized by conflict and a devastating earthquake in March.

Millions forced to flee

The crisis left more than 3.3 million people internally displaced, with another 182,000 seeking refuge abroad since the military coup in February 2021, according to the latest UN figures. In addition, over 1.2 million – mostly members of the minority Muslim Rohingya community – were forced to flee the country, driven by waves of violence.

The largest exodus took place in August 2017, when nearly one million Rohingya fled brutal violence and attacks by security forces, likened to a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing” by then UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein.

Disasters and fighting has forced millions across Myanmar to flee their homes in search of safety. Many shelter in IDP camps like this one in central Myanmar.

Floods, landslides upend lives

In the flood-affected areas of Bago, Kayin and Mon states, more than 85,000 people have been affected, with homes destroyed, roads cut off and emergency services overstretched.

Relief partners report significant shortages of food, safe drinking water and medical supplies. In Taungoo district (Bago) alone, three flood-related deaths have been confirmed, while six more people reportedly died in a landslide in Shan state.

The pathway out of the deteriorating situation in Myanmar requires an end to the violence 
– UN spokesperson Farhan Haq

“The pathway out of the deteriorating situation in Myanmar requires an end to the violence and unimpeded access for relief workers and supplies,” Mr. Haq stressed, noting that health systems are also under acute strain.

Disease outbreaks rising

A humanitarian bulletin from the World Health Organization (WHO)-led Health Cluster warns that floodwaters are driving spikes in acute watery diarrhoea, dengue and malaria.

There are deep concerns over outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases like measles, and polio is increasing due to low immunization rates and poor hygiene conditions in overcrowded camps.

WHO has verified 27 attacks on healthcare facilities so far this year, with other monitoring groups reporting over 140 additional incidents.

Meanwhile, severe funding shortages – exacerbated by cuts in United States funding – have forced the suspension of services at 65 health facilities and 38 mobile clinics across Myanmar. Services at a further 28 mobile clinics have been scaled down.

Hakha, the capital of Chin state in Myanmar.

Elections under military cannot be credible

The political context remains grim. Since the February 2021 military coup, which overthrew the elected government and imprisoned top leaders including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar has seen a steady escalation of armed conflict and repression.

The junta’s plans to hold elections have drawn deep concern, including from the UN.

“The Secretary-General reiterates his concern over the military’s plan to hold elections amid ongoing conflict and human rights violations, and without conditions that would permit the people of Myanmar to freely and peacefully exercise their political rights,” said Mr. Haq.

He recalled Security Council Resolution 2669, adopted in 2022, which called for the immediate release of all arbitrarily detained prisoners, including President Win Myint and Aung San Suu Kyi; upholding democratic institutions and processes; and pursuing in constructive dialogue and reconciliation in accordance with the will and interests of the people of Myanmar.

Commitment to stay and deliver

Despite the volatility and access constraints, UN agencies remain committed to reaching affected populations.

As of July, nearly 306,000 people had received health services in 59 earthquake-hit townships – just 67 per cent of the target population, reflecting the limited funding and security challenges faced by aid workers.

“The United Nations is committed to staying and delivering in Myanmar,” Mr. Haq affirmed, “and to working with all stakeholders, including ASEAN and other regional actors, to attain sustainable peace.”

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World News in Brief: Haiti funding cuts bite, civilian suffering intensifies in Myanmar, Belarus deaths in custody alert

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Ongoing violence is compounding the country’s food crisis, disrupting local food production in critical areas such as the commune of Kenscoff and the Artibonite department, often considered the breadbaskets of Haiti.

While the UN and its partners are responding “wherever and whenever possible,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said this Wednesday that humanitarians have only been able to reach 38 per cent of the population they aim to support.

Multiple roadblocks

“This is due to ongoing violence and insecurity, severe underfunding of the response, and the obvious access challenges,” he said.

Over halfway through the year, Haiti is the least-funded of the many humanitarian appeals that the UN coordinates – despite shortfalls for food security in the country being at extreme levels – with just over two per cent of the $425 million needed this year received to date.

Myanmar: Intensifying conflict impedes humanitarian aid

Almost four months after Myanmar’s devastating earthquake, the UN is deeply concerned over the plight of civilians caught up in the country’s devastating and continuing conflict between the military regime and opposition armed groups.

As fighting intensifies, civilians are particularly vulnerable, with increasing attacks on infrastructure.

According to reports, an air strike hit a monastery in Sagan Township in Sagaing Region on 11 July, killing 22 people and injuring at least 50 others. The monastery had been providing shelter to displaced people who had fled nearby villages.

A displacement camp in North Shan State was also reportedly hit by an airstrike over the weekend.

‘Broader pattern’

“These incidents are part of a broader pattern of attacks affecting people across Myanmar,” said Mr. Dujarric, with frequent reports of people being killed, injured or displaced by violence.

Such insecurity also impacts the ability of humanitarian teams to reach people in need: with one in three people now facing acute hunger, and the current monsoon season having caused flooding, “the UN urgently calls on all parties to respect human rights and international humanitarian law,” he said.

Belarus: Rights experts urge probe into deaths in custody of opposition activists

Top independent human rights experts called on Belarus on Wednesday to launch urgent investigations into the deaths of several people jailed for political dissent.

The experts – who are known as Special Rapporteurs – highlighted the case of 61-year-old businessman Valiantsin Shtermer. He died in May 2025 while serving his sentence in a so-called “Correctional Colony” in Šklou.

Mr. Shtermer had been jailed for making critical remarks about Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Despite his serious medical condition, he was allegedly denied adequate care in prison.

Fifty-year-old opposition activist Vitold Ashurak meanwhile, also died shortly after being placed in an isolation in the same prison.

According to the Special Rapporteurs, Mr. Ashurak was a member of the Belarusian National Front who was jailed for violating public order during protests related to the disputed 2020 presidential elections.

We must not ignore these deaths

“These deaths must not be ignored,” said the experts, who added that there were strong grounds to believe that they resulted from abuse or neglect linked to the exercise of fundamental rights.

“It is of the utmost importance to thoroughly investigate the alleged instances of ill-treatment and neglect that resulted in the deaths of Shtermer, Ashurak, Puškin and other persons designated as political prisoners by human rights defenders,” the Human Rights Council appointed experts underscored.

“There are strong reasons to believe that these individuals lost their lives in retaliation for exercising their civil and political rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.”

The independent experts voiced concern that some opposition figures had been stigmatised and labelled as “extremists” or even “terrorists”.

Special Rapporteurs report regularly to the Human Rights Council. They are not UN staff and do not receive payment for their work.

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150,000 Rohingya flee to Bangladesh amid renewed Myanmar violence

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As armed clashes intensify and conditions worsen inside Myanmar, thousands continue to cross the border seeking safety in the overcrowded camps of Cox’s Bazar, where nearly one million Rohingya refugees already live in densely populated camps.

“This is the largest movement of Rohingya refugees into Bangladesh since 2017,” said Babar Baloch, spokesperson for the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, briefing journalists in Geneva on Friday.  

He clarified that unlike the mass influx in 2017, when some 750,000 Rohingya fled deadly violence in Rakhine state, this uptick in refugees has unfolded more gradually.

Advocating for asylum

UNHCR is working closely with local authorities to respond to urgent humanitarian needs.  

“As the conflict in Myanmar continues unabated, we are advocating with the Bangladeshi authorities to provide managed access to safety and asylum for civilians fleeing the conflict,” he said.

Bangladesh has long provided refuge to the Rohingya, a mostly Muslim minority community in Myanmar, which is mainly Buddhist. 

The country currently hosts nearly one million people in the refugee camps and the recent arrivals – many of them women and children – are placing further strain on resources. Many are relying heavily on local solidarity and sharing limited resources with those already living in the camps.

Appeal for support

By the end of June, nearly 121,000 newly arrived refugees had been biometrically registered, although many more are believed to be residing informally in the camps. Access to adequate shelter remains a major concern as facilities struggle to absorb the new population.

“These new arrivals join another nearly one million Rohingya refugees crammed into just 24 square kilometres,” said Mr. Baloch. “More humanitarian support is urgently required.”

Aid partners have been able to provide basic services including food, medical care, education, and essential relief items. However, the response is now under serious threat due to a lack of funding.

UNHCR warned that the 2024 humanitarian appeal for $255 million is only 35 per cent funded. Without immediate financial support, the entire operation could face systemic collapse.

Action needed now

Unless additional funds are secured, health services will be severely disrupted by September and essential cooking fuel — liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) – will run out by December. Food assistance will stop and education for some 230,000 Rohingya children, including 63,000 new arrivals, is in danger of being discontinued.

Despite a strictly controlled and officially closed border, the Government of Bangladesh has allowed new arrivals to access emergency services in the camps. The UN agency expressed deep appreciation for this humanitarian gesture under highly challenging conditions.

“We don’t have the resources to take care of the new arrivals and also those who were there before them,” said Mr. Baloch. “Everything will be impacted.”

As displacement from Rakhine state continues, UNHCR and its partners are urging the international community to act swiftly. Without immediate and sustained support, the already fragile humanitarian response in Cox’s Bazar could begin to unravel  – with devastating consequences for more than one million people who rely on it for survival. 

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Myanmar human rights crisis deepens as aid collapses, attacks intensify

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In a stark briefing to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk described a country gripped by war, repression and deepening suffering.

Since the military coup in February 2021, nearly 6,800 civilians have been killed and over 22,000 remain arbitrarily detained, he said. Humanitarian needs have soared, with nearly 22 million people in need of assistance and more than 3.5 million displaced by conflict.

“The report I am presenting today is about the people of Myanmar and their aspirations for a better future,” Mr. Türk said.

“Despite massive challenges, people from across society are striving to build a peaceful, sustainable, democratic and diverse Myanmar, grounded in human rights.”

A crisis worsened

However, conditions on the ground have only worsened.

Following a 28 March earthquake that killed nearly 4,000 people and left six million in urgent need, the military intensified attacks instead of facilitating relief, Mr. Türk said.

The UN human rights office, OHCHR, documented more than 600 military strikes since the quake – 94 per cent of them occurring during supposed ceasefires – with schools, religious sites and other protected locations frequently targeted.

Situation in Rakhine

The situation in Rakhine state remains particularly dire, with civilians – the minority Muslim Rohingya in particular – caught between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group. In addition, the military’s ongoing obstruction of humanitarian access has worsened an already acute crisis.

Throughout the country, economic collapse and the breakdown of public institutions have compounded the suffering.

Nearly four in five people now live below or just above the poverty line and an estimated 1.3 million have fled the country – many undertaking perilous journeys by land and sea. So far in 2025, nearly one in five people attempting sea crossings in the region have been reported dead or missing.

End violence, ensure accountability

The High Commissioner’s report outlined four key pathways to lay the groundwork for a transition toward a peaceful and democratic Myanmar: justice and accountability, democratic governance; economic reform to serve the people, and sustained international engagement.

Mr. Türk stressed that accountability must begin with the release of all political prisoners and prosecution of those responsible for grave human rights violations.

“It is imperative for the military to immediately end the violence, allow unhindered humanitarian access and release all arbitrarily detained people,” he said.

“Amid the turmoil, planning for a future with human rights front and centre offers people a sense of hope. We owe it to the people of Myanmar to make that hope a reality.”

Millions have lost their homes and livelihoods due to the earthquakes that struck Myanmar in late March.

Independent expert’s alarm

Tom Andrews, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation in Myanmar, echoed the High Commissioner’s warnings, raising alarm over a collapse in international humanitarian support and the military’s repression.

“The junta has chosen to use aid as a weapon,” he told the Council.

“I have spoken with humanitarian workers physically blocked at checkpoints and received reports of earthquake survivors evicted from shelters with no place to go.”

Mr. Andrews, who has been appointed and mandated by the Human Rights Council and is not a UN staff member – also warned that drastic cuts in international funding have already had severe consequences.

As of 27 June, the $1.14 billion comprehensive humanitarian response plan for the country is only 12 percent funded and the $275 million addendum for the earthquake response is about 37 per cent.

At a time when the people of Myanmar need an enhanced level of support from the international community, they are getting the opposite, Mr. Andrews said, warning that the cost in human lives and human suffering will soon very likely get “significantly worse.”

“This dangerous trend begs the question – do human rights matter?” he asked.

“Because if human rights matter, if saving the lives of children in Myanmar matters, why are so many governments reluctant to invest even a modest amount of resources to save lives?”

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‘Still reeling’: Myanmar quakes worsen humanitarian crisis in fractured country

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The 28 March quake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale, struck central regions with deadly force, killing some 3,800 people and injuring over 5,000, according to UN estimates.

The disaster devastated infrastructure and homes across Mandalay, Sagaing and Magway, displacing tens of thousands more in a country already grappling with over 3.2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) since the 2021 military coup.

“Communities are still reeling from the earthquakes – the strongest the country has experienced in a century,” said Jorge Moreira da Silva, Executive Director of the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), speaking to journalists at the UN Headquarters in New York via video from Beijing after a three-day visit to Myanmar.

“The devastation caused by the quakes compounded the existing challenges of conflict, displacement and severe humanitarian needs.”

Needs outpace resources

UNOPS, which maintains the largest UN presence in Myanmar with nearly 500 staff, mobilized $25 million within weeks of the disaster and has reached half a million people with lifesaving support.

“My colleagues worked swiftly with partners to deliver emergency shelters, clean water, and deploy infrastructure specialists for rapid assessments,” Mr. da Silva said.

However, he warned that far greater international support is needed to meet the scale of needs.

The World Bank estimates total damages at nearly $11 billion, with full reconstruction expected to cost two to three times more. Over 2.5 million tonnes of debris must also be cleared to enable recovery.

Mr. da Silva emphasized that reconstruction must be people-centred, inclusive, and linked to peacebuilding efforts.

“We echo calls from across the UN for an end to violence,” he said. “Recovery and reconstruction should support Myanmar’s journey to peace and reconciliation. Protection of civilians must be a priority.”

Women and girls face disproportionate risks

The humanitarian fallout has hit women and girls particularly hard – many of whom were among those killed or injured – and now face growing protection risks.

According to the UN reproductive health agency, UNFPA, more than 4.6 million women of reproductive age – including over 220,000 currently pregnant – are at heightened risk.

Damage to health facilities, worsened by monsoon flooding and insecurity, has disrupted access to emergency obstetric care and menstrual hygiene. Gender-based violence meanwhile, is rising sharply in overcrowded, poorly lit shelters.

UNOPS Executive Director Jorge Moreira da Silva meets with a woman and her newborn child at a health clinic.

Health system under pressure

The risk of waterborne diseases such as cholera and vector-borne illnesses like dengue and malaria is also rising.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) while no major outbreaks had been reported as of 31 May, cases of acute watery diarrhoea and skin infections are ticking up.

Monsoon rains have worsened conditions in temporary shelters, where overcrowding and poor sanitation raise serious health concerns. Mental health remains fragile, with 67 per cent of respondents in a recent survey reporting emotional distress linked to the quake and ongoing conflict.

WHO and its partners have delivered more than 300,000 vaccine doses – including tetanus and rabies – but access remains limited, and health services underfunded.

Protracted crisis

More than 3.25 million people remain displaced within Myanmar since the military coup of February 2021, with at least another 176,000 seeking refuge in neighbouring countries, according to refugee agency, UNHCR.

This excludes the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees from earlier waves of violence.

Myanmar also remains one of the world’s deadliest countries for landmines and explosive remnants of war.

In the first nine months of 2024 alone, 889 casualties were reported – raising fears the toll could surpass the record 1,052 deaths and injuries documented in 2023.

Myanmar on the ‘path to self-destruction’ if violence does not end

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Since then, “there has been no end to the violence, even though thousands have been killed and thousands more injured,” said UN Special Envoy to Myanmar, Julie Bishop, on Tuesday, briefing the General Assembly.

“I have stressed consistently that without a ceasefire, a de-escalation of violence and a focus on the needs of the people, there can be no inclusive lasting peace,” she said.

Call for ceasefire

Having spoken with survivors among the rubble of homes, hospitals and schools, Ms. Bishop said they “wanted the fighting to end so they could live in peace,” as armed clashes continue to obstruct the aid and reconstruction effort.

Although some parties to the conflict have announced ceasefires, “they have largely not been observed,” she said.

Reiterating her call for an end to hostilities she said civilian protection “must be the priority and inclusive and sustainable peace a shared goal.”

Without and end to the violence she said Myanmar would continue on “the path to self-destruction.”

Contested elections

Ms. Bishop warned that unless there is an end to the violence and an inclusive and transparent electoral process, all that could result from any election – which the junta is planning to contest – would be “greater resistance and instability.”

“It is inconceivable how an election could be inclusive,” she said, with so many political leaders still being held by the regime.

Ms Bishop also reiterated the UN’s call for the release of all arbitrary prisoners, including democratically elected leaders Win Myint and Aung San Suu Kyi.

Rohingya’s plight

With up to 80 per cent living in poverty, the situation of the mostly Muslim Rohingya minority in both Myanmar and Bangladesh remains dire.

Caught in the crossfire between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army, Rohingya civilians in their historic homeland of Rakhine State are being subjected to forced recruitment and other abuse.

As aid dwindles, Rohingyas living in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar face real consequences, including cuts to food rations and education.  

“A viable future for Myanmar must ensure safety, accountability, and opportunity for all its communities, including Rohingya, and must address the root causes of conflict, discrimination and disenfranchisement in all its forms,” said Ms. Bishop. 

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UN warns of ‘catastrophic’ human rights crisis in Myanmar as violence and economic collapse deepen

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Published ahead of the Human Rights Council’s upcoming session, the report highlighted the worsening situation since the military coup in 2021, which derailed Myanmar’s democratic transition and ignited widespread armed resistance.

In the years since, military forces have targeted civilian populations with airstrikes, artillery bombardments and other forms of violence, while anti-military armed groups have gained ground, particularly in Rakhine state.

“The country has endured an increasingly catastrophic human rights crisis marked by unabated violence and atrocities that have affected every single aspect of life,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.

Grim toll

The report documents a grim toll: military operations killed more civilians in 2024 than in any previous year since the coup.

In Rakhine, the Arakan Army seized control of most of the state, displacing tens of thousands, while Rohingya civilians were caught between warring factions, facing killings, torture, arbitrary arrests and widespread destruction of villages.

Some Rohingya armed groups have also been drawn into the conflict, according to reports.

Economic crisis deepening

The escalating violence has had a cascading effect on Myanmar’s economy, worsening already dire humanitarian conditions.

Myanmar’s economy has lost an estimated $93.9 billion since the coup, with the gross domestic product (GDP) not expected to recover to pre-pandemic levels before 2028.

Inflation has surged, the kyat has lost 40 per cent of its value, and over half the population now lives below the poverty line, facing food insecurity and soaring prices.

The March earthquakes further exacerbated the crisis, leaving thousands more displaced, homeless and without basic services.

Military control of revenue

Meanwhile, the military continues to control key revenue sources, including the central bank and state-owned enterprises, particularly in the extractive sector.

While targeted international sanctions slowed some revenue streams, the junta has maintained its financial lifelines through forced currency conversion, import restrictions, and a crackdown on informal money transfers.

Myanmar has also become the world’s largest producer of opium and synthetic drugs, with transnational criminal networks thriving under military rule.

Multifaceted approach needed

The report urged a multifaceted response to the crisis, including urgent humanitarian support, cross-border aid for displaced populations and increased political engagement with Myanmar’s democratic forces and emerging governance structures.

It also emphasised the need for accountability through international justice mechanisms, including a referral of the situation to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The report also identified key “constituents for change” in the country’s future – women, youth, ethnic minorities, civil society and pro-democracy actors – and highlighted the work of communities who have established local institutions and forms of governance, often with increased participation from women.

Buildings lie in ruins in Mandalay region, central Myanmar, following the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck in March.

Hopes for a peaceful future

The report underscored the importance of planning for the day-after, ensuring human rights are central to a future Myanmar – from rebuilding systems to restoring fundamental freedoms.

“There are strong, resourceful and principled individuals and groups rallying and creating the conditions for an inclusive and democratic future,” High Commissioner Türk said. “They are a shining example of hope for a peaceful future.”

The report will be formally presented to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on 1 July.

‘She cries in her sleep’: Deeper crisis looms beneath devastation from Myanmar quake

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“I hate earthquakes. Earthquakes took my mother and my aunt away,” five-year-old Khin Yadanar told the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), after both her mother and aunt were killed when a brick wall collapsed on them.

Around 6.5 million children were already in need of humanitarian assistance before the earthquake, which compounded existing vulnerabilities resulting from the brutal civil war between multiple armed opposition groups and the military junta which seized power in a February 2021 coup.

Families now face a further threat from flooding and landslides with the arrival of the monsoon season.

Midwives are lifelines

As health services collapsed after the earthquake, “women, especially pregnant mothers, were severely impacted,” said Yu Yu, a midwife in Mandalay, speaking to the UN’s reproductive health agency, UNFPA.

Amidst the chaos, midwives have emerged as frontline heroes. Undeterred by aftershocks and confronting both physical obstacles and emotional challenges, midwives provided hope and life-saving support.

Yu Yu notably recalls the case of one of her patients who suddenly became stranded, unable to reach any medical facilities as she went into labour following the quake.

Without hesitation, Yu Yu rushed to her side: “When I reached her, she was exhausted, overwhelmed by fear and financial insecurity following the earthquake,” she recalled.

On that day, Yu Yu saved both mother and child, as the baby’s umbilical cord had wrapped itself around the infant’s neck.

UNFPA has deployed mobile clinics to ensure that women and girls continue to receive essential healthcare and protection services.

A 10-year-old boy with his parrot on his shoulder at a temporary camp set up in the aftermath of devastating earthquake that struck Myanmar.

Deep trauma

“She cries in her sleep, and I worry something inside her has broken,” said Thida, mother of eight-year-old Thiri, speaking to UNICEF.

Beneath the visible devastation of the earthquake lies a deeper crisis: the profound psychological trauma that young survivors carry.

“I was so scared. My heart was beating so fast – and all I could think about was my parrots and cats at home,” said Thurein Oo, a ten-year-old boy who was praying at a mosque when the tremor struck.

Across earthquake-affected areas, parents are witnessing similar signs of distress in their children – sudden anxiety, emotional withdrawal, and sleepless nights, say UN aid workers.

In response to this growing mental health crisis, UNICEF and its partners have mobilised to provide critical psychological support to affected communities.

Setting up child-friendly spaces, UNICEF aims to promote psychosocial wellbeing, build resilience, and restore a sense of normalcy to children’s routines. Through various activities such as drawing, children learn to cope with their trauma.

“I coloured a picture of my mother,” said Khin, who lost her mother in the quake. “I feel better when I draw.”

Although the physical rebuilding of homes and infrastructure will likely take years, the emotional and psychological toll the earthquake has had on children cannot be left untreated.

“I like coming here,” said Thurein, referring to one of these spaces. “I feel safe, and I made a new friend who also lost his home,” he added.

Earthquake survivors survey the ruins of their homes in Pyinmana, Myanmar following the earthquake there.

Proactive planning

While earthquakes are among the deadliest natural hazards, it is the collapse of buildings that causes the most devastating effects. As such, proactive disaster risk reduction – such as making structures earthquake-resistant – is essential to reducing deaths and economic losses.

Focusing on risk-sensitive urban development, UN-Habitat and the UN office for disaster risk reduction (UNDRR) are also working across Myanmar to mitigate the risks future earthquakes could pose.

While little can be done to prevent natural hazards such as earthquakes from occurring, much can be done to mitigate their effects.

As rebuilding efforts are underway, the UN is dedicated to “ensuring that each step we take makes the rebuilt areas stronger and more resilient than before,” said Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat.

Myanmar crisis deepens as military attacks persist and needs grow

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The 28 March quakes killed over 3,800 people and damaged or destroyed more than 55,000 homes across multiple regions, including Bago, Kayin, Magway, Mandalay, Southern Shan, Naypyitaw and Sagaing.

Families already displaced by years of conflict now face early torrential rains, extreme heat and rising risk of disease. Nearly 20 million people – more than a third of the population – needed assistance even before the earthquakes.

Unremitting violence

Despite the scale of the disaster, High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned on Friday that the Myanmar military has launched at least 243 attacks – including 171 airstrikes – since the massive tremors.

Most of the attacks occurred after 2 April, despite both the military and the opposition National Unity Government (NUG) announcing unilateral ceasefires which were largely unobserved.

“It is imperative that the military immediately stop all attacks on civilians and civilian objects,” he said in his statement, calling for a genuine and permanent nationwide halt to hostilities and a return to civilian rule.

He underscored the need to put the people of Myanmar first, prioritise their rights, and achieve a peaceful resolution.

“Instead of further futile investment in military force, the focus must be on the restoration of democracy and the rule of law in Myanmar,” Mr. Türk said.

Delays putting lives at risk

UN humanitarians in the country also warn that the situation remains dire.

Speaking to journalists in New York via video link from Yangon, Humanitarian Coordinator ad interim Marcoluigi Corsi said that one month on, people are still living in the open and facing increasingly difficult conditions.

“The suffering is immense and the stakes are very high,” he said on Thursday, urging the international community to translate funding pledges into rapid, large-scale support.

“Every delay means more lives at risk and more communities in Myanmar struggling to rebuild.”

Lack of funding imperils response

Agencies have reached 600,000 people with water, sanitation and hygiene services. They have also provided nearly 500,000 people with food assistance and over 100,000 with emergency shelter.

But the response remains constrained by severe underfunding.

Mr. Corsi called on donors to urgently disburse their pledged amounts. Without timely action, the crisis would get worse, he warned.

“Lives depend on our collective commitment to delivering the support that is desperately needed…the time to act is now,” he said.

The $275 million addendum to the 2025 humanitarian response plan has received just $34 million – or about 12 per cent – leaving affected communities without assistance.

Disease outbreak risk

According to the UN World Health Organization (WHO) over 450,000 people require critical health services, but only about 33,600 have been reached so far.  

Disease outbreaks are also a growing concern as nine of the 20 townships most at risk for cholera fall within earthquake-affected areas. Stagnant water from delayed rubble removal is creating mosquito breeding grounds, driving up the risk of malaria and dengue.  

Limited access to medicines and medical supplies are further straining already overstretched health facilities.

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First Person: Myanmar aid workers brave conflict and harsh conditions to bring aid to earthquake victims

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Thein Zaw Win, Communications and Advocacy Analyst in the Yangon Office of the UN sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA) saw the devastating consequences of the quake during a week-long visit to the Mandalay region, one of the regions most severely affected by the disaster.

Thein Zaw Win, Communications and Advocacy Analy​st at UNFPA’s Yangon Office, speaks with​ a woman impacted by the recent earthquake in Mandalay, Myanmar.

“I was in Yangon when the earthquake struck. In the aftermath, news reports gradually began indicating that many cities had suffered significant casualties. Buildings, roads, homes, schools, and hospitals were reduced to rubble and people were trapped beneath the debris.

Communication systems were down, so I decided to travel to the affected areas and support the relief efforts.

Women and girls needed lifesaving support, including sexual and reproductive health services and maternal care, dignity kits, hygiene items, and other essential supplies as soon as possible.

Within 72 hours, the UNFPA country office had deployed a Rapid Response Team to deliver essential services to the affected population, working with partners on the ground.

The journey from Yangon to Mandalay usually takes about eight hours, but we struggled to get through, due to damaged roads and collapsed bridges. We had to find alternate routes and, at times, even navigate through the rugged fields beside the main road.

Now that the rainy season has started, the roads are even worse, and travelling has become increasingly difficult. It took us more than 10 hours to reach Mandalay.

A woman affected by earthquake receives relief items including UNFPA’s dignity kits during UN joint distribution in Sagaing, Myanmar.

In some areas of the city, debris blocked the roads. Tower blocks had collapsed and many areas had been reduced to complete rubble. Desperate families sought refuge in temporary shelters, on the streets, or in front of their damaged homes.

Tremors continued for several days. Frequent power outages during the night mean that some affected areas were plunged into darkness, making it unsafe to go anywhere. Reaching those affected and delivering aid under these conditions remains a considerable challenge.

My responsibility is to engage with communities affected by the disaster, and share their stories to a broader audience. It is also vital to raise awareness of the realities and needs on the ground so that we can secure support for emergency assistance. This is my mission.

I met a woman in Mandalay who visited our mobile clinic. She had lived in the city all her life but had never seen such devastation. Everything collapsed in a matter of seconds. She was deeply worried about the damage to healthcare facilities, as well as her ability to access medical care.

© UNOCHA/Myaa Aung Thein Kyaw

A woman in Mandalay, Myanmar, looks on at the devastation caused by the earthquake.

Amidst this crisis, the UNFPA team has provided services ranging from hygiene supplies, protection from gender-based violence, and mental health support for women and girls. They also support maternal and newborn care services. I saw for myself the unwavering resilience of humanitarian workers, and the way that UN agencies, civil society organizations, and NGOs work together.

Myanmar was already suffering from political instability and now it has been further devastated by this destructive earthquake. It is extremely difficult to deliver aid to communities in Sagaing and Mandalay, where armed conflict is ongoing.

In the present context, with monsoon conditions imminent, people are terrified of what this season may bring.

The country is also experiencing the impact of the decline in global aid funding.

UNFPA, like other UN agencies and humanitarian organizations, is dealing with constraints on resources, and we have issued an appeal for emergency assistance to support populations in critical need.

The suffering of women and children affected by the earthquake is profoundly distressing, and we need all of our strength and resilience to help them.

It is a heartbreaking experience to witness the despair in people’s eyes and to listen to their stories of loss, but we are trying to give them the dignity and hope they rightfully deserve in these difficult times.”

Myanmar quake: Ongoing aftershocks spread fear

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Aid agencies warned on Tuesday that more than 6.3 million people remain in urgent need of support in the worst-affected central areas around Mandalay.

“People [are] forced to sleep outside, safe water is scarce, health services are disrupted,” said UN aid coordination office, OCHA, in an appeal for more support from the international community.

The latest aftershock struck late on Sunday night and measured 4.4 on the Richter scale, said UN partner the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

“This is provoking widespread fear within a population already traumatised and also fear within the responders themselves,” said Nadia Khoury, IFRC Head of Delegation in Myanmar, speaking from Yangon.

Millions impacted

While the attention of the international community has faded, dispossessed families still need help rebuilding their lives, said OCHA’s Christina Powell.

“The emergency for most is far from over – it is another crisis on top of the challenges already facing the people of Myanmar,” said Ms. Powell. “People told me they are too afraid to go back into their homes, worried they could collapse at any moment with the ongoing aftershocks.”

In badly affected areas including Mandalay and Bago in the south of the country, some communities already suffered unprecedented floods last September. The earthquakes brought another wave of devastation.

Assessments indicate that the quakes damaged or destroyed 55,000 homes in the Central Asian nation, where civil war has raged since a military coup in February 2021.

In Mandalay, OCHA reported that locals have continued to deliver food and household items to people still living on the roadside or in community shelters. But needs are widespread and include shelter, food, personal hygiene kits and even toilets, said OCHA’s Tin Aung Thein.

“These people are already vulnerable depending solely on their daily wages. For their recovery, international support is greatly needed.”

Over the last month, IFRC has provided life-sustaining support – including safe drinking water, healthcare, tarpaulins for tents and items for women and children – to more than 110,000 people.

The aid organization has also delivered 250 metric tons of aid and helped distribute over 220,000 litres of safe drinking water to Myanmar every day. Its $121 million appeal is only 15 per cent funded.  

Right to live in dignity

Ms. Powell of OCHA urged the international community to step up and support the population’s right to “live in safety and dignity”.

“Additional and quick disbursement of resources and sustained access to all communities are vital to ensure that the situation does not deteriorate even further,” Ms. Powell insisted. 

Directorate of Revenue Intelligence seizes gold valued at Rs 11.65 crore being smuggled through North-East Borders, 4 held

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11 cases of gold seizures of 121 kg in September 2022by DRI in the North East Corridor.

The recent gold seizures in the North East by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) indicate a spurt in smuggling of gold through NE borders of Bangladesh and Myanmar. While the porous borders have been used for smuggling in the past, 11 cases of gold seizures of 121 kg in September 2022alone show that the NE corridor is still extensively being used by smugglers deploying ingenious ways of concealment.

Acting on specific intelligence and in three coordinated interceptions at Patna, Delhi and Mumbai, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized65.46 kg of foreign origin gold worth Rs 33.40 crore. The gold was consigned from Aizwal to Mumbai in domestic courier consignment. The gold was concealed in gunny bags declared as clothes.

                                                 Pictures exhibiting concealment of foreign origin gold in vehicles

In yet another case of smuggling through the same route, the DRI seized another big haul of smuggled foreign origin gold weighing approximately 23.23 kg and valued at Rs.11.65 crore (approx.) which was being smuggled from Myanmar.Specific intelligence indicated that substantial quantity of foreign origin gold will be attempted to be smuggled from Champhai-Aizawl, Mizoram to Kolkata, West Bengal by carrying/concealing them in vehicle. To interdict the contraband, coordinated action was undertaken on 28th – 29th September 2022.The DRI officers mounted surveillance on the highway connecting Siliguri – Guwahati. Four passengers travelling in 2 suspect vehicles were identified and intercepted. After thorough rummaging of the two vehicles over a period of 2 days, 23.23 Kg gold concealed in the vehicle body in the form of 21 cylindrical pieces, was recovered. The gold in this case was cast in order to fit in the specifically made cavity inside the cross-member metal pipe connecting the right and left rails of chassis behind the rear wheels and suspension in both the vehicles. The recovered gold had been smuggled into India from Myanmar through Zokhawthar border in Mizoram. Four persons have been arrested in the instant case so far.

In another 9 cases in the month, DRI recovered and seized 27 kg smuggled gold form various carriers coming from North-Eastern part of the country to the rest of the country. These series of detections have helped unearth novel modus operandi of smuggling foreign origin gold into India from the North-Eastern part of the country.

Further investigation is in progress.

 

Directorate of Revenue Intelligence foils attempts of gold smuggling, seizes 65.46 kg of gold at Mumbai, Patna, Delhi

Scientists fix GPS device to pelican’s wings in Karnataka’s Mandya district

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Mandya (Karnataka), Sep 12 (IANS) Scientists on Monday successfully fitted a GPS device to a pelican bird in Kokkare Bellur in Karnataka’s Mandya district.

A team of scientists attached to the Dehradun Wildlife Institute carried out the experiment for the first time in the country, according to the local officials.

The experiment was carried out to study the abodes of pelicans, food habits and international routes that these migratory birds traverse.

Sources said that the GPS device was imported from Greece. The animal lovers and scientists have described the experiment as historical.

Spot-billed pelican birds

The GPS device will help ascertain the route, including countries the pelican’s travel through besides recording their activities. The scientists have also stated that they would be able to find out the origin place of the bird through this experiment.

Pelican birds travel across India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. The GPS device will get charged automatically through sun rays. The device is designed to send all the information regarding various travelling routes for a period of four years.

Attractive pelican birds arrive in Kokkare Bellur in October and disappear after two months. This breed of birds are found in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Myanmar.