The regime’s spokesman, Zaw Min Tun, said in an audio statement that foreign media would not be allowed to report on the earthquake from inside the country. At the same time, the junta also imposed restrictions on local media.
Even before the earthquake, Myanmar was facing a severe humanitarian crisis, with nearly 20 million people in need of assistance due to ongoing conflicts and displacement.
The appeal aims to address the escalating needs of the refugee population, which includes approximately one million Rohingya living in overcrowded camps in Bangladesh.
The number killed in violence last year was the highest since the military coup in 2021. Over 1,800 civilians were killed in 2024, many in indiscriminate airstrikes and artillery shelling, with attacks on schools, places of worship and healthcare facilities having become routine.
While safeguarding investments aligns with Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative objectives, overreach risks fuelling resentment and triggering regional pushback.
The UN appeal comes at a moment when humanitarian funding is already stretched by multiple crises. While CERF has provided rapid support, broader donor commitments remain insufficient relative to the scale of projected need.
South Asia’s lead crisis is not inevitable. Experience elsewhere demonstrates that decisive regulation, industrial formalisation and community-level interventions can sharply reduce exposure.
The UN appeal comes at a moment when humanitarian funding is already stretched by multiple crises. While CERF has provided rapid support, broader donor commitments remain insufficient relative to the scale of projected need.