Photo Myanmar Rescue Mandalay

 

As Myanmar reels from the devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck on Friday, concerns are mounting over whether international aid will reach those who need it most—or if it will be controlled and misused by the ruling military junta.

 

Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing, accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity, made a rare plea for foreign assistance after the disaster left more than 1,000 dead. Yet, even as international relief efforts began, the military continued its brutal campaign against resistance strongholds, bombing civilians in Sagaing and Shan State.

 

The regime has a history of mismanaging crises. After Cyclone Nargis in 2008, which killed over 100,000 people, the military obstructed aid and prioritised its grip on power. A similar pattern was seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the junta’s failures left countless dead. Now, with no proper disaster response plan in place, Myanmar’s people are left to fend for themselves once again.

 

While countries including the US, China, Russia, India, and Thailand have pledged aid, concerns persist over whether it will be fairly distributed. The military controls nearly all communication and transport networks, raising fears that assistance will be diverted to junta strongholds while opposition areas, like Sagaing, are left to suffer.

 

Myanmar’s local civil society groups and NGOs are best placed to help earthquake victims, but they need direct support. The international community must ensure aid reaches the people—not the military rulers responsible for their suffering.

 

-2025-03-31

how much of the aid thta will be donated will make it into the hands of those villages NOT under Junta control but under Rebel control.

I'll answer for ya

NOTHING