Trump’s Aid Cuts Leave Myanmar Civilians Defenceless

[geovalin]

Sweeping foreign aid cuts under Donald Trump’s second term have triggered a humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, emboldening the military junta and crippling support for millions caught in the country’s civil war, rights groups warned this week.

 

According to a joint report by the Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust (HART) and Fortify Rights, the abrupt freeze on USAID funding—part of a broader $60 billion rollback—has stripped Myanmar of over $1 billion in projected aid by 2029. The cuts have led to the termination of thousands of development projects, leaving civilians exposed to violence, displacement, and starvation.

 

Sam Mason, CEO of HART, said the policy “weakened local mechanisms for oversight and justice,” giving the military “carte blanche to violate human rights.” Benedict Rogers of Fortify Rights added that the funding squeeze has “put thousands of lives in grave danger,” silencing pro-democracy voices and dismantling vital services in conflict zones like Shan State.

 

The report details harrowing abuses, including child soldier recruitment, sexual violence, and the collapse of refugee support along the Thai border. Aid workers say food rations have stopped, medical care has vanished, and families are resorting to begging and debt to survive.

 

Lord Alton of Liverpool condemned the cuts, stating, “The more we remove deterrents to violence, the more we embolden the perpetrators. It strengthens tyranny and intensifies suffering.”

 

With 3.5 million people displaced and the junta accused of war crimes, rights groups are urging the international community to intervene. As Myanmar’s fragile democracy crumbles, the cost of silence grows ever more deadly.

 

-2025-08-15