OHCHR: Myanmar’s military restricting humanitarian aid for earthquake victims

The UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights also said it was investigating 53 reported attacks by the junta against its opponents since the earthquake struck on March 28, including air strikes, of which 16 came after a ceasefire on April 2.

It said that on Friday (04 Apr 2025), the office was made aware of eight more attacks that it was investigating. A spokesperson for Myanmar’s ruling junta did not respond to calls from Reuters seeking comment.

The humanitarian situation in earthquake areas, especially those out of the military’s control, was catastrophic, UN’s Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva.

“Limitations of aid is part of a strategy to prevent aid getting to the populations it sees as not supporting its seizure of power back in 2021,” said James Rodehaver, Head of OHCHR’s Myanmar team, speaking via video link from Bangkok.

The need for aid was particularly urgent in Myanmar’s Sagaing region, and time was working against humanitarian agencies to help those in need, he added.

Source: Arab News