Humanitarian needs in Myanmar grow as fighting continues

As the fighting continues in Myanmar, the humanitarian needs increased as the country became unstable after the February 1, 2021 coup by Tatmadaw (Myanmar's armed forces).

UN chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Stephane Dujarric on Friday (local time) said that there are 889,900 displaced people, including 370,000 already displaced before the military takeover a little more than one year ago, reported Xinhua.

"Humanitarian needs are growing. But access to people in need remains limited, hampering the planned scale-up of humanitarian assistance in 2022," Dujarric said.

"Clashes, road blockages and military checkpoints limit our access to areas where needs are critical," he added.

The demand for support to people in need exceeds the capacity to respond. However, the United Nations and partners are continuing to provide food, water, warm clothes, blankets, and mosquito nets, as well as hygiene kits and COVID-19 prevention items.

The United Nations and partners also provide protection services to displaced people and communities in conflict areas across the country.

UN spokesmen urged all parties to respect international humanitarian law to protect civilians and ensure people in need have access to humanitarian aid, reported Xinhua.

"The United Nations' 2022 humanitarian response plan for Myanmar, which seeks 826 million U.S. dollars, is only 6 per cent funded," Dujarric said.

"We urge donors to give generously in solidarity with the people of Myanmar," he added.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Watch on Friday called upon the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to act against the Myanmar military's human rights abuses by imposing economic sanctions and preventing the flow of weapons.

"The Human Rights Council resolution should call for all UN member states to prevent the flow of weapons into Myanmar and impose stronger, targeted economic sanctions against individuals implicated in abuses and military interests. The resolution should also urge the UN Security Council to refer Myanmar to the International Criminal Court," the HRW said in a statement.