Myanmar’s military junta has been accused of blocking the delivery of international humanitarian aid to regions devastated by a recent powerful earthquake that are under the control of the opposition National Unity Government (NUG).
The NUG alleges that the military regime is exploiting aid distribution for political and military advantage.
The magnitude-7.7 earthquake that struck central Myanmar on March 28 inflicted severe damage across regions administered by both the military junta and the NUG, as well as contested areas. According to figures released by the regime, the current death toll stands at more than 3,600.
Numerous international donors, including the United Nations, China, India, the United States, the European Union, and Australia, have pledged substantial aid amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars. However, NUG officials claim that the junta is intentionally blocking this crucial assistance from reaching opposition-controlled and conflict-stricken areas.
“The junta is employing various tactics to obstruct humanitarian aid from reaching liberated areas,” stated Kyaw Zaw, spokesperson for the NUG President’s Office. “Relief supplies directed to Naypyitaw and Mandalay were merely used for public relations purposes and did not reach those in dire need.”
The military regime, which has lost control over significant portions of the country since seizing power more than four years ago, has a history of restricting access to areas not under its direct control.
Aid blocked in Sagaing Region
The earthquake caused extensive destruction in towns such as Singu, Thabeikkyin, and Madaya in Mandalay Region, as well as Wetlet and Shwebo in Sagaing Region—all areas under NUG or contested control. Despite Sagaing being among the regions hardest hit by the disaster, aid workers report significant obstruction in the delivery of relief supplies.
Furthermore, the junta has reportedly attempted to rebrand the disaster as the “Mandalay earthquake,” despite the epicentre being located in Sagaing Region, where resistance to the regime has been especially strong since the 2021 coup.
“The junta harbours a grudge against Sagaing and has imposed numerous restrictions,” stated Nay Phone Latt, spokesperson for the NUG Prime Minister’s Office. “Relief supplies sent by the UN were delivered exclusively to junta-controlled areas, and some funds were directly transferred to the regime.”
He further noted that during Cyclone Nargis in 2008, military officials under the previous regime were found to have engaged in the black-market sale of aid, raising concerns about the transparency of current aid distribution.
In Sagaing city, one of the most severely impacted locations, local residents report that approximately three-quarters of the town was destroyed, and around 700 people lost their lives. Rescue operations were allegedly delayed for three days due to restrictions imposed by the military.
Junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing did not visit the city until nearly a week after the disaster. Meanwhile, aid workers claim that essential supplies were being confiscated at military checkpoints, particularly in areas suspected of being under opposition control.
“They are confiscating supplies en route to Monywa and at exit points in Mingun,” stated Soe Moe Aung, founder of the S&C humanitarian group, which operates in Mandalay, Sagaing, Shwebo, and surrounding areas. “The military is forcing us to store aid in their warehouses and distribute it under their supervision.”
Paing Paing, a volunteer with the Sagaing Township Survival Aid Group, said that certain parts of Sagaing are completely sealed off, with residents and aid workers prohibited from entering.
“We suspect the damage is even more severe in these restricted zones, but inspections and the threat of arrest have deterred any attempts to reach them,” he said.
In Daing village, the collapse of a monastery resulted in the deaths of six individuals, including four children. Additional casualties were reported in other villages along the Ayeyarwady River due to landslides and the collapse of buildings.
On the Mandalay side of the river, at least 30 people were reportedly killed in resistance-controlled areas such as Singu and Thabeikkyin, primarily due to a mining collapse.
“We are not receiving any relief aid—we are simply being targeted by junta airstrikes,” stated a resident of Mandalay Region’s Madaya Township, some part of which has been under the control of NUG troops since the middle of last year.
Ceasefires
The NUG declared a two-week ceasefire in earthquake-affected areas commencing on March 30 and extended assistance to all regions, including those under junta control. The junta subsequently announced a 20-day ceasefire on April 2, but NUG officials allege continued airstrikes in the most devastated regions.
“We implore the international community to ensure that aid reaches the people—not the terrorist military for their political or military gain,” urged Kyaw Zaw. “We are witnessing a repetition of past injustices.”
Michael Dunford, country director for the World Food Programme (WFP) in Myanmar, told Myanmar Now that the agency maintains a policy of non-discrimination in its relief efforts and has established long-term partnerships with local organisations operating in affected areas.
Asked if the WFP has been blocked from accessing areas controlled by the NUG in Sagaing, he said, “We are actively engaging with all relevant stakeholders to ensure access and are leveraging our local network to reach areas that are difficult to access.”
The WFP reports that it has reached over 120,000 people in Sagaing and Mandalay regions, Shan State, and the Naypyitaw Union Territory, providing both food and cash assistance. Initial responses included the distribution of fortified biscuits, with operations now transitioning to the provision of rice, pulses, and other essential food items.
Over 950 metric tons of aid have been dispatched from Yangon.
Nevertheless, significant challenges persist. Disruptions in communication and transportation infrastructure, particularly in remote regions, continue to impede relief efforts. The WFP has appealed for $40 million in urgent funding to reach up to 850,000 individuals in need.
