The Worsening Crisis in Burma

(FILE) A man looks at homes destroyed by airstrikes in a refugee camp in Laiza, Myanmar, on Oct. 10, 2023. The attack killed at least 29 people, including children. Resistance leaders have blamed the ruling junta for the strikes.

“Children in Myanmar are suffering from displacement, interrupted education, injury, food insecurity, and unexploded ordnances,” said Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield.

Three years into the crisis in Burma, or Myanmar, the humanitarian situation continues to rapidly deteriorate. According to the United Nations, over the past 12 months, the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance has risen from 17.6 million to 18.6 million, while the number of the internally displaced has increased by two thirds, from 1.8 to 3 million. And it’s the young, the children, who have been hit the hardest.

“Children in Myanmar are suffering from displacement, interrupted education, injury, food insecurity, and unexploded ordnances,” said Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. Permanent Representative at the UN.

“Myanmar’s children face the brunt of the violence and will have to live with the consequences of this conflict for decades to come. And so, we must prioritize the protection of children in our approach. We must prioritize the protection of children. And we must put our full support behind those that are leading the way towards a more peaceful and more democratic future for Myanmar, especially young leaders and pro-democracy groups."

Recently, the Burmese military government implemented a 2010 conscription law, which the regime is reportedly using to draft thousands of Rohingya men and boys. “This conscription takes advantage of a highly vulnerable community, and it will only foment fear, mistrust, and violence,” said Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield.

“We must all call on the military and all parties to the conflict to prioritize the protection of all civilians and to allow unhindered humanitarian access to populations in need, in line with their obligations under international humanitarian law.”

Finally, “We are watching with growing alarm the worsening situation in Rakhine between the regime’s military and the Arakha Army,” said Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield. “Just five months into 2024, the regime has conducted more airstrikes than in 2022 and 2023 combined.”

“Since the beginning of this year, Myanmar’s military regime has carried out nearly 1,000 air strikes across the country, averaging six strikes each day. … One out of five of the regime’s airstrikes targets Rakhine State, with a third hitting civilians. And in the midst of this fighting, Rohingya communities once again bear the brunt of the violence.”

“The United States supports an inclusive dialogue to return Myanmar to the path of representative democracy in line with Resolution 2669,” said Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield. “Only through a comprehensive approach and global action will we find a peaceful and just conclusion to this horrific conflict at long last.”

https://editorials.voa.gov/a/the-worsening-crisis-in-burma/7640867.html