UNOCHA honours aid workers in Myanmar on World Humanitarian Day

By Admin 19 Aug 2023

DMG Newsroom
19 August 2023, Sittwe

“On World Humanitarian Day, we want to honour the dedicated aid workers in Myanmar who courageously risk their lives daily to provide essential assistance to communities in need,” the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA Myanmar) said in a statement on August 19, celebrated annually as World Humanitarian Day.

No matter what, humanitarians stand strong to support people in times of crisis, UNOCHA Myanmar’s statement said.

“We proudly recognize the humanitarian workers in Myanmar who work tirelessly to reach communities affected by conflict and natural disasters despite enormous challenges and operating conditions,” the UNOCHA Myanmar statement added.

Myanmar’s military regime has restricted assistance to those affected by civil conflict and natural disasters, and has imposed restrictions on the access of international and civil society organisations.

“The military junta’s restrictions on humanitarian aid remain in place,” said a source close to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). “Local and international organisations providing humanitarian assistance to those in need are only allowed to visit the areas designated by the military junta. We hope the military regime allows us to provide relief items to those in need by relaxing travel restrictions.”

In Arakan State, which has been badly affected by military conflict and natural disasters in recent years, humanitarian assistance has been limited and many people have not received effective assistance.

Martin Griffiths, head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), visited Arakan State on August 17 and met with a prominent Buddhist monk, Muslim IDPs and storm victims, and discussed matters relating to the provision of humanitarian aid.

“I would like to say that the military junta, NGOs, INGOs, and CSOs should always help the people by putting humanitarian awareness at the forefront of the difficulties facing the people of Arakan,” said Ko Bo Aung Thein, a local social activist from Kyauktaw.

Storm victims and IDPs in Arakan State are struggling to recover and are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

“Many IDPs lost everything after the cyclonic storm. Many IDPs are currently living in makeshift tents made of tarpaulin sheets and have to cook on the streets,” said Daw Ma Shwe Win, an IDP woman from Cedipyin displacement camp in Rathedaung.

The total number of IDPs in Arakan State, including those who remain at displacement camps due to the 2018-2020 fighting between the military and Arakan Army, stood at more than 70,000 earlier this year.

Cyclone Mocha, which barreled into the Arakan coast with destructive force on May 14, destroyed about 300,000 homes in northern Arakan State, affecting more than 1.5 million people.