Cyclone Mocha victims in Arakan State call for speedy distribution of relief supplies

By Admin 21 May 2023

DMG Newsroom
21 May 2023, Sittwe

Storm victims and social organisations say Myanmar’s military regime urgently needs to ratchet up deliveries of the food and medical provisions donated by India to Cyclone Mocha victims in Myanmar.

The Indian Embassy in Yangon announced that among the relief items donated by India are 14 boxes containing essential emergency supplies such as food and consumer goods, and 16 medical boxes.

“Relief items will be immediately flown to Arakan State and distributed to communities affected by the storm. India stands ready to provide additional humanitarian assistance to the people affected by the storm for relief and rehabilitation, depending on their needs,” the Indian Embassy in Yangon said in a statement.

Three Indian Navy ships carrying a total of 40 tonnes of relief supplies arrived at Yangon’s Thilawa Port on May 18 and Indian Ambassador to Myanmar Shri Vinay Kumar handed over the relief supplies to regime officials.

Another Indian Navy ship arrived in Myanmar on May 19 with additional relief supplies as well as emergency medicines and medical supplies, the Indian Embassy’s statement said.

A relief worker from Myebon called on the regime to distribute aid from international and domestic donors to storm victims as soon as possible.

“I am glad to hear that other countries are donating relief items, but the regime has yet to distribute the relief supplies to the storm victims on the ground. We are trying our best to help the storm victims. It is only when supplies reach the storm victims that they feel a little better,” the relief worker added.

The relief items donated by India include instant noodles, rice, milk powder, drinking water, nutritious biscuits, cooking oil, canned fish and meats, and other foodstuffs.

Consumer goods donated by India to the storm victims include rain tents, tarpaulins, flashlights, blankets, crutches, portable generators, water pumps, medical supplies, cleaning supplies and first aid kits.

“The relief items donated by the international community will be managed by the military junta, so I think people close to the military and military families will receive them,” said a local resident of Kyaukphyu. “I think that most of the people affected by the storm on the ground will receive only a small amount of relief supplies. In any case, I would like to urge the military junta to provide assistance to the storm victims as soon as possible.”

Cyclone Mocha made landfall over Arakan State on May 14, killing more than 140 people and affecting more than 1.1 million people in Arakan State, the regime said.