WFP says ability to assist still significantly circumscribed by junta 

By Admin 11 Jul 2023

DMG Newsroom
11 July 2023, Sittwe

The World Food Programme (WFP) expects to support some 800,000 people in Arakan State, which is in need of humanitarian assistance due to Cyclone Mocha, but it is currently only able to support 400,000 people per month due to travel restrictions.

The WFP was responding to DMG via email regarding the United Nations body’s support in storm-affected Arakan State.

“Our biggest challenge is getting aid to those in need,” a WFP official told DMG.

The WFP said the United Nations is currently negotiating with the relevant officials to allow humanitarian aid to be delivered to those in need. WFP did not respond to a DMG request for additional details on the matter.

The WFP has been providing storm victims in Arakan State with emergency supplies and livelihood support such as food, nutrition and shelter.

“The WFP provided storm victims in some areas with rice, cooking oil, nutritious powder and tarpaulin sheets in cooperation with the General Administration Department. Some villages received many relief items but some received few relief supplies,” Ko Aung Paing Soe, a local man from Rathedaung Township, told DMG.

Myanmar’s military regime has imposed a travel ban on local and international nongovernmental organisations and civil society organisations providing humanitarian assistance to victims of Cyclone Mocha in Arakan State since June 8.

“It’s been about a month since we requested travel authorisations for humanitarian organisations to provide supplies. We don’t know why it’s taking so long,” a woman from a civil society organisation in Sittwe told DMG.

International organisations and CSOs providing humanitarian assistance to those affected by the storm are being restricted at some junta security checkpoints and are not allowed to travel due to lack of permission.

More than 1.5 million people were affected by Cyclone Mocha, which made landfall over Arakan State with destructive force on May 14.

Nearly two months later, many people are still experiencing shelter insecurity and food shortages, and significant challenges on the road to recovery remain.