UN humanitarian chief visits Sittwe to observe rehabilitation efforts

By Admin 18 Aug 2023

DMG Newsroom
18 August 2023, Sittwe

The chief of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), Martin Griffiths, visited the Arakan State capital Sittwe on Wednesday to observe rehabilitation efforts in the state, which was hit by a devastating cyclone in mid-May.

His visit came one day after he met junta boss Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyitaw to discuss the provision of humanitarian assistance in Myanmar.

The UNOCHA chief met with officials from the Arakan State military council, and also visited a Muslim camp for internally displaced people (IDPs), and a local monastery.

The Arakan State military council and UNOCHA chief discussed the provision of humanitarian assistance to storm victims, stability in the state, and pilot projects for repatriation of Muslim refugees in Bangladesh, said Arakan State military council spokesman U Hla Thein, who declined to provide details.

The UNOCHA chief also discussed rehabilitation efforts with the abbot of the Shwe Zeedy Monastery.

“He came to meet me to discuss the provision of humanitarian assistance,” said the monk. “I asked him to provide assistance for people displaced and affected by the fighting, Cyclone Mocha and floods. He also asked about sectarian conflicts in Arakan State. He said he would report to the UN about what he saw on his trip, and arrange to provide humanitarian assistance.”

The UNOCHA chief also visited the Ohn Taung Gyi Muslim IDP camp in Sittwe.

Camp manager U Hla Kyaw said: “I told him about how we are struggling to make ends meet, and asked them to help us get citizenship ID cards. He said he would report our request to the UN.”

As the regime has imposed travel restrictions on international and local organisations providing supplies to storm victims, Arakanese politicians said they were optimistic about the UNOCHA chief’s visit to Arakan State.

“The military council has continuously imposed restrictions on humanitarian operations. They must end those restrictions,” said Arakanese politician U Pe Than. “It is good that a UN agency chief has listened to the voices of locals. People have received little assistance from the military council, and people need a lot of assistance from international organisations for their rehabilitation.”

In a report on July 21, the Institute for Strategy and Policy-Myanmar said only about 20 percent of storm victims in Arakan State had received assistance for rehabilitation at that time.

The cost of direct damages to buildings, infrastructure and agriculture from Cyclone Mocha in Arakan and Chin states, and Sagaing, Magwe and Mandalay regions, is estimated at US$2.24 billion, the World Bank said in a report. More than 70 percent of the total damages occurred in Arakan State.