Myanmar Faces War, Disasters, Hunger, and Mass Displacement

People in central Rakhine State in Myanmar receive food and cash support from WFP. (file)

Millions of people in Myanmar “live in daily fear for their lives,” said the head of the UN refugee agency on Thursday, following a three-day visit to the conflict-ridden country.

Four years after the military coup that deposed the democratically elected government, Myanmar’s civil conflict continues, leaving millions displaced and without homes.

“The suffering of millions of people across Myanmar is immense,” said UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi. “With aerial bombardments, destruction of property, and forced recruitment, they live in daily fear for their lives.”

He added, “Civilian men, women, and children must be protected from violence, and solutions found so that they can return home safely and with dignity.”

A brutal civil war is not the only challenge Myanmar faces.

In March, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit several regions, including the capital Nay Pyi Taw. UN relief chief Tom Fletcher said then that the humanitarian response “has been hampered by lack of funding.”

Mr. Grandi, who visited affected communities earlier this year, urged wider humanitarian access and discussed solutions for the forcibly displaced.

“Millions of people forcibly displaced within the country and as refugees throughout the region want nothing more than to return home. They demand – and are entitled to – the safety and security that comes with peace,” he said.

Thousands also lost their homes when floods swept through many regions in July.

“Wars, disasters, displacement, hunger: the forgotten plight of so many people in Myanmar, including the Rohingya, never ends,” Mr. Grandi said.

In the last 18 months, 150,000 Rohingya, a mainly Muslim minority in the majority Buddhist country, have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh. This is the largest exodus since 2017, when 750,000 Rohingya sought refuge from violence in Rakhine state.

UNHCR works with other UN agencies, NGOs, and communities in Myanmar to address the basic needs, physical safety, and well-being of forcibly displaced and stateless people.

Many communities still lack access to vital aid. This year’s UN response plan for Myanmar is currently only 22 per cent funded.

Later this month in New York, Mr. Grandi will attend a high-level conference on the Rohingya and other minorities, calling for greater regional and international efforts to address the crisis.

“All parties – with the support of the international community – must engage seriously to find solutions to their plight. This is especially needed for the Rohingya, who have been attacked, displaced, and deprived of their basic rights for far too long,” the UNHCR chief said.