The United Nations says Myanmar has passed a "bleak milestone," with more than 3 million civilians now displaced across the country amid intensifying conflict. The number has risen sharply, by 50 percent in just six months, according to the UN's ad interim humanitarian coordinator in Myanmar, Stephen Anderson. The situation is one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world, with nearly 19 million people nationwide in need of humanitarian assistance this year.
âMyanmar stands at the precipice in 2024 with a deepening humanitarian crisis that has spiraled since the military takeover in February 2021 and the consequent conflicts in many parts of the country, driving record numbers of people to abandon their homes seeking safety,â Anderson said in a statement, released on Friday.
Amid widespread conflict in large parts of the country, people are fleeing their homes in record numbers. Of the 3 million people internally displaced as of last week, more than 2.7 million have fled as a result of conflict and insecurity since the military takeover. According to estimates, one-third of those now displaced are children.
âSadly, civilians not involved in the conflict pay the highest price across the country, with many seeing no other option but to flee seeking safety,â Anderson said.
According to the UN, Chin, Magway and Sagaing in northwestern Myanmar continue to host the highest number of internally displaced people, with nearly 1.5 million, while Kayah, Bago, Kayin, Southern Shan, Mon and Tanintharyi in the southeast account for more than 900,000. A further 356,000 people are displaced in Rakhine.
âAccess to internally displaced people (IDPs) in these parts of the country, as well as other states and regions that are hosting IDPs, is critical,â he said.
To date, humanitarian agencies have provided humanitarian assistance to nearly 950,000 people in need, including nearly half a million displaced people, but plan to reach more than 5 million in 2024.
There are 18.6 million women, children and men in need of humanitarian assistance in Myanmar - the fifth-largest number in the world. Among those in need are 6 million children.
But critical underfunding is hampering the relief response. The UN's 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), which requires $994 million in 2024, is only 6 percent funded, with $63 million received to date.
âWith cyclone season fast approaching, additional resources are needed now to protect the most vulnerable and save lives,â the Humanitarian Coordinator said.
Myanmar is one of the most disaster-prone countries in Southeast Asia, facing multiple hazards including floods, cyclones and earthquakes.
The ongoing escalation of conflict in Myanmar - including the worst levels of violence since 2021 - is severely affecting people in almost every corner of the country, with alarming spillover effects into neighboring countries. Armed conflict has spread to many parts of the country, particularly in Rakhine State, the northwest, Kachin and the southeast.
In many different parts of Myanmar, ethnic armed organizations and resistance forces have been on the offensive against the junta since October 2023. According to the UN, this escalation is the largest and most geographically widespread since the military took power in 2021.
The country is experiencing a critical period in its more than three-year post-coup conflict, with rebel groups gaining significant territory and launching unprecedented attacks against the Myanmar junta. The intensified conflict is causing displacement, raising protection concerns and exacerbating existing vulnerabilities. The UN warns that the humanitarian impact is significant and deeply concerning.
As of November 2023, more than 78,000 civilian assets, including homes, religious structures, and education and health facilities, have reportedly been destroyed in conflict-affected states and regions.
Myanmar has been in chaos since General Min Aung Hlaing and his military forces overthrew the democratically elected government in February 2021. The coup sparked widespread armed resistance by a loose alliance of ethnic armed organizations and civilian-led defense forces.
Civilians are bearing the brunt of the ongoing fighting between the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) and non-state armed groups (NSGAs), with deadly aerial bombardments and heavy shelling, including in residential areas.
The ruling State Administrative Council (SAC) has waged a violent crackdown on dissent since the coup, killing nearly 5,000 people and imprisoning more than 20,000, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), a monitoring group in Thailand.
Meanwhile, hunger is on the rise across Myanmar. In 2024, some 12.9 million people - nearly 25 percent of the population - will be food insecure, with an increased risk of malnutrition, especially among children and pregnant women.
The health system is in disarray and basic medicines are running out. It is estimated that 12 million people in Myanmar will need emergency health assistance this year alone.
Further information
Full text: Statement by the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator a.i. for Myanmar, United Nations country team website of Myanmar, released May 3, 2024
https://myanmar.un.org/en/267754-statement-resident-and-humanitarian-coordinator-ai-myanmar