The military’s appeal speaks for serious mode in Myanmar
How hard the earthquake, which had its epicenter in northwestern Myanmar, hit the diplomatically isolated country is still unclear. Since the military took power in a coup in 2021, it has become more difficult for foreign organizations and journalists to operate in the country. The transparency is therefore limited. But there is a lot of evidence that the situation is very serious. Pictures in social media show buildings that collapsed, people located in a row outside an overcrowded emergency hospital and roads that have burst by the power of the earthquake.
Myanmar’s government is known for its end unit and his willingness to check all information about what is happening in the country. After the coup d’état 2021 when the military took power, the censorship has increased. The Internet has at times been suspended and access to social media has been limited. All to prevent criticism of the military from spreading and affecting history writing.
Therefore, it is remarkable that a spokesman for the military, General Zaw Min Tun, on Friday appealed to other countries to assist with the help. It is a unique appeal from the military who, in other natural disasters, blocked or delayed outside. And once it has been allowed to enter, you have endeavored to change the addressee of the aid package so that it looks like these are coming from the military.
That you now So openly asks for help indicates that the situation is desperate and that the number of dead is increasing rapidly. A doctor who interviewed the AFP news agency on Friday in the capital Naypyiadaw says he has never seen anything like it. And then Myanmar is a war -affected country, where the care apparatus is used to injured from disputes.
But how serious is difficult to get an idea of. The information flow is made more difficult by power outages and that the telephone lines are down. This makes it difficult for aid organizations to assess what assistance is needed. Furthermore, getting help to the worst affected regions can be made more difficult by the civil war is raging with full force between the military and resistance groups.
