Junta Continues Dropping Bombs after Myanmar Earthquake as Opposition Puts Down Arms
NEWS, 31 Mar 2025
ABC News - TRANSCEND Media Service
Mandalay suffered some of the worst damage. (AP: Myo Kyaw Soe/Xinhua)
In short:
As the death toll from the Friday’s [28 Mar] earthquake rises sharply in the space of a few hours, Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government has announced a unilateral partial ceasefire to facilitate relief efforts.
Independent Myanmar media have reported that the military continued air attacks on resistance-held areas even in the wake of the earthquake.
What’s next?
Rescue efforts continue, especially in the major stricken cities of Mandalay, the country’s number two city, and Naypyitaw, the capital.
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Myanmar earthquake: death toll rises to almost 700 as search for survivors continues. NewZimbabwe.com Creator: CARE Myanmar’s local partners
29 Mar 2025 – Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government (NUG), which coordinates the popular struggle against the ruling military, has announced a unilateral partial ceasefire to facilitate earthquake relief efforts.
The announcement comes despite reports the ruling junta has continued air strikes in the wake of Friday’s natural disaster that has left more than 1,600 dead, with the death toll expected to continue rising.
US geologists have said the 7.7 magnitude temblor was the biggest to hit Myanmar in over a century.
The NUG said its armed wing, the People’s Defense Force, would implement a two-week pause in offensive military operations starting on Sunday in earthquake-affected areas.
It said it would “collaborate with the UN and non-governmental organisations to ensure security, transportation, and the establishment of temporary rescue and medical camps”, in the areas it controls.
The statement called on the country’s ethnic groups, which operate their own armies, to cooperate.
There was no immediate comment by the military on the announcement.
Rescue workers search for survivors in Naypyitaw. (AP: Aung Shine Oo)
Military continuing attacks: reports
The UN special rapporteur on Myanmar, Tom Andrews, condemned the military government’s continued attacks on resistance-held areas.
Mr Andrews said at least three air strikes were carried out on the Sagain region — near the epicentre of the earthquake, and a rebel stronghold.
He said the strikes were exacerbating the crisis caused by the quake.
“This is completely outrageous and unacceptable,” he told the BBC.
“The incredible damage that’s going to be created by, first of all, just a diversion of people having to deal with this military operation, and divert relief operations — but obviously if you’ve got bombs being dropped from the sky while you’re trying to rescue people it’s nothing short of incredible.”
Julie Bishop, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar, called for both sides to lay down their arms to allow help to reach those affected by the earthquake.
“This natural disaster will greatly exacerbate an already dire situation for the people of Myanmar,” the former Australian government minister told The Australian on Saturday.
“The situation has now become even more urgent and disastrous and I call upon all the parties to the conflict to cease all violence now so we can focus our attention and resources and effort on assisting those people in desperate need.”
There is precedent for major disasters to play a part in helping to restore peace to areas torn by conflict, most notably in Indonesia’s Aceh province after it was devastated by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
However, there is little precedent for this in Myanmar, where military governments have kept up repression even in the wake of destructive cyclones.
Tags: Burma/Myanmar, Cultural violence, Direct violence, Structural violence
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