One month after a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake tore through central Myanmar, the country’s humanitarian crisis continues to deepen. As nearly 200,000 people remain displaced and more than 50,000 buildings lie in ruins, allegations have emerged that Myanmar’s military regime is deliberately hoarding international aid while local organisations shoulder the burden of relief efforts.
Clean water, emergency shelter, and medical care remain desperately scarce in many affected regions. Aid workers and witnesses have accused the junta of politicising relief efforts, obstructing access to opposition-held zones, and withholding life-saving supplies — all while international scrutiny mounts.
Pregnant Survivors, Failing Hospitals, and a Race Against Infection
Medical worker Meredith Bunn vividly recalls pulling a six-month pregnant woman from the rubble. She had been trapped in the ruins of her collapsed home for days, developing serious infections. Despite multiple detours caused by military blockades on the way to Yangon, the woman survived — but her unborn child did not.
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“After the earthquake, the majority of deaths were from people with minor to major injuries,” said Ms Bunn, founder of the grassroots organisation Skills For Humanity. “They weren’t treated. Infection and disease just attacked … it was a breeding ground with no clean water.”
Across the region, inadequate sanitation and medical supplies have made earthquake wounds even more lethal. Hospitals are overwhelmed and unprepared to deal with both trauma care and the spike in chronic disease complications among displaced people.
Aid Stockpiled While Survivors Suffer
Photos obtained by ABC show pallets of aid — some bearing ASEAN logos — locked away in the Ministry of Social Welfare’s warehouse in Naypyidaw. According to a source who visited the facility on April 4, much of the aid is perishable and remains unrefrigerated. Despite its urgent purpose, the packages were not distributed.
“The military failed to do that, and when I returned last week the aid was still there, but I couldn’t photograph it again because now they have security,” the eyewitness said. “I think they may be keeping that aid for the election campaign.”
Ms Bunn confirmed reports of spoiled aid and deliberate stockpiling. “There are multiple witnesses and photographs … some aid is being left to spoil as it is in a space with no consistent temperature control.”
When contacted, the junta, local authorities, and ASEAN did not respond to requests for comment.
Military Control Undermines International Aid Efforts
Dr Aeron, a representative from the opposition-aligned National Unity Government (NUG), voiced concerns that international aid routed through the junta is unlikely to reach the hardest-hit regions — many of which remain under strict military control.
“The worst-hit areas are controlled by the military, not us,” said Dr Aeron, who used a pseudonym for safety. He urged ASEAN to implement greater transparency and encouraged international donors to work directly with local groups to avoid politicisation.
In Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, stark inequalities have emerged. Wealthier neighbourhoods boast Red Cross tents and coordinated assistance. Meanwhile, on the outskirts, families are forced to sleep under flimsy tarps or out in the open amid sweltering temperatures exceeding 40°C.
Foreign Medical Support Under Tight Restrictions
Despite offers from numerous countries, only Malaysia was permitted by the junta to establish a field hospital in Sagaing City — a severely impacted region. However, the site they were assigned, an empty stadium, was far from populated areas.
“We suggested to relocate to a more populated part of Sagaing 20 minutes away,” said Colonel Norulisyam Shuib from the Malaysian Armed Forces. “But the military said it was outside their controlled area.”
Still, the Malaysian team managed to treat nearly 2,000 patients, though only 15% had earthquake-related injuries. The rest suffered from chronic illnesses — a stark reminder of Myanmar’s crumbling healthcare infrastructure since the 2021 coup.
Local mobile clinics have stepped in where possible, operating with the tacit approval of sympathetic mid-level officials who quietly permit aid activities without informing top junta leaders.
Access Denied: Rural Areas Left to Fend for Themselves
Humanitarian groups say access to rural and opposition-held zones is virtually impossible. In areas such as Madya, Singu, and Tabeikkyin, the military and affiliated militias are reportedly blocking relief operations.
“Only villagers are responding in those conflict areas,” said Ko Htin from the Myanmar Emergency Response Coordination Unit. “International groups can’t reach these places and are being restricted by the military.”
Phone lines and internet remain cut in several areas, while reports of air strikes and village burnings persist. The NUG reported 63 military attacks in the first four days of April alone, killing at least 68 civilians.
Despite junta leader Min Aung Hlaing’s pledge to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on April 17 to uphold a ceasefire, new military assaults were reported almost immediately afterward.
Rubble, Rising Costs, and a Bleak Outlook
According to the UN Development Programme (UNDP), around 2.5 million tonnes of debris need to be cleared. In Sagaing, up to 80% of buildings have either collapsed or suffered severe damage. Many structures still standing will likely need demolition due to safety concerns.
“You just see their crying eyes,” said local volunteer Thet Aung. “It’s a huge cost they can’t afford.”
In the meantime, aid agencies like UNICEF have installed emergency sanitation facilities to curb rising cases of waterborne illness. The World Food Programme has transitioned to cash-based aid to stimulate local markets and provide families more flexible support.
However, humanitarian organisations are operating with limited funding and mounting challenges. “It is misery on top of misery,” said WFP Myanmar director Michael Dunford. “People are being pushed to their limits.”
Titon Mitra of UNDP echoed the long-term challenges: “Getting people into permanent shelters could take two years — or more. And that’s when you have a functioning country. Here, we don’t.”
ASEAN and International Donors Under Fire
Questions are mounting about ASEAN’s role in managing aid distribution, particularly given Australia’s financial support. The ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance has not responded to requests for clarification.
“For decades, the Myanmar military has exploited natural disasters by manipulating and obstructing humanitarian access,” said the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar. “The junta now pursues this same strategy.”
Khin Ohmar of human rights group Progressive Voice confirmed reports of military-aligned militias such as Pyu Saw Htee preventing independent aid efforts in certain zones by declaring them unauthorized.
Even where aid does get through, many displaced communities remain isolated. A doctor in Sagaing told Human Rights Watch that junta troops had confiscated medicine bound for opposition-held towns.
Local Civil Society Rises as Global Agencies Retreat
In the absence of comprehensive international access, local civil society organisations have become the lifeline for thousands. Groups like Sonne International, Skills For Humanity, and Doh Eain are delivering food, cash, building materials, and mental health support across remote regions.
“We are giving people cash so they can build their own bamboo shelters,” said Jochen Meissner of Sonne International, which is aiding displaced residents of Inle Lake.
Yet the emotional toll is high — especially on first responders.
“The first responders in many areas where international aid organisations couldn’t get to were inexperienced,” said Ms Bunn. “After seeing the injuries, some just broke down. We had to get a psychology team from Yangon to speak with them by phone.”
A Humanitarian Crisis Still Unfolding
As the monsoon season looms, threatening floods and worsening living conditions, aid groups are racing against time to deliver transitional shelters and vital supplies. But the combination of military obstruction, funding shortfalls, and escalating trauma means the crisis is far from over.
Despite the enormous efforts of local and international humanitarians, Myanmar’s recovery remains hamstrung by politics, fear, and a government more focused on control than compassion.
As one aid worker put it bluntly: “People are running from bombs, building makeshift homes with tarps, and drinking from rivers. And the aid they need is sitting in a warehouse under lock and key.”
