According to Burma News International (BNI), the cooperation between ASEAN and UN agencies, which manage international humanitarian aid, with the Military Council has resulted in the limited effectiveness of aid reaching the internally displaced persons (IDPs).
During the third week of July, Burma News International (BNI) published a research paper online for international review, focusing on the ways of providing humanitarian aid to Myanmar.
The research paper titled "A Riddle for International Donor Governments or Finding Solutions to the Humanitarian Crisis" was conducted and presented by BNI's Myanmar Peace Monitor Program (MPM).
On the day the research paper was introduced, U Soe Myint, chairman of BNI's media development committee, emphasized that international aid does not effectively reach the public.
"We're facing difficult and crisis situations as the coup military denies permission, preventing any assistance to reach the people. I believe it's crucial for all international organizations, including the United Nations, to find ways to address these issues.”
According to the 2022 report of the Myanmar Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) published by UNOCHA, BNI highlighted that out of 14.4 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in Myanmar, only 4.361 million people could be assisted.
Among them, more than 500,000 are internally displaced persons (IDPs), and only US$9 million was used for them.
As a result, BNI Managing Director Daw Tin Tin Nyo pointed out that only 17 dollars were able to help each IDP for the entire year.
"After reevaluating the circumstances, it was revealed that an IDP who fled the war in 2022 received only 17 US dollars in support for the entire year. The majority of the aid came from donations by our fellow Myanmar citizens both within the country and from the international community.”
However, thanks to donations from people to people, they were able to assist nearly 300,000 individuals, Daw Tin Tin Nyo added.
"Thanks to contributions from the public, the NUG has received up to 6.6 billion kyats over the past two years. With this funding, the Department of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management has provided assistance to approximately 300,000 people in dire need of emergency support, including displaced IDPs, civil servants who have joined the CDM, family members of the affected individuals, family members of political prisoners, and vulnerable families."
According to BNI's research paper, in the over two years since the coup, there are more than 1.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Myanmar. Among them, Sagaing Region has the highest number of IDPs, with over 660,000 individuals in need of humanitarian assistance. Magway Region comes in second with a significant number of IDPs requiring aid.
In the research paper introduced by BNI, they urge the need to reach effective aid to the public in Myanmar. They call for holding discussions with relevant international organizations and implementing an inclusive humanitarian aid forum promptly. Furthermore, BNI advocates for declaring regional no-fly zones and public protection zones to enhance the safety and well-being of the affected population. Additionally, they emphasize the urgency of addressing cross-border aid issues to ensure timely support for those in need.
Furthermore, BNI recommended that the National Unity Government (NUG), local ethnic resistance organizations, and local civil society groups should collaborate and engage in discussions to find effective solutions for providing cross-border assistance.
