Myanmar Junta Bombing Its Way Through Quake Crisis

2025-04-16 12:01:01

(MENAFN- Asia Times) This article first appeared on PacNet and is republished with the author's permission. Read the original here.

Myanmar's devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake on March 28 has thrust the nation into a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented scale. The quake's impact, catastrophic enough on its own, has been dramatically worsened by the military junta's relentless attacks on civilians, even as the country reels from thousands of fatalities and widespread destruction.

With its epicenter in Sagaing and significant impacts felt across Naypyidaw, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, and Shan state, the earthquake has so far claimed over 3,600 lives, with more than 5,000 injured.

Predictions by the US Geological Service suggest that the final toll could exceed 10,000 deaths, with economic damage potentially surpassing Myanmar's annual GDP of US$67 billion. Key infrastructure, including bridges, roads, hospitals, historical sites, pagodas and airports, has been severely compromised, hindering vital rescue and relief efforts.

The junta's opportunistic response

This natural disaster, the most severe Myanmar has witnessed in over a century, is occurring in the middle of the bloody civil war triggered by the 2021 military coup. Rather than unifying in the face of tragedy, the junta quickly seized the earthquake as an opportunity to shore up its fading international legitimacy.

In an unusual move, the regime swiftly appealed for international assistance-a stark departure from its habitual suspicion of external intervention. Observers warn , however, that the regime's sudden openness to foreign aid appears more strategic than humanitarian, potentially enabling the junta to consolidate control by selectively distributing aid to loyalists and allies.

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