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Weaponizing Hunger: The Humanitarian Crisis in Myanmar’s Rakhine State

Summary
The military junta in Myanmar is using starvation as a strategy to suppress resistance in Rakhine state, as civilian food shortages exacerbate human suffering amidst the ongoing civil conflict. The blockade of aid and humanitarian access has left nearly 900,000 people vulnerable to starvation, with the junta actively suppressing local aid efforts. Despite the evident crisis, the international community’s response has been insufficient, adding to the desperation of those in need.

The military junta in Myanmar has resorted to a devastating strategy of using hunger as a means to defeat resistance, particularly in Rakhine state, amid the ongoing civil conflict. As the conflict intensifies, civilians find themselves increasingly vulnerable to food shortages that pose as significant a threat as physical violence from military forces. Rakhine state, known for its complex ethnic demography and historical tensions, is experiencing unprecedented levels of suffering as the junta rigorously restricts humanitarian access and aid transport. Observers have expressed alarm at the regime’s systematic use of starvation to undermine support for the Arakan Army (AA), an ethnic rebel group that has substantial control in the area, as detailed by reporting from CNN. To implement their blockade strategy, the junta has established numerous checkpoints and has blocked crucial supply routes, while also denying humanitarian groups the requisite permits to deliver aid. This has drastically reduced food availability, leading to acute humanitarian crises with approximately 900,000 individuals at risk of starvation. A senior aid official articulated the grim reality, stating, “They are using food as a weapon.” The dire circumstances are especially apparent in northern Rakhine, where less than a quarter of the 873,000 individuals requiring food assistance have received aid. The junta’s control of supply lines has caused significant price inflation for essential items, pushing basic food supplies beyond the financial reach of many, even those with available funds. A local aid worker remarked, “I have seen it with my own eyes—families reduced to eating rice and salt, and even that is running out.” In displacement camps, conditions are harrowing. At a monastery serving as a makeshift refuge near Sittwe, a monk attempts to care for around 300 displaced individuals who fled violence. Khin Mar Cho, a mother whose family faced trauma at the hands of soldiers, lamented, “There are days when we have no food, even though we are hungry.” The junta has not only implemented blockades but also actively suppressed aid efforts. Humanitarian workers have reported arrests of local groups trying to deliver assistance without authorization, and military forces have seized or destroyed relief supplies. A World Food Programme warehouse in Maungdaw was notably looted and set ablaze in June, depriving the local community of critical aid resources. Efforts by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to negotiate the lifting of the blockade have seen little success, with only vague undertakings from the junta and no permits issued for humanitarian operations outside Sittwe since November 2023. The government continues to attribute blame for the crisis to rebel factions, with Deputy Permanent Secretary Myint Kyaw asserting, “The Myanmar government is committed to the equality of all citizens. Every citizen has the right to travel freely without any restrictions.” The international community’s response to this crisis has been woefully inadequate, with the UN’s humanitarian fund for Myanmar significantly underfunded, having raised merely 20 percent of the required budget of $1 billion until 2024. A senior UN aid worker expressed the growing frustration within the humanitarian community, stating, “We have become invisible. Donors will find it difficult to fund missions that are invisible.” As hunger is weaponized in this cruel conflict, the lives of countless civilians hang precariously in the balance, relying on a world that appears reluctant or unable to extend the necessary assistance.

This article discusses the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, where military forces are reportedly using starvation as a strategic weapon in an attempt to suppress civilian support for the Arakan Army amidst a civil war. The situation underscores extensive human suffering due to restricted access to food and humanitarian aid, exacerbated by the junta’s military and logistical tactics. The response from international organizations and the lack of substantial support from the global community is also highlighted, reflecting the dire state of humanitarian needs in the region.

In conclusion, the military junta in Myanmar is employing a calculated strategy of starvation against civilians in Rakhine state amid escalating conflict. This use of hunger as a weapon has precipitated a dire humanitarian crisis, with hundreds of thousands at risk of starvation. The international community’s inadequate response coupled with the local government’s deflection of blame exacerbates an already tragic situation. As the crisis unfolds, the urgency for impactful humanitarian intervention becomes increasingly critical.

Original Source: www.firstpost.com

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