War - ravaged, flooded Myanmar needs help
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Tun Mon Thet (NP News) - Sep 24
Amid escalating armed conflicts in various towns and cities, the recent severe flood adds another woe to the country with fatalities and many losses. Two to three hundred were killed while dozens went missing and another dozens were wounded in the recent flood.
The country, in which 3.5 million individuals have already been displaced from their home towns within three years in the armed conflicts, now adds more figures of displaced persons especially in the disaster-ravaged areas.
Continuous heavy rain as the remnants of Typhoon Yagi and the deep depression caused in the Bay of Bengal triggered floods and landslides in northern and southern Shan State, Kachin State, Kayah State, Kayin State, Magway Region, Mandalay Region, Ayeyawady Region, Naypyidaw, and Bago Region.
At least 226 were dead, 47 injured, and 77 went missing as of 18 September, according to the data released by the Information Team of the State Administration Council (SAC). Almost 400,000 individuals were affected by this recent natural disaster with a total of more than 160,500 houses being damaged or flooded, and 640,000 acres of agricultural land in the central regions were destroyed.
As a matter of fact, crop productivity in the agricultural lands of the upper regions, Shan State and Kayah State already nosedived since before the flood as the ordinary peasants, villagers, and farmers in the regions could not grow plantations amid fire exchange of different sides.
Despite the downturn of the national economy with skyrocketing inflation, high forex rate, war-torn situations, and man-made economic stagnations, the country with the majority of Buddhist populations helps each other, and shares kindness and helping hands with the flood victims. Business tycoons such as the KBZ Bank, AYA Bank, CB Bank, and MAI Airlines, and charities and celebrities donated or capitalized for rescue, resettlement, and rehabilitation programs for the flood-affected areas.
Still, the country needs external non-attached, and unbiased humanitarian aid that will not discriminate or exclude political ideologies but should be based only on humanity and humankind although fatality does not hit much hundreds in figures. Senior General Min Aung Hlaing also requested to get international assistance to tackle the disaster.
When assisting humanitarian aid to Myanmar, it should be clear that the aid will go for the resettlement of disaster-hit areas; and should not be connected to any political-bonded or armament. Aids should prioritize humanity and neutrality when assisting a war-torn country like Myanmar as some entities, especially the exiles, have been crooking the aid with ambiguous objectives.
It goes without saying that the government is the main actor for evacuating, rescuing, resettling, and rehabilitating the victims in any country when disaster hits.
The SAC government announces official bank account numbers of accepting donations with foreign currencies as follows: US$, euro, and Singapore $ in cash can be directly deposited to the Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank in Yangon to account number 0111284000000063; or by transferring to the following:
SWIFT CODE/BIC – MFTBMMMY
Beneficiary Name – Natural Disaster Management Fund
Beneficiary A/C No – 0111284000000063.
Or
To the foreign account number EDN-600018 opened at Myanma Economic Bank in Naypyidaw through
SWIFT CODE/BIC – MYEBMMMY
Beneficiary Name – Natural Disaster Management Fund
Beneficiary A/C No – EDN-600018
Domestic donors can also transfer via mobile payment through KBZPay or Wave Money by scanning the QR Codes.
With regard to the matter, a political analyst U Pite Tin comments, “The donating actors should be independent of connecting with political, racial, and religious convictions,” continuing that “I think the international community has now already noticed the performances of both government and non-government organizations in dealing with the disaster. Therefore, a good relationship can be developed from this flood if the stakeholders can choose the smoothest way.”
Executive Director of the Thayninga Institute for Strategic Studies U Thein Tun Oo said, “The international have said they will provide aid to the Southeast Asian countries. However, it is important not to mix the assistance for flood rehabilitation and the military assistance to the opponents. The aids should be provided transparently. It is important to divide clearly the armed conflict areas and disaster-hit areas. Otherwise, there will be problems.”