Myanmar displacement reaches 3 million
The conflict in Myanmar has now internally displaced at least 3 million people, the office of the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Myanmar said in a statement on Monday.
Internally displaced people increased by 50% in the past six months due to an escalation of the ongoing conflict between the military and armed groups, the statement said.
The February 2021 coup – in which the military junta took over power – worsened the pre-existing humanitarian crisis in Myanmar and the situation has only escalated since, as fighting has intensified between the junta and armed opposition groups. The UN says some 18.6 million people, more than a third of the population, now require humanitarian assistance.
Both the junta and armed opposition groups have been accused of human rights abuses, with the latter making significant territorial gains in recent months. Facing a more challenging outlook on the battlefield, the junta has now initiated a mandatory conscription programme, which has prompted more people to look for ways to flee the country.
As the dynamics on the ground changed, The New Humanitarian recently explored a controversial aid proposal that would have seen attempts to deliver aid across greater parts of the country, working more closely with the armed opposition groups. For more, read: The UN envoy, the controversial aid plan, and Myanmar’s fast-changing conflict.
