The earthquake that struck Myanmar on 28 March has shaken more than just the ground, demanding global attention on political violence and a pro-democracy struggle, too often buried by other global crises.
The magnitude 7.7 quake – the strongest to hit Myanmar since 1912 and the second deadliest in modern history – hit the Sagaing Region near Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city. The death toll now stands at over 5,300, as the full scale of destruction still unfolds.
But Myanmar’s path to recovery is far more complicated than just rebuilding infrastructure. The Southeast Asian country has experienced decades of conflict and repressive military rule since it gained independence from Britain in 1948.
Now, it is reeling from a civil war that began in 2021, when the military – led by General Min Aung Hlaing – seized power in a coup. Since then, violence between the junta and resistance groups has killed and displaced millions, while crippling state institutions.
Nowhere is that collapse more visible than in healthcare. Nearly 40 per cent of Myanmar’s hospitals are located in conflict zones, rendering them inaccessible to large portions of the population. The earthquake made things worse, destroying three hospitals and damaging 22 more, according to the World Health Organization.
After years of rejecting foreign aid, the junta appealed for international aid, unlike during Cyclone Nargis in 2008 or Cyclone Mocha in 2023. But the request raises questions about whether help is really reaching those who need it, or if the junta is using the crisis for political gain.
International aid has trickled in, but access is deeply politicized. The earthquake briefly shifted global focus onto Myanmar, a conflict long overshadowed by wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Aid offers have come in, but the junta is selective about who gets in.
China and Russia were allowed to land emergency teams in Yangon, while several Western agencies faced delays and denials. This selective acceptance of aid appears less about relief and more about reinforcing alliances.
According to the BBC, the junta controls less than a quarter of the country, but access to areas outside its grip remains heavily restricted. In the past, it has blocked aid to opposition-held regions and used humanitarian supplies as leverage. This pattern is likely to continue, turning the disaster response into another front in the war for legitimacy.
Meanwhile, the UN’s response remains hamstrung by consistent underfunding. Much of the support previously came from the U.S., but since the Trump administration dismantled USAID, those resources have dried up. As a result, even well-meaning international efforts potentially face steep financial and logistical hurdles.
The earthquake has underscored just how deeply Myanmar’s political crisis is embedded in every aspect of life and death. Until power is more evenly distributed and access to aid is freed from political games, real recovery will remain out of reach.
“20131116_Myanmar_4035 Bagan” by Dan Lundberg is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.