Military hardware is displayed during a parade to celebrate Myanmar's 77th Armed Forces Day in Naypyidaw on March 27, 2022. - AFP
BANGKOK, May 10 (Bernama): The Special Advisory Council for Myanmar (SAC-M) urged Asean to abide by the fundamental humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence when delivering humanitarian assistance to Myanmar.
In a statement, SAC-M said Asean has to secure the immediate opening of cross-border humanitarian corridors into Myanmar and coordinate with all relevant parties, including the National Unity Government, the National Unity Consultative Council, Ethnic Revolutionary Organisations and local actors to deliver the aid it promised the people of Myanmar more than one year ago.
"If Asean fails, it must get out of the way of others who are far more willing to act,” the statement said.
On Friday, a consultative meeting on Asean humanitarian assistance to Myanmar vowed to expedite the distribution of humanitarian aid and COVID-19 vaccines to the needy in Myanmar.
The outcomes of the consultative meeting hosted by Cambodia in hybrid format include plans for the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre) to deliver aid to areas identified by the Myanmar military junta and in coordination with the junta.
Meanwhile, Yanghee Lee of SAC-M said Asean member states that shared border with Myanmar should open border to facilitate humanitarian assistance.
"It is inhumane for Asean’s own member states that neighbour Myanmar to keep their borders closed just to please the junta, which is the cause of Myanmar people’s suffering.
"Myanmar's neighbouring countries must not forget their international obligation to assist in delivering humanitarian aid through their borders,” she said.
SAC-M said there are 14 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in Myanmar, while an estimated 800,000 people are displaced inside the country. Most are seeking refuge from the junta’s attacks in territory along Myanmar’s borders outside the junta’s control. The junta refuses to permit cross-border aid into these areas.
Founding member of SAC-M, Marzuki Darusman said the areas singled out for humanitarian assistance by the military junta under ASEAN’s plan were the very areas where the junta has been relentlessly attacking civilians with airstrikes and scorched-earth campaigns for months on end.
"The junta has no power in those areas and its attempt to control Asean’s delivery of aid to them is nothing more than a strategy designed to advance its military agenda.
"Asean aid personnel working in areas under attack from the junta could become unwitting 'human-shields' for the junta's ulterior motives,” he added.
According to human rights organisation Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), at least 1,800 civilians had been killed while over 10,000 people have been arrested and almost 1,000 jailed since the Feb 1, 2021 coup. - Bernama
