Decisive joint action needed to address humanitarian crisis in Myanmar

ONE year after Myanmar’s military coup, the country’s humanitarian crisis has dramatically worsened and is impacting the whole region, including Malaysia, due to a lack of cohesive action by Asean and the rest of the world.

Since the coup, there have been more than 7,600 armed clashes and attacks on civilians and more than 1,400 people have been killed.

The military has arrested more than 8,500 people and almost 390,000 others have been internally displaced due to escalation in conflicts on the border areas. This is in addition to more than 300,000 already displaced before the coup.

The United Nations estimates that three million people are in need of urgent humanitarian aid, but access to civilians in need has been severely hindered by the junta.

In addition, the continued downward spiral of Myanmar’s economy is projected to plunge 48% of the country’s population, or 25 million people, into poverty this year.

Destruction of the legal economy has allowed illicit economic activities to thrive, including drug trafficking, human trafficking, and illegal logging, mining and wildlife trade.

The regional and international response has been inadequate at best, with almost no progress made in the implementation of the Asean Five Point Consensus as well as weak mechanisms for monitoring its execution.

In light of this deepening tragedy, the Malaysian Advisory Group on Myanmar is urging the junta to allow greater humanitarian access to help civilians in Myanmar and also imploring Asean to decisively address the crisis that is affecting the region, including Malaysia.

As Asean’s Five-Point Consensus has not made progress, we urge Malaysia to re-assert itself as a voice of conscience in Asean and to work with like-minded countries and partners for immediate urgent action to ease the suffering of the people of Myanmar.

We also urge the private sector in the region to play a more prominent role in easing the impact of the crisis, including opening up legal migration pathways for Myanmar’s migrant labour.

We urge the government to allow work rights for refugees in Malaysia, the majority of whom are from Myanmar. Such an approach will have a positive contribution to our own economic recovery besides upholding our own aspirations to see Malaysia advance in its journey to become a kinder and more inclusive society.

TAN SRI SYED HAMID ALBAR , Chairman Malaysian Advisory Group on Myanmar