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Myanmar’s military junta on Tuesday extended a post-quake ceasefire that critics say exists in name only amid a floundering effort to help disaster victims.
The junta, which seized power in a 2021 coup and is at war with dozens of resistance groups nationwide, initially declared a ceasefire from April 2-30 following the Mar. 28 earthquake. The magnitude 7.7 quake devastated the central Sagaing and Mandalay regions and killed more than 3,700 people.
The military government said the ceasefire was extended until the end of May, allowing time to “rebuild [from] earthquake damage and to develop the country’s economy and stability.”
The junta, however, also warned it would “take action” against armed groups that instigate battles against the military.
Aung Thu Nyein, a member of the Institute for Strategic Policy Myanmar, said the ceasefire is largely symbolic and the junta’s attempt to deflect criticism from its Southeast Asian neighbors and other countries.
‘They’re just saving face for international relations. They still need help to rebuild Myanmar,” he said.
Myanmar’s junta chief, Min Aung Hlaing, visited Bangkok in mid-April, a rare foreign trip that allowed him to meet Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Discussions centered on humanitarian assistance. Anwar emphasized the importance of extending the ceasefire to facilitate aid deliveries and restore normalcy.
Critics argue that such meetings risk legitimizing the junta, which has continued military operations despite its ceasefire announcements.
ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights expressed concern that engaging with the junta without demanding tangible progress towards ending violence or restoring democracy sends a dangerous signal.
Backlash from the exiled civilian government
The ceasefire extension was criticized by Myanmar’s exiled civilian National Unity Government, or NUG, who accuse the junta of continuing aerial and heavy artillery attacks.
According to the NUG, junta forces conducted 282 airstrikes between March 28 and May 4, resulting in 276 civilian deaths and 456 injuries – including 31 children killed and 45 injured.
Sagaing region, the epicenter of the 7.7 quake and also of rebel activity, has received the heaviest blows, with some 73 airstrikes killing 89 people and injuring 135, said the NUG.
Mandalay has also been hit hard by both the natural disaster and junta.
A resistance group, the Ta’ang National Liberation army, and allied militias said they won’t give up newly acquired territories despite pressure from China and the junta. Some 61 airstrikes have killed 65 people and injured 118.
Meanwhile, the Three Brotherhood Alliance, comprised of the Arakan Army, Ta’ang National Liberation Army and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, also announced a ceasefire throughout May.
Translated by Kiana Duncan. Edited by Taejun Kang and Stephen Wright.