UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations stated on Thursday that millions of people in Myanmar “cannot afford for us to forget” their suffering, describing mounting hunger, mass displacement and safety concerns as the conflict between the junta and ethnic minority groups drags on.
Speaking before the Security Council on Thursday, UN official Lisa Doughten underscored the urgency of the situation, emphasizing that millions of people in Myanmar are enduring unimaginable suffering and cannot afford to be forgotten by the international community.
“As the conflict continues to escalate, as humanitarian needs intensify, and with the monsoon season just around the corner, time is of the essence for the people of Myanmar,” Lisa Doughten told the Security Council, on behalf of humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths.
“They cannot afford for us to forget. They cannot afford to wait. They need the support of the international community now to help them survive in this time of fear and turmoil.”
Since the military’s seizure of power in 2021 and subsequent clashes with ethnic minority armed groups and pro-democracy forces, the humanitarian situation has deteriorated rapidly. Doughten highlighted alarming statistics, including the displacement of 2.8 million people, with 90 percent of them uprooted since the junta’s takeover.
As fighting intensifies across the country, civilians face daily threats to their safety and livelihoods. Hunger is rampant, with approximately 12.9 million people — nearly a quarter of the population — experiencing food insecurity.
Of particular concern is the situation in Rakhine state, where violence has escalated, exacerbating the plight of Rohingya civilians who have long endured persecution and displacement. UN Assistant Secretary General Khaled Khiari emphasized the dire need to halt the military’s campaign of violence and repression, which has left Rohingya refugees in neighboring Bangladesh with no immediate prospects for safe return.
To try to find a solution to Myanmar’s political crisis, Khiari said that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres plans to appoint a new special envoy to the country “in the coming days.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres intends to appoint a new special envoy to Myanmar in the coming days. This move aims to facilitate diplomatic efforts to address the country’s deepening political and humanitarian turmoil.
