The 7.7. magnitude earthquake that hit Burma on 28 March, would have caused huge problems in any country. However, these problems were exacerbated in Burma, due to the chaos that was already reigning in the country as the brutal military regime, desperately tries to cling on to power, while various insurgent ethnic groups have come together to challenge the military’s 60-year rule.
In most countries, the question after an earthquake is how long will it take for the country to recover. Sadly, in the case of Burma, there is an even more basic question to ask: can Burma recover from the devastation of the March earthquake?
It was reported on 5 April that “the junta’s poor emergency response leaves people fearing prolonged chaos, despite the relentless propaganda”.
We also heard about Hnin who had been waiting for news about her two daughters, two and seven years old, her husband and their domestic worker, who had all been inside a six-storey hotel in Mandalay, central Myanmar, when it collapsed.
It was further noted that, “delays to search operations have added to her agony. Hnin rushed around the devastated city, where communication lines were barely functioning, to buy head-torches and fuel for poorly equipped teams. A hotel manager refused to allow the use of a digger, fearing the building would collapse. Days passed before Chinese and Russian rescue teams arrived”.
Hnin was reported as saying: “How can I sleep? When I wake in the middle of the night, I feel as if my tears have run out. I can’t cry any more.”
Hnin stood outside the collapsed building, calling her husband’s name, hoping for his reply, and making offerings to spirits, praying for her family’s safety.
Meanwhile, at Mandalay general hospital, a short drive away, doctors had barely slept as patients were being treated outside in the searing heat due to several buildings being damaged. A medic said that some patients were suffering heatstroke. Some patients and families said that they had developed skin infections because of the poor sanitation, with there being a severe lack of mobile toilets.
Why is Burma struggling to recover?
There are two closely connected answers to this question. Firstly, Burma is a poor country, despite being rich in many natural resources including minerals and teak. In 2023. the GDP for Burma or Myanmar was $66,758 million, with the country placed at number 88 in the ranking of GDP of 196 countries. The absolute value of GDP in Myanmar rose $4,505 million with respect to 2022. This means that The GDP per capita of Burma in 2023 was $1,233, $75 less than in 2022, when it was $1,158. This means that most Burmese are trying to manage on about £1 000 per year.
This poverty is compounded by the fact that the military junta have for decades now taken much of the wealth of the country for themselves. This has meant that a meagre 5.6% of GDP is spent on the health service in Burma, compared to a global average of 7.21%. It is therefore no wonder that Burma is struggling to recover from the earthquake last month.
When an earthquake hits, countries usually need two types of aid. Firstly, they need emergency aid to help people with their basic needs. These include, clean water, food, emergency medical care and shelter. The second type of aid is longer-term aid, in terms of rebuilding infrastructure.
In many countries, poor communications and damaged infrastructure can make it very difficult to get much needed aid to those who so desperately need it. In Burma, however the situation is greatly complicated due to the ongoing civil war as the military continue their decades long oppression, while insurgent groups try to get rid of the brutal military dictatorship.
And amid the destruction from the earthquake, there are still great concerns about who will pay for the towns to be rebuilt? It has been noted that “at least 20 towns and cities are damaged, according to reports”. Neighbouring China could lend money for individual projects, but it is not thought likely that it would trust the regime with vast sums, given that the generals could not manage an emergency response effort themselves. For communities, with the country in turmoil, all that having to manage without proper infrastructure and a prolonged state of chaos. Consequently, the deep trauma inflicted on families like Hnin’s will take longer to heal. That’s if it ever does.
Zoya Phan, Burma Campaign UK
I asked Zoya Phan from the Burma Campaign Uk for her comment on the present situation in Burma: “Even after major earthquake, the Burmese military still continues attacking people in different parts of the country using airstrikes and artillery. While the Burmese military has allowed aid in central Burma, and media focus on that, in areas freed from Burmese military occupation they are still blocking aid. The only way to get aid to those who need it is through local community organisations.
“There are multiple administrations in the country as people resist Burmese military occupation. Assistance should not be limited only to Burmese military occupied areas. The majority of Burma is no longer under the control of the Burmese military. In each area freed from Burmese military occupation there are ethnic revolutionary administrations, local administrations and local civil society networks which need support to assist their populations.”
Helping the people of Burma
Find out how to help the people of Burma recover for the devastating earthquake here.
