In Sagaing City’s Shwe Min Wah Ward, the military-appointed ward administrator Htet Aung Phyo has been selling rice bags intended for earthquake victims and war refugees at 70,000 kyats per bag for personal profit. The 150 rice bags allocated by the military council for earthquake victims and displaced persons who arrived in Shwe Min Wah Ward were not distributed to the refugees but instead were taken to the administrator’s house for resale. Additionally, rice bags provided by the World Food Programme (WFP) have not yet reached Shwe Min Wah Ward, while other wards have received their allocations, according to local residents.
Ward administrator Htet Aung Phyo assumed his position after the military coup and typically stays in the ward during the day while spending nights inside Battalion 33. Shwe Min Wah Ward is a large residential area with approximately 3,000 households, located near Sagaing Education University, Sagaing Industrial Zone road, and Battalion 33. The earthquake that struck on March 28 caused damage to four high-rise buildings and numerous houses in the ward, resulting in casualties and injuries. The ward currently houses hundreds of families who are both earthquake victims and war refugees from other townships within Sagaing District.
Similarly, in Letpanseik Village of Myittha Township, Kyaukse District, Mandalay Region, village administrator Htun Htun Oo has been misappropriating relief supplies and food rations provided by the military council for earthquake victims. Instead of distributing these items to the affected public, he has been hoarding them for resale and only distributing them to his relatives and friends. This misuse of aid materials by military council-appointed administrators has further exacerbated the difficulties faced by people who are already suffering from the disaster. The actions of these administrators demonstrate how their alignment with the military council has enabled them to exploit relief efforts for personal gain at the expense of affected civilians who desperately need assistance.
