Relief teams and convoys attempting to travel beyond Sagaing city to provide earthquake assistance are being blocked by the military, Pyu Saw Htee, and people’s militia forces, who have officially stated that access to revolution-controlled areas will not be permitted without authorization, according to affected aid groups. One relief team attempting to reach the earthquake-affected Mingun area on April 6 was stopped at the Sagaing city exit by military and police forces. They were prevented from proceeding due to lack of coordination with relevant Mingun area authorities and because they were carrying supplies including rice, oil, salt, drinking water, medicine, and shelter materials. They were instructed to leave their relief supplies and materials in Sagaing city instead.
The military group has stated that relief teams must coordinate in advance with relevant local authorities to access earthquake-affected areas and must submit detailed lists of relief supplies. Without such permission, access will not be granted. In Sagaing city, armed people’s militia and Pyu Saw Htee members are conducting inspections of relief vehicles heading to villages within Sagaing township and the Sagaing hills area, checking relief supplies and scrutinizing the identification documents of relief workers. While inspections were minimal in the first 5 days after the March 28 earthquake, starting April 3, Pyu Saw Htee and people’s militia forces have intensified their inspection of relief teams in Sagaing city.
The inspections and blockades in Sagaing city involve Ma Ba Tha monks along with Pyu Saw Htee and people’s militia forces, as well as local fire department, Red Cross, police and ward administration teams. The military council announced on April 5 that relief teams cannot operate independently and must obtain prior permission and work together with relevant authorities as a matter of policy. They stated that chief ministers of states and regions should only allow relief teams and NGOs access if they coordinate with the military’s own relief teams. This represents a significant tightening of restrictions on humanitarian access to affected populations in need of emergency assistance following the earthquake.
