International emergency relief supplies, including food and medicine intended for Myanmar citizens affected by the Sagaing earthquake, are being stockpiled in Naypyidaw without distribution by the military council, according to local aid workers collaborating with the council. Following the March 28 Sagaing earthquake that caused extensive damage to homes and resulted in casualties, the international community has been continuously sending emergency relief, food supplies, and medical aid. However, the military council has failed to distribute these relief materials to the affected population, instead accumulating them in Naypyidaw.
The thousands of tons of relief supplies sent by the international community are being stored in open spaces in front of ministry buildings and sports grounds in Naypyidaw, specifically at the Naypyidaw Council and Department of Relief and Resettlement offices. Materials are temporarily held at the airport before being transferred to these locations. The military council has mandated that all parties wishing to participate in earthquake relief efforts must obtain permission, prohibiting any unauthorized relief activities. As a result, all aid organizations must seek approval and permission from the military council before conducting any operations.
The international emergency relief supplies include time-sensitive materials that could be damaged or wasted if not distributed promptly. For example, medicines and food supplies require immediate distribution, and storing relief materials under tarpaulins is inappropriate. Currently, the military council has accumulated over three thousand tons of relief supplies without proper management systems in place. Distribution has been limited to within Naypyidaw, failing to reach earthquake-affected areas in Mandalay and Sagaing. The situation mirrors previous instances, such as during Cyclone Nargis in 2008, when international aid was stockpiled in government warehouses without timely distribution.
