Relief supplies donated for earthquake victims in Mandalay Region are being unfairly seized and redistributed by ward administrators and their associates to their own relatives and friends. In Chan Mya Tharzi Township’s Myothit Ward No. 4, the ward administrator and their relatives have been taking control of donations received from donors, distributing only small portions to the general public. Local residents report that the administrators are prioritizing their own networks while limiting aid to those truly in need.
In Chan Mya Tharzi Township’s Myothit Ward No. 4, a temporary shelter has been established at Basic Education High School No. 3 (School Z) for those whose homes were destroyed by the earthquake. However, the ward administrator has invited people from squatter areas to increase the number of aid recipients, causing the population at the shelter to swell to over 300 people. The administrator and their associates are giving priority to their relatives when distributing items like dried fish and other supplies, while actual victims receive leftovers. They store rice donations in their office under lock and key, with only education staff and senior officials having access to the distribution. Some people are seen collecting aid in the morning and departing by evening on motorcycles with large packages, most of them being relatives of senior officials. Local residents note that while there are only about 50 genuine victims, others are being added to inflate numbers.
Similarly, in Mandalay’s Sein Pan Ward, despite having over 500 people affected by the earthquake, the ward administration team has only registered about 180 people, excluding those with separate household registrations. They are reportedly hoarding excess supplies instead of distributing them to all those in need. A local resident explained that families of five are forced to share a single meal box due to the limited distribution system, despite having proper household registration. The situation has led to criticism of the administrators’ unethical behavior and management of aid distribution.
Currently, the military council has failed to provide effective assistance to earthquake victims in Sagaing, while local administrators continue to misappropriate donated supplies, further exacerbating the suffering of affected civilians. Local residents are condemning these actions by the administrative bodies and calling for fair distribution of aid to those genuinely in need. The situation highlights the ongoing challenges faced by earthquake victims, who are not only dealing with the natural disaster’s impact but also struggling with unfair aid distribution practices by local authorities appointed by the military council.
