The oppressive Burma Army continues its ruthless bombing campaign, exploiting the devastating March 28 earthquake to target civilians, reroute crucial aid workers, and pilfer humanitarian funds, leaving over 30 million citizens in dire need of essentials like food, water, and medical care. Despite international sanctions, the global community has yet to take decisive action against this regime, which enjoys backing from China and Russia.
In the wake of the catastrophic 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Burma (Myanmar) on March 28, 2025, claiming at least 3,911 lives, injuring 4,589 people, and leaving 221 missing, the military junta has not halted its aggressive assaults. Even after publicly announcing a ceasefire to facilitate earthquake relief, the Burma Army has persisted and even intensified its attacks on resistance forces and civilians.
Rather than honoring the ceasefire, the junta has seized the opportunity created by the crisis. As resistance fighters and aid workers rushed to aid survivors trapped under debris and in desperate need of sustenance, the regime unleashed a barrage of airstrikes on newly liberated towns and civilian areas already ravaged by the quake.
The most brutal bombings have plagued Karenni and southern Shan States, where relentless air attacks have hindered aid deliveries and forced thousands more to flee. In Wuntho Township, situated in Sagaing Region, one of the earthquake’s hardest-hit areas, junta jets struck near a hospital, resulting in the deaths of 26 civilians, including those awaiting treatment. In Chin State, air raids claimed at least 12 more lives, while in the Magway Region, regime forces razed entire villages.
On April 9, a particularly deadly attack occurred in Saizang village, Tedim Township, Chin State, where a 500-pound bomb from a military aircraft claimed the lives of six family members. That same day, in Nwar Chan Gone village, Karen State, another airstrike killed at least 14 civilians, including a pregnant woman and her husband.
Although international relief teams have arrived in Burma to aid earthquake recovery efforts, their work is severely hampered by new military-imposed restrictions. On April 5, Vice Senior General Soe Win declared that all aid activities must secure regime approval, reversing previous policies and paralyzing volunteer operations.
All aid workers now face stringent requirements to submit personal information, register their equipment, and obtain numerous permissions before delivering aid. The Burmese junta is collecting detailed data on aid workers in affected areas, purportedly for security, but seemingly to track the flow of people and resources and identify any ties to resistance groups or foreign support.
This scrutiny has instilled a climate of fear, with reports of local volunteers being forcibly conscripted into the military. Even requests to clear rubble now require official approval. Consequently, donor participation has plummeted, and many groups, particularly from Yangon, have ceased operations due to surveillance and safety concerns.
Across Mandalay, Sagaing, and Naypyitaw, some of the most affected areas, aid teams are halted at checkpoints, denied entry into hospitals, or turned away for lacking proper documentation. On April 1, junta troops reportedly fired upon a Chinese Red Cross convoy, further deterring international assistance. Junta-aligned militias and intelligence agents monitor aid routes, fostering fear and mistrust.
Despite these obstacles, some local organizations from Mon and Karen States continue delivering aid independently. Yet, international NGOs face severe limitations. UNOCHA warns that over 17 million people across 60 townships could suffer from shortages of food, water, electricity, and healthcare.
In the severely impacted Sagaing Region, displaced residents now living in makeshift shelters report rapid spread of hunger and illness. With the monsoon season on the horizon, the lack of shelter and aid threatens to exacerbate the humanitarian crisis.
The Burma Army further impedes relief efforts by banning direct food deliveries, diverting aid to military-controlled zones, and demanding complete control over distribution. Civil society groups and resistance networks have stepped in, raising funds and bypassing checkpoints, but access remains limited.
The junta’s response, including tightened control, blocked humanitarian relief, and continued airstrikes, reveals a calculated effort to weaponize the disaster. Delayed rescue efforts have only worsened conditions. Instead of addressing its people’s suffering, the regime is using the earthquake as yet another tool to suppress dissent and tighten its grip on power.
Numerous volunteer groups have suspended aid operations in Burma due to the stringent restrictions imposed by the military junta. Access to earthquake-ravaged regions such as Sagaing, Mandalay, and Shan State is tightly controlled, with aid groups required to undergo rigorous registration and operate solely under official supervision. Deputy Prime Minister General Soe Win has declared that no relief efforts—domestic or international—will be permitted to operate independently.
Over ten local organizations have ceased their activities, refusing to distribute aid through the military. Civilians report withheld or stolen supplies and fear that international support could be deterred by the junta’s control. While the regime claims it is merely preventing disaster exploitation, international organizations continue to call for the immediate removal of aid restrictions.
