Myanmar or Burma

Myanmar’s military on Wednesday announced a unilateral ceasefire in its fight against rebels until April 22 to expedite relief and reconstruction efforts after last week’s devastating earthquake, which has killed more than 3,000 people.

NUG has already declared a truce shortly after the earthquake.

Australia on Wednesday said it was providing another $4.5 million, in addition to $1.25 million it had already committed, and had a rapid response team on the ground.

Washington said on the weekend it would provide $2 million in emergency assistance.

Sagaing is the heart of local resistance to military rule after the coup, and the eipcenter of the earthquake. Unlike the professional guerilla armies that rule the border and hills of the country using forced conscription funded by drug and illicit goods trades , Sagaing's PDFs are volunteers using home-made rifles, drones, and 3-D printed guns in opposing the military rule. Predictably the area is receiving scant help from the military junta in rescue operations.

Statement by US Embassy in Myanmar:

As an immediate response to the March 28 Sagaing earthquake, the United States will provide up to USD 2 million through Myanmar-based humanitarian assistance organizations to support earthquake-affected communities. In addition, a USAID emergency response team is deploying to Myanmar to identify the people’s most pressing needs, including emergency shelter, food, medical needs, and access to water.

The United States stands with the people of Myanmar as they work to recover from the devastation. We offer our deepest condolences for the loss of life and infrastructure in this difficult time.

The Myanmar Military Council has prohibited foreign journalists from reporting on the recent earthquake, citing security concerns.

Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, the junta’s spokesperson, announced the decision on 30 March, stating that foreign media had requested permission to enter the country, but the government could not accommodate them.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/27527691

Summary

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar killed over 1,000 people, with the U.S. Geological Service predicting fatalities could exceed 10,000.

Infrastructure damage and civil war have hindered rescue efforts.

Myanmar's junta has appealed for help despite strained international relations.

International aid from China, Russia, India, Malaysia, Singapore, and South Korea is arriving, while the U.S. pledged limited assistance.

In Thailand, nine people died, and a collapsed Bangkok skyscraper trapped 30 workers. Rescuers continue to search for survivors amid widespread devastation.

A Myanmar rebel group that controls one of the world's largest rare earth zones has told miners there it will allow shipments of existing rare earth inventories to China from Thursday, according to two sources and a statement reviewed by Reuters.

Rare earth mining in Myanmar is concentrated in Kachin state around the towns of Panwa and Chipwe, which have been controlled by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) since last October.