Myanmar Military Fires on the Chinese Red Cross convoy in the Quake area

The Myanmar Army shot on a convoy of the Chinese Red Cross trying to provide food and medicines to the desperate survivors of the massive earthquake in Myanmar, highlighting the groups of dangers that face the civil war during the country.

The military said on Wednesday that his soldiers had opened fire on vehicles transporting rescue materials to the North Shan state devastated by the war after the convoy had not managed to warn them in advance of his presence. The armed groups also said that the military launched dozens of air attacks from magnitude 7.7 on Friday tremblingwho killed at least 2,700, killing dozens of civilians.

Although the Government shaded in exile, known as the government of national unity, and an alliance of three rebel groups have announced the fires in the wake of the earthquake, the military, who seized power in a coup d’état four years ago, indicated that it will not stop hostilities. The ferocious civil war had already caused widespread suffering in front of the earthquake, which killed at least 2,700 and left millions of people with little food and water.

General Senior Min Aung Hlaing, the head of the Myanmar council, declared in a statement on Tuesday evening that military operations will continue as “necessary protective measures” despite the earthquake.

“There is nothing necessary or protective in attacking people who try to help people,” said Tom Andrews, a special united nations on human rights in Myanmar. “Continue to launch military crimes is only scandalous.”

Tuesday around 9.30 pm, the military fired against a convoy of the Chinese Red Cross near the village of Ummati in the state of the northern Shan, according to General Zaw Min Tun, spokesman for the Myanmar army.

A rebellious group, the National Liberation Army of Ta’ang, which was part of the rebellious alliance that declared a ceased the fire of a month, said that the convoy was traveling to the central city of Mandalay, near the epicenter of the earthquake.

General Zaw Min Tun said that when the convoy was spotted, the soldiers tried to block his path but did not stop. The torches were used to report it from about 100 to 200 meters (yard) away, but continued to move. About 100 meters, the soldiers shot three times.

“Since this region is an active conflict area with battles in progress between the Ta’ang National Liberation Army And the military, the inability to notify could have mistakenly led to identification as a hostile entity, “said General Zaw Min Tun.

The Red Croce Society of China did not respond to requests for comment. China, which has close relationships with Myanmar, was one of the first countries to respond to the earthquake, deploying research and rescue teams and sending around $ 14 million in emergency aid.

At least 15 countries, including the United States and Russia, have sent help. In the last few days, groups of international aid such as World Food Program and UNICEF have entered Mandalay and nearby sagaing. But Taiwan said that his offer of a rescue team of 126 members was rejected by Myanmar.

Tayzar San, a Mandalay pro-democracy activist, accused the military junta of “trying to use this disaster for political gain” instead of focusing on “effective rescue efforts”.

The locals in both cities complained that the attempts to help were blocked by the military.

Ko Thein Swe said he and his charity group traveled from Thaton in Mon State with food and medicine and trying to help search and save the missions. But while traveling to Mandalay on Sunday, he was told in a military checkpoint that they could not proceed without permission and who were able to pass only by paying the soldiers.

“At a time when so many people suffer, they not only refuse to help, but they don’t even have the basic human decency to allow others to help,” said Thein Swe.

Myanmar has been at war since the army seized power in a coup in 2021. The junta, which controls urban areas, has lost great land bands against powerful ethnic armies on the borders and some parts of the region of sagination for ordinary citizens who have taken weapons against the junta.

The army continued to bomb parts of the country from the disaster. Tayzar, the activist, said that the army launched over 100 air attacks last week, also in the areas affected by the earthquake, quoting contacts on the ground.

Tuesday around 5.30 pm, 38 young trainees of the Kachin independence army, an armed group that fought the military in the north of Myanmar, were killed in an air attack in the state of Kachin, according to Colonel Naw Buon, spokesman for the group.

The decision of General Min Aung Hlaing to exclude any ceased is an indication of how weak his regime and military personnel are, said Richard Horsey, senior councilor of the international crisis group.

“It seems that they don’t dare to give in,” Horsey said in a note. “But it means that, once again, they are putting survival to the regime above the interests of the people, even in a moment of calamity.”

Chris Buckley reports contributed by Taipei e Claire was From Seoul.