Systematic Neglect: The Burma (Myanmar) Military's Prioritization of Self-Interest Over Civilian Welfare During Crises

Burma (Myanmar) has faced multiple crises in recent years, notably the COVID-19 pandemic and the devastating earthquake in March 2025. In both situations, the military junta demonstrated a pattern of prioritizing its welfare over that of the civilian population, leading to widespread suffering and loss of life.

COVID-19 Pandemic: Military Actions and Civilian Impact

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Burma (Myanmar) military engaged in several detrimental practices:

• Seizure of Oxygen Supplies
  The military restricted access to oxygen, claiming individuals were hoarding supplies. This action led to numerous preventable deaths as patients were denied essential treatment.
  📎 Source: Amnesty International

• Obstruction of Medical Aid
  Security forces blocked access to hospitals and arrested aid volunteers attempting to deliver oxygen to affected communities, further worsening the health crisis.
  📎 Source: Amnesty International

• Targeting of Health Workers
  Health professionals were arrested, beaten, and intimidated, severely disrupting healthcare delivery. Many healthcare workers and civil servants joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) to peacefully resist military rule.
  📎 Source: BMJ Global Health

2025 Earthquake: Continuation of Military Prioritization

The 7.7-magnitude earthquake in March 2025 killed over 2,700 people and caused massive infrastructure collapse. Yet, the military's behavior followed the same harmful pattern seen during COVID-19:

• Blocking Humanitarian Aid
  The junta confiscated aid intended for earthquake victims, and in many cases, withheld or sold it on the black market, especially in opposition-controlled regions.
  📎 Source: The Guardian

• Continuing Military Operations During a Humanitarian Crisis
  Airstrikes and military offensives continued even after the earthquake, blocking relief teams from accessing affected areas and escalating civilian suffering.
  📎 Source: Financial Times

• Selective Aid Distribution Based on Loyalty
  The military diverted aid to military-aligned areas, leaving opposition strongholds and ethnic regions to suffer without clean water, medical supplies, or shelter.
  📎 Source: The Australian

Comparative Analysis

Both the pandemic and the earthquake expose a disturbing and consistent military strategy:

• Resource Hoarding
  Critical life-saving materials—oxygen and humanitarian aid—were hoarded or weaponized, serving military objectives rather than public need.

• Suppression of Civilian-Led Relief
  The junta violently suppressed health workers, volunteers, and civil society actors who tried to deliver assistance independently.

• Militarized Prioritization
  The military consistently prioritized its own survival, welfare, and control over the lives and well-being of civilians, even in the face of mass casualties and global scrutiny.

Recommendations

To combat this systemic neglect, the international community must act:

• Establish Direct Aid Channels
  Deliver aid through local civil society and border humanitarian corridors, bypassing the junta’s control.

• Enforce Targeted Sanctions
  Sanction military leaders, their business interests, and any entities complicit in blocking humanitarian access.

• Strengthen Community Resilience
  Support grassroots networks, resistance health alliances, and civil-society organizations working in contested and ethnic-controlled regions.

Conclusion

The Burma (Myanmar) military's conduct during the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2025 earthquake reveals a systemic disregard for civilian lives. Their repeated exploitation of crises to consolidate power and suppress resistance must not be ignored. Urgent international action is required to ensure aid reaches those in need and that the military is held accountable for these egregious violations of human rights.

References

• Amnesty International. (2021). "Covid-19 surges unchecked."

• Human Rights Watch. (2025). "Allow Immediate Aid to Quake-Stricken Areas."

• Financial Times. (2025). "The multiple tragedies of Myanmar."

• The Guardian. (2025). "Junta accused of blocking aid after deadly earthquake."

• The Australian. (2025). "Military chokes aid to resistance towns."