The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Edited News | UNHCR
Bi-Weekly Press Briefing Aid for Displaced in Myanmar UNHCR 11 February 2022
The number of internally displaced people due to the conflict in Myanmar has doubled since last year’s military coup and currently amounts to more than 800,000 people, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) informed today while scaling up its emergency response to assist.
“Security is deteriorating rapidly across the country as fighting and armed conflict intensifies with no sign of abating”, said UNHCR’s spokesperson Matthew Saltmarsh speaking today at a news briefing at the United Nations in Geneva. “UNHCR forecasts an accelerating trend of displacements in the coming weeks and months”, he added.
As conflict and insecurity is raging in many parts of the country, UNHCR and partners are stepping up operations and deploying additional resources to support as conflict intensifies.
According to Mr. Saltmarsh, “some 440,000 people have been newly displaced since February 2021, according to our data, adding to an existing 370,000 who had fled their homes previously”.
In the South-East of the country, Kayin, Kayah, Mon and Shan (South) states as well as Bago (East) and Tanintharyi regions collectively account for more than half of the 440,000 newly displaced civilians. Hostilities between various armed groups have triggered large-scale displacements. Kayin and Kayah states remain the most affected ones.
“Another conflict-affected area with pressing humanitarian needs is Myanmar’s North-West, where about 190,000 people remain displaced in Chin State, Magway Region and Sagaing Region”, said UNHCR’s Matthew Saltmarsh.
The displaced people are living in appalling conditions, many in camps and displacement sites, others with host communities, and some have crossed the borders with Thailand and India or have sought refuge in the jungle without adequate food, shelter, sanitation, protection or medical care.
UNHCR and partners distributed relief items including tarpaulins, ropes, blankets, kitchen sets, mosquito nets, buckets, sleeping mats, sanitary kits, COVID-19 personal protective equipment, solar lamps, and winterization kits for adults and children.
“Humanitarian access in many parts of Myanmar remains restricted due to insecurity, roadblocks and challenges in obtaining access approvals”, said Mr. Saltmarsh. ”As a result, host communities and local responders continue to play a leading role in assisting displaced populations”.
The humanitarian situation in Myanmar remains precarious with increased vulnerabilities linked to rising commodity prices, job and income losses, disruptions to basic services and prolonged insecurity. The majority of IDPs are consequently dependent on humanitarian support for survival.
“Some 600,000 stateless Rohingya in Rakhine State, including some 148,000 displaced in camps, villages and displacement sites, also remain highly vulnerable and require humanitarian support”. noted Mr. Saltmarsh.
In 2022, UNHCR requires a total of US$56.7 million to ensure adequate humanitarian assistance and support vulnerable communities.
-ends-
- Exterior wide shot, United Nations Palace of Nations, Geneva. UN flag flying.
- Wide shot, press room UN Geneva.
- SOUNDBITE (English): Matthew Saltmarsh, Spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR): “Security is deteriorating rapidly across the country as fighting and armed conflict intensifies with no sign of abating. UNHCR forecasts an accelerating trend in displacements in the coming weeks and months.”
- Wide shot, press room UN Geneva with podium speakers on the rear.
- SOUNDBITE (English): Matthew Saltmarsh, Spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR): “Some 440,000 people have been newly displaced since February 2021, according to our data, adding to an existing 370,000 who had fled their homes previously.”
- Medium shot, masked participant listening with podium speaker on the TV screen on the rear.
- SOUNDBITE (English): Matthew Saltmarsh, Spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR): “Humanitarian access in many parts of Myanmar remains restricted due to insecurity, roadblocks, and challenges in attaining access approvals. As a result, host communities and local responders continue to play a leading role in assisting displaced populations, demonstrating solidarity with each other by donating what they can.”
- Medium-wide shot, participating listening and taking notes.
- SOUNDBITE (English): Matthew Saltmarsh, Spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR): “Some 600,000 stateless Rohingya in Rakhine State, including some 148,000 displaced in camps, villages and displacement sites, also remain highly vulnerable and require humanitarian support.”
- Medium shot, TV screen showing spokesperson, podium speakers on the rear.
- SOUNDBITE (English): Matthew Saltmarsh, Spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR): “Another conflict-affected area with pressing needs is Myanmar’s North-West, where about 190,000 people remain displaced in Chin State, Magway Region and Sagaing Region.”
- Wide shot, press room in Geneva. Participants listening with podium speakers on the rear.
- Close-up shot, masked participant listening besides the tripod of camera.
- Medium shot, one participant listening and another rising hand up to ask questions.
- Wide shot, masked participants sitting and listening.
- Wide shot, masked participant taking notes besides the tripod of camera.
- Medium shot, masked participants listening carefully.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
At the bi-weekly press conference in Geneva, Thameen Al-Kheetan, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Danielle Bell, head of UN Human Rights’ Ukraine team, spoke of the deepening impact of the war on the civilian population.
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
At the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva, UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan made the following remarks Intensified Israeli attacks in Gaza.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
DR Congo: Ebola outbreak continues to expand, WHO sees signs of stabilization
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), UN health teams and partners are still racing to contain the rapidly expanding Ebola outbreak, despite ongoing insecurity in eastern areas where the virus has taken hold. As of 19 July, the DRC Government has recorded 2,423 confirmed cases, including 967 deaths and 469 patient recoveries.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights spokeperson Jeremy Laurence appealed for calm in Pakistan-Administered Kashmir amid a wave of unrest ahead of regional elections at the end of the month.
1
1
1
Edited News | WFP
UN humanitarians working in war-torn Sudan warned on Friday of growing dramatic needs among the more than 100,000 displaced people now sheltering in camps in the city of El Obeid. "We are providing even not the full food ration to the people, but even that reduced food ration is being shared by the recipients with other families, because they know that they don't have any other source of income," said World Food Programme (WFP) Sudan Country Director Abdallah Alwardat.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
‘This is a fire’: DRC Ebola outbreak is fastest-growing ever, warns WHO
Infections of the Bundibugyo species of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have reached record highs and a majority of new cases are coming from “unknown chains of transmission”, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
In war-torn Sudan, a deadly new cholera outbreak has already claimed more than 100 lives, heightening serious concerns for vulnerable communities including in besieged El-Obeid, where daily drone attacks reportedly continue to hamper aid access.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNIFIL
Ceasefire reduces violence in South Lebanon, but challenges remain as communities face devastation.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
Ebola continues to spread in DRC, death toll passes 500 – WHO
The outbreak of the deadly Bundibugyo species of Ebola in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is expanding, while the push to accelerate testing and identify effective treatment options continues, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.
2
1
2
Statements , Conferences , Edited News | ITU , ODET , PGA , UN , UNESCO
UN chief António Guterres appealed on Monday for far-reaching, worldwide controls on Artificial Intelligence, as increasingly powerful AI chips that are designed for civilian use shift to the battlefield, where “killer robots” are already the norm.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk addressed the 62nd Human Rights Council during the Interactive Dialogue on Ukraine.
1
1
1
Edited News | WMO
More blistering heatwaves and other weather extremes are increasingly likely across the world now and in coming months linked to strengthening El Niño conditions in the tropical Pacific, the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Friday.