As one of the nations that has suffered from international neglect in the past in many forms-from the rohingya crisis-the persecution of Muslims which persists and has shaken the foundations of this poor country and resulted in bloody wars and political strife where the worst forms of human behaviour have been enacted against each other, this time, the beautiful Asian country has fallen victim to nature’s forces. It is the monsoon season and a lot of flooding has already happened there.
The swift action of the Myanmar government in coordinating the response to these floods is commendable. Though they are doing quite a lot, I still think that they deserve more international support for the victims of this natural disaster that has struck this serene country. There are still several unmet needs especially with the monsoon season expected to extend for several weeks. Although some have been able to find temporary housing in makeshift camps in the low-lying areas with tarpaulins and other temporary materials without taking into account those who are being hosted by family and friends out of goodwill, the risk of more flooding for these low-lying regions remains and therefore this has created the perfect scenario for an international intervention coordinated by the Myanmar government the is without speckles.
According to OCHA, the Myanmar Red Cross Society is already providing water and sanitation services along with some evacuations. To prevent water-borne diseases, several International NGO’s are already performing chlorination of water in the Saigaing region.
Myanmar has suffered a lot in recent years from many disasters and this current monsoon season is an opportunity for organisations to flood Mynanmar with support, care and health services by establishing structures and systems to prevent disease outbreaks or starvation. Let’s flood Myanmar with good this time around.
