The United Nations announced on Monday that the number of internally displaced people has reached more than 220,000 people in Myanmar since the coup that took place in the country in early February.
This came in a press conference held by the spokesman for the Secretary-General, Stephane Dujarric, at the permanent headquarters of the International Organization in New York.
“More than 220,000 people have been internally displaced in Myanmar as a result of the military coup since 1 February,” the spokesperson said.
He added: “The situation in Rakhine (Western Rakhine Province) remains dire, with growing food insecurity while around three million people across the country need humanitarian assistance.”
“The most vulnerable are families living in urban areas, particularly in Yangon and Mandalay, as well as conflict-affected people in southeast and western Myanmar,” he continued.
“The humanitarian workers on the ground in Myanmar are very concerned about the repercussions of the Corona pandemic, as more than 9,450 thousand cases of the virus have been reported and 17,000 deaths, and we believe that the numbers are likely to be much higher,” the spokesperson explained.
“The United Nations is working with partners to help people affected by displacement, growing food insecurity and the coronavirus,” Dujarric stressed.
“But we face challenges, including insecurity, bureaucratic hurdles, and disruptions in banking systems,” he added.
And he added, “The humanitarian response plan for the current year requires $276.5 million to help more than 3 million people, but it is only 47 percent funded.”
In early February, Myanmar army leaders carried out a military coup, followed by the arrest of senior leaders of the country, including President Win Myint and Chancellor Aung San Suu Kyi.
