Hello and Happy Thingyan to those who celebrate the Myanmar New Year! May the new year bring peace and justice to the people of Myanmar.
In this month’s edition of Author Abroad, I’m back to my usual obsessions—Myanmar and authoritarianism—plus more on the folly of the current US administration’s decision to dismantle USAID.
But first: for those of you on the Vineyard, please join me at Bunch of Grapes at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, April 16th for a conversation about the intersection of creative writing and politics. I’ll be in conversation with friend, fellow writer, and former Cold War scholar Brenda Horrigan. Here’s the link for more information.
The Myanmar Earthquake
On March 28, 2025, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck the center of Myanmar causing extensive damage and loss of life. As of April 12th, the official death toll is over 3,500, but the true number of lives lost won’t be known for some time, if at all. There are a few of reasons for this. Myanmar’s military junta has forbidden access by aid workers and journalists to many parts of the country. At the same time, they’ve resumed airstrikes against freedom fighters in these same areas, making relief and recovery efforts next to impossible. Meanwhile, humanitarian aid to Myanmar has been crippled by the recklessness of the decision to dismantle USAID without warning or consultation, creating unexpected funding shortfalls and wreaking chaos throughout the aid world.
The Myanmar earthquake almost completely destroyed the city of Sagaing. Neighboring Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw have also suffered widespread damage. Yangon, where I lived from 2013-2019, experienced only mild damage from the earthquake itself, but the entire country continues to suffer from the incompetence and neglect of the military regime. Here’s what friends from Yangon had to say this past week when I checked in on them:
“The earthquake just compounds the suffering and hardships people have been struggling with. I'm not sure how or when we can recover from it.”
“There'll be another problem to tackle soon resulting in pandemics if the dead bodies cannot be removed soon. It’s like a horror movie but it's real and we are all suffering.”
“The army is heartlessly still bombing every day.”
“You might have heard of international rescue teams flying in, but where they go has been manipulated by the military. Those buried in the ruins in Sagaing, for example, did not receive any rescue team until close to 72-hour window. 80% of the town has been severely damaged . . . those who want to help cannot go unscrutinized by the authorities.”
“The military has already started to ban welfare groups citing security concerns (their own security not that of people!).”
“Phone lines are being disrupted even in Yangon. Blackouts/power cuts are getting worse, [we are] now down to 4 hrs a day, some places 4 hrs/48 hrs.”
The military has also resorted to one of its favorite control tactics: shutting off the internet both to prevent people inside the country from communicating with the outside world and to prevent the outside world from seeing the extent of the government’s cruelty and incompetence. Here are a couple of good articles for those who want to read more on this topic:
Already Ravaged By War, Myanmar Now Longs For Earthquake Relief
In Myanmar, internet shutdowns hinder earthquake aid response
International response to the earthquake
China and India were among the first to send rescue teams and other desperately needed humanitarian aid to Myanmar. Russian medical teams quickly followed suit, setting up field hospitals to administer to the wounded. Bangladesh sent a rescue team and a shipment of humanitarian supplies. The EU, Australia, and the UK are also contributing to the relief effort, as is Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and many other countries. Though hobbled by a combination of the recent USAID cuts and visa restrictions imposed by the Myanmar government, UN agencies and NGOs are actively engaged as well.
Until recently, USAID would’ve been among the first on the ground, deploying dozens if not hundreds of aid workers, along with specialist equipment and detection dogs. The current administration sent only three USAID workers and then . . . fired all three staff members while they were on the ground in Myanmar. For more on this lunacy, see the following gift articles from the New York Times:
Trump’s U.S.A.I.D. Cuts Hobble Earthquake Response in Myanmar
Trump Administration Fires U.S. Aid Workers in Quake Zone in Myanmar
Karma?
I was especially intrigued by the article, A Question in Quake-Wracked Myanmar: Does This Augur the End of the Junta?, which discusses the notion that the earthquake might be “nature’s way of punishing a cruel and corrupt ruler.” That Mother Nature might have the ability to punish humans who fail other humans is a tantalizing idea. . .🤔 Such a world view might feel foreign to some of us, but many cultures have similar beliefs. We just express it a little differently:
What goes around comes around
You reap what you sow
Every action has an equal and opposite reaction
Fate
Karma
Comeuppance
Part of me wants to believe nature has this power, but another part wonders about the collateral damage, all those lives lost just to teach a dictator a lesson? Idk.
What I do know is that how we react in a disaster can reveal a lot about who we are, demonstrating our true nature, if you will. This is especially true of so-called leaders. The convictions of those who go into politics to make positive change and help others tend to shine through in times of need, while those who are more interested in their own power tend to flounder. Authoritarian regimes like the one in Myanmar, and others closer to home, seem more interested in consolidating their power than taking care of their people. When disaster strikes, be it war, pandemic, or natural calamity, they don’t know how to respond because their only instinct is to look after themselves.
On that note, here is a final plea from a friend in Yangon:
“If you want to help, please advocate for governments (including the US) and international agencies to directly provide aid to earthquake victims (and rescue if there is still any window) through those in the front line / local groups but AVOID giving aid to the military government. They are incompetent, corrupt, evil, what else can I say. They have never served the people even in normal situation and they won't know how in this situation. All they would want is to take advantage of the earthquake to get out of this political stalemate and get legitimacy.”
Below are a few organizations that fit the bill, if you’re interested in donating. All five work independently of the military government and are doing good work in Myanmar, including earthquake relief:
Finally, if you’re in the Boston area, look out for fundraising events organized by Boston Free Burma!
Thanks for reading😊
💕 Liz
Thanks for keeping us updated on the heartbreaking situation in Myanmar.