To help fill the shortfall in aid caused by Donald Trump’s suspension of US foreign aid, the Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) is calling on Western governments to donate more funds for humanitarian relief in Myanmar.
The call was made in a statement issued by the CHRO on 28 January 2025. Below is the statement:
In response to the U.S. suspension of aid to Myanmar, the Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) urges the UK, EU, Canada, Australia, and other Western allies to increase support toward urgent humanitarian assistance. The escalating military violence and widespread displacement have created a dire situation where delayed or inadequate aid threatens to derail efforts to promote peace and stability in liberated areas.
Stakeholders in regions freed from military control continue to strive to establish governance structures that provide essential services to local communities such as healthcare and education. These grassroots efforts, critical for the process of rebuilding and stabilising lives and livelihoods, are now at risk due to the absence of timely international support. Without immediate intervention, these fragile gains could be lost, deepening the crisis.
As the junta’s attacks toward civilian populations intensify, basic needs such as food and medical supplies are running dangerously low and protection mechanisms for civilians are currently in jeopardy. The international response will be critical to prevent further tragedy. Equally crucial is the continued support for human rights documentation, which plays a vital role in addressing impunity and ensuring future accountability for victims of the junta’s atrocities.
“The U.S. aid suspension has left a dangerous vacuum that jeopardizes not only the immediate humanitarian response but also long-term efforts to foster stability and governance in areas liberated from the junta’s oppressive rule,” said Salai Za UK Ling, Executive Director of CHRO. “The UK, EU, Canada, and Australia must step up now, not just as a matter of urgency, but as a moral obligation to prevent further suffering, to empower local communities, and to ensure accountability for the junta’s crimes,” he continued.
The CHRO calls on the international community to act swiftly and coordinate a critical response to support the ongoing humanitarian needs of the people of Myanmar and the human rights defenders working under perilous conditions to promote and protect human rights in Myanmar.
