NUG acting president calls for urgent humanitarian aid for IDPs on NUG anniversary

18 April 2023
NUG acting president calls for urgent humanitarian aid for IDPs on NUG anniversary
Photo: Acting President Duwa Lashi La's Facebook

The Acting President of the National Unity Government (NUG) delivered an address to Myanmar on the second-anniversary celebrations of their government on 16 April calling for help for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the country.

Duwa Lashi La said the NUG is providing medical treatment and emergency assistance to the wounded people hit by the Myanmar junta’s aerial attack on Pazigyi Village in Kantbalu Township on 11 April.

While the NUG is not ready to set up an air defense system against the military’s aerial attacks, he requested international organisations, non-profit organisations and civil society organisations to prevent more civilian deaths through training programmes.

He also called for the international community to provide air-defense systems, and not to sell military equipment and aviation fuel to the junta, which is carrying out deadly and brutal airstrikes on civilians.

The acting president highlighted the urgent need of humanitarian assistance for about 1.5 million IDPs who fled from their homes to the jungles, mountains and refugee camps due to the arson attacks of junta troops on their villages, while many children have no schools for learning.

Duwa Lashi La admitted that the NUG still have some weakness in providing assistance to IDPs and in providing arms to the people’s resistance forces due to many obstacles on the ground.

However, he said that the NUG is making more effort to fulfill these requirements in coordination with ethnic armed organisations and partner groups.

The acting president stressed their government is working to bring the junta chief and his followers who committed crimes against humanity to face charges in the International Criminal Court.

Duwa Lashi La’s noted the Myanmar economy was in a bad way with high commodity prices, a soaring inflation rate and an unemployment crisis have led to difficulty for many in sustaining their livelihoods and to a rise in various crimes around the country.

He said that the military has killed more than 3,200 people and burnt down over 60,000 houses of innocent civilians and many religious buildings after the coup.

In conclusion, he invited civil service personnel, soldiers and police to leave the military and join the civil disobedience movement to stand together with the people.