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WORLD NEWS Friday 3 June 2022
U.N. report: Over 1 million displaced in Myanmar amid violence

By GRANT PECK Response Plan is only 10%
BANGKOK (AP) — The Unit- funded so far, falling short
ed Nations’ humanitarian by $740 million.
relief agency says the num- An official of the military
ber of people displaced government’s Ministry of
within strife-torn Myanmar Social Welfare, Relief and
has for the first time ex- Resettlement said Wednes-
ceeded 1 million, with well day at a news conference
over half the total losing in Myanmar’s capital Nay-
their homes after a military pyitaw that the govern-
takeover last year. ment distributed humani-
The U.N. Office for the Co- tarian aid to more than
ordination of Humanitarian 130,000 displaced people
Affairs says in a report that from May 2021 through
an already critical situa- May 27 this year.
tion is being exacerbated The official, whose testi-
by ongoing fighting be- mony was broadcast but
tween the military govern- who was not identified by
ment and its opponents, name, said 1,255 houses
the increasing prices of es- and five religious buildings
sential commodities, and were burned or destroyed
the coming of monsoon in fighting between the
season, while funding for army and local resistance
its relief efforts is severely in- Displaced people from Myanmar carry donated lunch boxes to their tents along the Thai side of militias, and consequently
the Moei River in Mae Sot, Thailand on Feb. 5, 2022.
adequate. Its report covers Associated Press received government aid
the situation up to May 26. for rebuilding.
The military has hindered or try slipped into what some homes since the army than 12,700 “civilian prop- U.N. High Commissioner for
denied independent ac- U.N. experts characterize takeover, with thousands erties,” including houses, Refugees Filippo Grandi
cess to areas not under its as a civil war. being uprooted a second churches, monasteries and said last month that the
control, hampering aid ef- OCHA says that fighting or third time, and an es- schools are estimated to number of people world-
forts. has recently escalated. timated 346,000 people have been destroyed. wide forced to flee conflict,
Myanmar’s army in Febru- “The impact on civilians is were displaced by fighting As of the end of the first violence, human rights vio-
ary last year seized power worsening daily with fre- before last year’s takeover quarter of this year, hu- lations and persecution has
from the elected govern- quent indiscriminate at- — mostly in frontier regions manitarian assistance crossed the milestone of
ment of Aung San Suu tacks and incidents in- populated by ethnic minor- reached 2.6 million people 100 million for the first time
Kyi, triggering widespread volving explosive hazards, ity groups who have been in Myanmar, or 41% of the on record. That’s more than
peaceful protests. When including landmines and struggling for greater au- 6.2 million people targeted, 1% of the global population
those were put down with explosive remnants of war,” tonomy for decades. OCHA says. The country’s and comprises refugees
lethal force by the army the report says. The report also says about total population is over 55 and asylum-seekers as well
and police, nonviolent op- It says that more than 40,200 people have fled to million. as people displaced in-
position turned into armed 694,300 people have be- neighboring countries since But it warns this year’s side their own countries by
resistance, and the coun- come displaced from their the takeover and more Myanmar Humanitarian conflict.q

N. Korea criticized as it takes helm of U.N. disarmament body

GENEVA (AP) — Dozens conference who joined the sia voiced support for North
of mostly Western coun- statement have decided Korea’s presidency.
tries criticized North Kore- not to boycott North Ko- All member states get a
an “reckless actions” in its rea’s presidency, but re- turn at the presidency. In
weapons programs as its main “gravely concerned” the past, Western coun-
government on Thursday about its “reckless actions tries have at times balked
took over the rotating presi- which continue to seriously over the accession of some
dency of the U.N.-backed undermine the very value” countries, such as when
Conference on Disarma- of the body. She said the Syria had a turn several
ment. countries’ participation years ago. The presidency
After North Korea’s ambas- should not be seen as giv- is largely a symbolic and
sador opened a new ses- ing any “tacit consent” to administrative post and
sion of the 65-nation body, North Korea’s actions or its doesn’t generally impact
Australian Ambassador “violation of numerous Unit- the body’s proceedings.
Amanda Gorely read a ed Nations Security Council North Korea is taking over This photo provided by the North Korean government, shows
joint statement by 48 coun- resolutions.” the post from Cuba. what it says a test launch of a hypersonic missile in North Korea
tries plus the European France’s envoy, speaking Han Tae Song, North Ko- Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022.
Union that expressed con- on behalf of the European rea’s ambassador, opened Associated Press
cerns about North Korea’s Union, said its members will the session by recognizing
nuclear weapons and bal- downgrade the level of the “honor and privilege” of comments from Western country has a right to de-
listic missile capabilities and their representation at the having the presidency. He countries were “nothing fend itself and said it is still
activities, including reports conference during North urged member countries to new” and no more than technically at war with the
that it may be preparing to Korea’s nearly six-week work toward “peace and “copy-paste” of previous United States because only
conduct a seventh nuclear presidency through July 1. security” and expressed criticisms they have voiced a cease-fire, not a peace
test. Countries such as China, willingness to work with all about North Korea’s be- treaty, halted fighting in the
She said members of the Nigeria, Pakistan and Rus- member states. He said the havior. He insisted that his 1950-53 Korean War.q