Myanmar Earthquake

Question

11:36:00

Asked by

To ask His Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure that their aid reaches those affected by the earthquake in Myanmar.

My Lords, our £10 million of humanitarian assistance will be directed to our existing local partners on the ground to ensure it reaches those most affected throughout Myanmar. No funding will be directed through the Myanmar military regime. I am pleased to announce that the UK will also be aid matching the Disasters Emergency Committee, with every £1 donated by the British public being matched by the UK Government up to the value of £5 million. These funds will support DEC charities and their local partners, who are already responding on the ground.

My Lords, I thank the Minister for her response. We are witnessing a natural tragedy of an earthquake affecting those already living in a war zone, coupled with what one can only say is an appalling human act of the junta apparently taking advantage of the situation to continue its bombardment and its air strikes. I very much applaud the Government’s immediate offer of £10 million and this additional £5 million as well. I have two questions: first, how will the Government respond to the appeal from the National Unity Government—the Government in exile, as it were—for immediate aid and for rebuilding communities? As the penholder at the United Nations, how is the UK leading international efforts to bring additional pressure on the junta?

The noble Lord is quite right to remind us that this earthquake follows years of difficulty and tragedy for the people of Myanmar. We will continue to work with our international partners to bring about the change, peace and stability that people in Myanmar so deserve. The context is incredibly difficult, as he knows. We have seen military air strikes in earthquake-affected areas, which have further complicated our relief efforts. My focus at the moment is on trying to get aid to those who need it most immediately.

My Lords, all those who watched the pictures on the BBC last night will have been appalled at the scenes of utter devastation, particularly in Mandalay. We welcome the Government’s announcement of a £10 million humanitarian aid package. Could the Minister provide a bit more detail on the trusted partners that the Government referred to as a means of providing that aid? Can she provide some more information on how we can avoid any of that aid going to the military junta?

I thank the noble Lord for the support for the action that the Government have been able to take so far. Noble Lords will understand the reasons why we work through local partners on the ground: they are the best way to get the support to those who need it. I ask the noble Lord to also understand the reasons why we do not name or give details of those partners acting locally. It is for their protection and to make sure that they are able to continue to do their vital work.

My Lords and Ladies, I thank my noble friend for her replies thus far and her commitment to this task. I have visited Myanmar many times, including the cities of Mandalay and Naypyidaw, and I am acutely aware of the suffering of the Myanmar people, which has been compounded so grievously in recent days and weeks. When the headlines move on, as they invariably will, will my noble friend keep focused on the struggles of the Myanmar people and use whatever channels she can consistently to call out the brutalities of the Myanmar junta that it has perpetrated on its own people?

I am very happy to provide that assurance to the House today and I will take the opportunity to thank the noble Baroness, Lady Curran, as well as very many other Members of this House, for their commitment and work, and the focus they have placed on Myanmar over the years. As the noble Baroness says, it is vital that, when the media attention perhaps moves on, our focus as political leaders in this country and as the Government remains in place.

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Crisp, and the noble Baroness, Lady Curran, for years of work supporting civil society, and especially those in the medical field in Myanmar, and I welcome the Government’s immediate response with regard to the support that they are providing and the DEC appeal—I wish that appeal had acted on Sudan also. Can the Minister say, further, with regard to the reactions of the Myanmar military regime, what actions we can take with our near neighbours to ensure that there is no impunity for the military regime, which, at this time of immense suffering of its own people, is perpetrating the restricting of rights, especially of minorities within Myanmar? It is acting in the most barbaric way in the midst of a humanitarian crisis.

The noble Lord is completely right; we do not regard the military regime in Myanmar as a legitimate Government. We will take any steps that we are able to with our friends and allies, including sanctions and other measures, in order to bring about the peace, stability and change that the people of Myanmar deserve.

My Lords, building on the question from the noble Lord, Lord Purvis, about minorities in Myanmar, the Rohingya community has suffered more than most, and we have also seen the prevailing sexual violence in Myanmar. Can the Minister assure us that, while we are dealing with this immediate crisis, the focus will also remain on the plight of the Rohingya, that the United Kingdom retains a pen on the issue and that the issue is brought forth at the UN Security Council?

Yes, that is right. I commend the noble Lord’s work, particularly on sexual violence in conflict, which he has led over many years. Fortunately, the epicentre of the earthquake did not hit Rakhine province as harshly as it did other areas, but the Rohingya people are still suffering enormously. The noble Lord is right to make sure that we do not lose focus on that, and I hope that he will continue to do so.

My Lords, the noble Baroness is absolutely right to say that, in addition to the humanitarian needs that now prevail inside Myanmar, the minorities referred to by the noble Lord, Lord Ahmad, are suffering—I think of the Karen people, whose state I visited in the past in Burma. There has been a total of 11 reported attacks on ethnic minorities and civilian communities since the earthquake. Is this not piling tragedy upon tragedy? Although I support what the noble Baroness has said about her call for global sanctions, what about an arms embargo as well? Will we also take to the Security Council a call to ban the sale of aviation fuel to the military to prevent it being able to carry on with these appalling attacks on civilian populations?

The Government are prepared to consider any measures that might bring about the peace, security and stability that we wish to see. We are aware of reports such as those the noble Lord suggested, and we are working to verify them. The sad truth is that the reports that we have had thus far may not be the full picture and, equally, the death toll of around 2,800 that we have so far is unlikely to be the final picture. So we are watching events very closely and we will consider carefully what the appropriate action from the Government will be.

I welcome the emergency assistance announced by the Government. Health professionals are on the front line here; will any of this additional UK aid be allocated specifically to them?

The noble Baroness is right and, yes, we are working in particular to ensure that health assistance is available, as well as getting the food, the medicines, the water and the shelter in immediately. I am aware that the noble Lord, Lord Crisp, who asked this Question today, has been doing some important work on training nurses in Myanmar. So there is the immediate response that the noble Baroness refers to, but there is also the longer-term work that we must continue to do.

My Lords, as a previous trustee of the DEC, I welcome very much the aid match that the noble Baroness has referred to today. I am sure that the British public will respond very generously, as they always do to DEC appeals. Can she ensure that the figure she has announced is kept under review—and I do not mean downwards?

I hear what the noble Baroness has said. At the moment, we have committed to match up to £5 million and I am sure, as she says, that the British public will rise to the challenge. It would be great to be in a situation where we are asked to increase that number because the response from the public has been so impressive.

My Lords, how can we ensure that the very welcome aid to which the noble Baroness has referred goes to those who need it most, when foreign correspondents are not permitted by the regime to enter Myanmar?

That is a very good question, and it is why we work with partners on the ground in a localised approach. We have trusted partners on the ground in Myanmar who we have worked with for many years now, so that is the best way to make sure that the aid does get to where it is needed most, and we have confidence that that is happening.