Humanitarian engagement with Myanmar in the wake of the 2021 coup

The article investigates humanitarian engagement with Myanmar in the wake of the 2021 coup. It opens by examining humanitarian action in Myanmar before 2010, during the 2010s, and after 2021. Drawing on key stakeholder interviews conducted in 2023, it then presents internal and external perspectives...

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Main Authors: Holliday, Ian, Myat, Aung Kaung, Cook, Alistair David Blair
Other Authors: S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10356/182144
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author Holliday, Ian
Myat, Aung Kaung
Cook, Alistair David Blair
author2 S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
author_facet S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
Holliday, Ian
Myat, Aung Kaung
Cook, Alistair David Blair
author_sort Holliday, Ian
collection NTU
description The article investigates humanitarian engagement with Myanmar in the wake of the 2021 coup. It opens by examining humanitarian action in Myanmar before 2010, during the 2010s, and after 2021. Drawing on key stakeholder interviews conducted in 2023, it then presents internal and external perspectives on humanitarianism in Myanmar in the 2020s. While the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the outbreak of war in Gaza in 2023 generated significant attention from donor nations, humanitarian needs in Myanmar, encompassing 18.6 million citizens, including 3.4 million internally displaced persons, go largely unmet. The argument from international society is that regional states should work towards a ‘Myanmar-led’ solution. Challenges faced by local and international actors, however, raise questions about the possibility of a solution that bridges the divide between these two humanitarian communities and is also acceptable to all groups in Myanmar. The article concludes by proposing that initiatives at the regional and global levels coalesce, overcome actor territoriality and generate political will by putting affected communities at the centre of humanitarian engagement to overcome current limitations and barriers to action.
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spelling ntu-10356/1821442025-01-10T05:34:53Z Humanitarian engagement with Myanmar in the wake of the 2021 coup Holliday, Ian Myat, Aung Kaung Cook, Alistair David Blair S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies Agricultural Sciences Social Sciences Myanmar Burma Humanitarian Military Coup The article investigates humanitarian engagement with Myanmar in the wake of the 2021 coup. It opens by examining humanitarian action in Myanmar before 2010, during the 2010s, and after 2021. Drawing on key stakeholder interviews conducted in 2023, it then presents internal and external perspectives on humanitarianism in Myanmar in the 2020s. While the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the outbreak of war in Gaza in 2023 generated significant attention from donor nations, humanitarian needs in Myanmar, encompassing 18.6 million citizens, including 3.4 million internally displaced persons, go largely unmet. The argument from international society is that regional states should work towards a ‘Myanmar-led’ solution. Challenges faced by local and international actors, however, raise questions about the possibility of a solution that bridges the divide between these two humanitarian communities and is also acceptable to all groups in Myanmar. The article concludes by proposing that initiatives at the regional and global levels coalesce, overcome actor territoriality and generate political will by putting affected communities at the centre of humanitarian engagement to overcome current limitations and barriers to action. 2025-01-10T05:34:53Z 2025-01-10T05:34:53Z 2025 Journal Article Holliday, I., Myat, A. K. & Cook, A. D. B. (2025). Humanitarian engagement with Myanmar in the wake of the 2021 coup. Journal of Asian Public Policy. https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17516234.2024.2448035 1751-6234 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/182144 10.1080/17516234.2024.2448035 en Journal of Asian Public Policy © 2025 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. All rights reserved.
spellingShingle Agricultural Sciences
Social Sciences
Myanmar
Burma
Humanitarian
Military
Coup
Holliday, Ian
Myat, Aung Kaung
Cook, Alistair David Blair
Humanitarian engagement with Myanmar in the wake of the 2021 coup
title Humanitarian engagement with Myanmar in the wake of the 2021 coup
title_full Humanitarian engagement with Myanmar in the wake of the 2021 coup
title_fullStr Humanitarian engagement with Myanmar in the wake of the 2021 coup
title_full_unstemmed Humanitarian engagement with Myanmar in the wake of the 2021 coup
title_short Humanitarian engagement with Myanmar in the wake of the 2021 coup
title_sort humanitarian engagement with myanmar in the wake of the 2021 coup
topic Agricultural Sciences
Social Sciences
Myanmar
Burma
Humanitarian
Military
Coup
url https://hdl.handle.net/10356/182144
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