Myanmar is in crisis. Since the military junta seized power on February 1, 2021, overthrowing Aung San Suu Kyi’s democratically elected government, the country has been affected by civil war, economic collapse, and humanitarian catastrophe.
Over 23.5 million people have been displaced, 19.9 million require urgent humanitarian assistance (United Nations) and more than half the population has been plunged into poverty. Amidst this turmoil, the United States has slashed foreign aid, exacerbating an already dire situation and drawing international condemnation.
“A shameful act of betrayal”
Tom Andrews, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on Myanmar, has strongly criticised the USAID cuts, calling them a “shameful act of betrayal” that will lead to untold suffering and death, The Irrawaddy reports. According to Andrews, the cuts are politically motivated, based on false claims of corruption and waste, and implemented in a manner that maximises harm. He has urged the international community, particularly the 47 member states of the UN Human Rights Council, to take a stand against these reckless actions.
“The sudden, chaotic withdrawal of support, principally by the government of the United States, is already having a crushing impact on the people of Myanmar,” Andrews stated, warning that the abrupt termination of aid programs “is going to kill them.”
Impact on refugees along the Thai-Burma Border
The effects of these cuts are already being felt in some of the most vulnerable communities. The Thai-Burma border, home to nine refugee camps, has been severely affected. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) was forced to shut down medical clinics in seven camps, leading to devastating consequences.
The ALTSEAN-Burma Coup Watch Report stated that on February 2, a woman in Chang Mai Refugee Camp died four days after losing access to her IRC-supported oxygen supply.
Days later, a 30-year-old refugee from Mae La camp died after being forced to stop dialysis treatment.
The Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) has had to lay off 56 staff, including 40 healthcare workers.
Despite US assurances of a waiver for life-saving support, aid remained frozen as of February 11. With only 1.5 months’ worth of funding left (since February 2025), humanitarian organisations are warning of an impending disaster. The Border Consortium (TBC), which feeds 100,000 refugees in these camps, relies on $1.3 million per month from the US State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. Without restored funding, be it from the US or alternative sources, starvation and preventable deaths loom.
Limited healthcare services have resumed in some camps for a temporary three-month period. However, questions remain about whether US funding will continue beyond this brief window. The suspension of family planning, mental health care, and referrals to Thai hospitals further compounds the crisis.
Further impact on health, education, and press freedom
The cuts have affected the people of Myanmar in several aspects, halting funding for 34 critical projects. The key areas impacted include:
- Education: $30 million in funding was frozen, further restricting access to schooling for children in conflict zones.
- Humanitarian Aid: $22 million was cut, leaving millions without food, shelter, and medical assistance.
- Healthcare: $22 million in health funding was withdrawn, worsening the already fragile healthcare system.
- Agriculture: $36 million in agricultural support was halted, affecting food production and livelihoods.
- Human Rights and Democracy: $39 million earmarked for human rights, democracy promotion, and independent media over the next three years was frozen.
The loss of funding for independent media has been particularly devastating. Many media outlets and journalists, already operating under extreme repression from the junta, have been forced to shut down or continue working without pay. An estimated 200 exiled Burmese journalists, who were fully reliant on US support, now face uncertainty.
A call for international action
The USAID cuts have stripped away vital support to the people in Myanmar at a time when they need it most. The UN and humanitarian organisations are calling on the US to reconsider its decision and for other nations to step in to fill the funding gap. The survival of millions depends on urgent intervention and sustained international solidarity.
As Myanmar’s struggle for democracy continues, Australian aid organisations are calling on a life-saving increase of the Federal budget for aid. These cuts are not just numbers, they are futures shattered, and a people left to fend for themselves against an oppressive regime.
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