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Myanmar holds minute's silence for more than 2,700 dead in devastating earthquake
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Apr 1, 2025
Myanmar observed a nationwide minute of silence Tuesday to honor the more than 2,700 victims of a catastrophic earthquake four days ago that flattened buildings, displaced thousands, and sparked an international rescue effort amid ongoing civil conflict. Myanmar Shadow Health and Education Minister, Zaw Wai Soe, joins us.
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0:00
The death toll from the earthquake in Myanmar four days ago has now passed 2,700
0:06
Authorities say the real number of casualties is likely to be over 3,000
0:11
A minute of silence was held today for the victims across the country
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Now, many people are still sleeping outdoors, unable to return to their ruined homes or afraid of further aftershocks
0:23
We're going to talk more about the situation in Myanmar now with Zoe So, who joins me live from there
0:30
Thank you so much for taking the time to speak to us. You're the health and education minister of the National Unity Government of Myanmar
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which is the shadow government formed after the coup in 2021. This is the very first time you're speaking to an international TV station
0:43
So thank you so much for taking the time to do that for France 24. You're inside Myanmar
0:49
You're also a doctor as well as being the health minister. What's your assessment at the moment of the death toll
0:54
Is that official one I was citing before, 2700, accurate? Or could it be much worse
1:02
I think you all know the dictatorship. And we have similar experiences in the last years under the successive military dictatorship
1:17
They always reported far, far below the accurate number, truth number. They don't want to expose the truth, what's happening on ground
1:31
I think we expected that four or five times higher than their report, the truth is, yeah
1:43
Four or five times more. we talking then perhaps up to 15 dead And particularly Yeah yeah yeah Maybe 5 to 10 people dead you know die in the earthquake
1:57
I want to ask you more specifically about the Sagan region where some 5 million people live
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That's north of Mandalay. It's the very heart of the conflict, the civil war at the moment
2:07
I mean, it seems as though the people there have been left to fend for themselves
2:11
How do you explain this situation? What are their most urgent needs? Yeah, it can be in the guy area, but, you know
2:22
earthquake hit to the Nepero and Mandalay and the Zagai, but for military, they are very selfish
2:30
and then their management is not, you know, focused on the people
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They manage only their area, and then focus on the prioritized in their own area
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like military area in Nepero. That's why people in the earthquake area mainly hit Sagayan and mentally are neglected
2:50
And they are focusing on that. And also they don't have a well plan
2:56
And then the same as before, you know, other disaster management. And actually this earthquake disaster, we expect it
3:08
We predict it. I mean, we mean people, government, previous government, we predicted and that we prepared since 2015-16 because of this Zagarin 4, you know, there will come a big earthquake we expected
3:27
That's why we prepared. But military people, they didn't prepare. And then also you know they focused on the fighting the old people and the atrocity and then you know the selfish That why they cannot manage properly And the first golden hour you know 72 hours
3:46
gone without having effective, efficient, you know, management. That's why, you know, people stuck in the, you know, collapsed building
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and then they died without having any, you know, effective, efficient support
4:00
We've all seen these horrific pictures of what's happened there since the earthquake hit
4:05
There, of course, have been aftershocks as well. But what about international aid
4:08
Why is the military regime refusing to open Myanmar up to foreign aid and foreign journalists
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despite the growing need for help and for coverage of what's happening there? This is not unusual
4:23
This is normal for the Myanmar military. You know, we have experienced Nargis and Yagi and then Mocha and then COVID-19
4:32
In third way, the same. All the dictators are the same. They're afraid of journalists
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They're afraid of media. And they're who will share the truth on the ground
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And then they don't want to expose how they are poorly managed and unfairly managed
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And inhumane, they don't want to expose. And then also, they're very much afraid of the people
4:58
You know, Myanmar people who, you know, talking to the media and then, you know, exploring through the international
5:05
That's why, you know, they are not, you know, they worry about all these things
5:10
That is the problem. And that is the dictatorship. This is the huge testament for the military and international community
5:20
You know, Myanmar people, you know, they are under the military dictatorship and atrocity
5:26
and the military they are killing the old people you know Myanmar people old people Now for the four years now you can imagine And then now you can see the truth
5:37
And now the war gets to know and gets to see, may online
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And then the military, the same as all other dictators in the history of the war
5:48
They are brutal. They are insurmountable. And they are selfish. Myanmar, of course, in the midst of this horrific civil war
5:56
But the rebel offensive has gained momentum at the moment. There are reports that 60 to 70 percent of the country is now under its control
6:04
Do you think that this disaster, this earthquake, could be a game changer
6:08
whether that's in favor of the military or the opposite? I think because we are very much determined
6:18
The people in Myanmar are very determined. and then they are very much resilient and also consistently strong and then stand strong
6:28
and then keep solidarity. That's why whatever the challenges, even disaster, we will continue our
6:36
fighting and then against the military and then I'm sure we will win. And then in this disaster
6:45
mainly damage in their control area. I mean, I really, really said
6:53
and then for the people who are clearly, I mean, in this disaster
7:00
but mainly the damage in the Nipido and the infrastructure of the military
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I think this is the time we can defeat the military. Zoe, so thank you so much for taking the time
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to speak to us in this exclusive interview for France 24. You're a doctor and the health and education minister
7:18
of the National Unity Government in Myanmar. Thank you so much
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