The United Nations: More than 12 million people in Myanmar may face severe hunger next year

The United Nations World Food Programme said that the intensification of violent conflicts in Myanmar has forced more people to flee their homes, and more than 12 million people will face severe hunger next year.

Reuters reported that the World Food Programme released the above prediction on Thursday (December 11th), saying that about one million of them would face an emergency state of hunger and need life-saving assistance.

Michael Dunford, the World Food Programme's representative and country director in Myanmar, said in a statement: "Conflict and poverty are depriving the people of their basic means of survival, yet the world turns a blind eye." This is one of the most severe famine crises in the world and also one of the most cash-strapped crises.

The military government of Myanmar has not responded to the predictions of the World Food Programme.

Since the military seized power in 2021, the situation in Myanmar has remained volatile, with continuous artillery fire everywhere. Now, as the general election approaches, there are still reports of deadly air strikes, and the humanitarian situation in the local area is deteriorating day by day.

The World Food Programme says that currently over 400,000 children and mothers suffering from acute malnutrition rely solely on white rice or thin porridge to stay alive.

Reuters reported that the Myanmar military had detained food security researchers and warned aid workers not to disclose information about millions of people suffering from severe hunger.

The military is scheduled to launch a general election on December 28th. Critics and human rights organizations have denounced the general election as a "fake election" held by the military government to legitimize its rule.

According to UN data, about 3.6 million people in Myanmar have been displaced. Many of them have fled their homes multiple times and eventually ended up in temporary shelters, facing shortages of food, medical care and clean water resources.

A UN assessment report released on Wednesday (the 10th) shows that nearly one-third of Myanmar's 51.3 million population will need humanitarian aid next year.

The report states: "During the election period, conflicts are expected to intensify, and climate shocks and economic recessions will continue to weaken the disaster resilience of the people."