India, China rich countries, everyone should pitch in during crisis like Myanmar earthquake: US Secretary of State – The Tribune

Describing India and China as rich countries, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said while the US is willing to continue to help those affected by the earthquake in Myanmar, other countries should also pitch in to provide humanitarian assistance during such crises worldwide.

“We are not the government of the world. We will provide humanitarian assistance just like everybody else does and do it the best we can, but we also have other needs that must be balanced. We are not walking away from humanitarian assistance,” Rubio said at NATO Headquarters in Brussels on Friday.

Rubio was responding to a question about the earthquake and how the US offered help during such incidents by saving lives on the ground through special equipment and experts.

Rubio was asked if that was not happening because of the dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

“It is not the easiest place to work. The military junta does not like us and does not necessarily allow us to operate the way we want to, which would have impeded our response no matter what,” he said.

Rubio further said the US was willing to continue to help in the humanitarian crisis.

“Other countries need to do so as well. China is a very rich country, and India is a rich country. There are a lot of other countries in the world. Everyone should pitch in. It is not fair to assume the US must share 60 to 70 per cent of humanitarian aid around the world.”

Within hours of the earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28, India—a first responder in times of crises—delivered the first tranche of humanitarian aid and disaster relief material, including 15 tonnes of supplies such as tents, blankets, medicines, and food, through its National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare used a C-130J aircraft which landed in Yangon early on March 29.

The second tranche, aboard two Indian Air Force (IAF) C-130J aircraft, included 80 NDRF search and rescue specialists, equipment, and relief material. One aircraft carried 17 tonnes of protective equipment, search and communication equipment, and rescue equipment, while the other carried five tonnes of humanitarian aid and disaster relief materials such as hygiene kits, food packets, medicines, kitchen sets, and blankets.

These efforts were carried out under “Operation Brahma” launched by India in the wake of the devastating earthquake to provide necessary support, including search and rescue, humanitarian aid, disaster relief, and medical assistance.

“Being the first responder in times of crisis in the neighbourhood, Operation Brahma is a whole-of-government endeavour by India to respond to widespread destruction in Myanmar,” a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement said.

In addition to this, Indian Naval ships Satpura and Savitri sailed from the Eastern Naval Command for Yangon on March 29, carrying 40 tonnes of humanitarian aid and disaster relief material. These were handed over to the Chief Minister of Yangon on March 31. Naval Ships Karmuk and LCU 52 from the Andaman and Nicobar Command also sailed for Yangon on March 30, carrying 30 tonnes of relief material including humanitarian aid and disaster relief pallets comprising clothing, drinking water, food, medicines, and emergency stores.

On Saturday, INS Gharial delivered 442 metric tonnes of food aid at Thilawa Port, about 400 kilometres south of Myanmar.

The shipment included 405 metric tonnes of rice, 30 metric tonnes of cooking oil, 5 metric tonnes of biscuits, and 2 metric tonnes of instant noodles—intended to meet the immediate food needs of those affected.

“India stands ready to deploy more material assistance and resources to Myanmar depending on ground-level needs and requirements. India’s ongoing efforts under Operation Brahma reflect its commitment to respond swiftly and in full measure to natural disasters in her neighbourhood. As a first responder, India stands with Myanmar, a key partner of our Neighbourhood First and Act East policy,” the statement said.

Further, the Quad countries of India, Australia, Japan, and the US said in a statement earlier that they have so far committed humanitarian assistance estimated at a combined value of over USD 20 million for earthquake relief in Myanmar.

“Through our funding and bilateral efforts, we are delivering relief supplies, deploying emergency medical teams, and supporting humanitarian partners working in Myanmar,” it said.