Allegations emerged Friday that the Myanmar junta is using the Covid pandemic to consolidate power and crush opposition.
The allegations come from residents and human rights activists. The military government seized control in February.
In the last week, the per capita death rate in Myanmar surpassed those of Indonesia and Malaysia to become the worst in Southeast Asia. The country's health care system is overwhelmed with new patients, The Associated Press reported late Friday Asia time/early Eastern.
Supplies of medical oxygen are running low, and the government has restricted its private sale in many places, saying it is trying to prevent hoarding, The Associated Press said.
This led to allegations stocks were being directed to government supporters and military-run hospitals.
At the same time, medical workers have been targeted after spearheading a civil disobedience movement that urged professionals and civil servants not to cooperate with the government, known as the State Administrative Council.
"They have stopped distributing personal protection equipment and masks, and they will not let civilians who they suspect are supporting the democracy movement be treated in hospitals, and they're arresting doctors who support the civil disobedience movement," Yanghee Lee, the U.N.'s former Myanmar human rights expert and a founding member of the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar, told The Associated Press.
"With the oxygen, they have banned sales to civilians or people who are not supported by the SAC, so they're using something that can save the people against the people," she said. "The military is weaponizing COVID."
Myanmar's Deputy Information Minister Zaw Min Tun did not respond to questions.
Earlier Friday a British ambassador for the United Nations said Friday half of Myanmar's population could be infected with the coronavirus within the next two weeks.
On the same day, a Myanmar envoy called on the U.N. to ensure a constant supply of vaccines to his country which was struggling to cope with political turmoil and the spread of the virus.
Since the military seized power after ousting the elected government in February, Myanmar has been in chaos. The country has been plagued by protests, riots and clashes between the military and militia groups.
The U.S. and the UK have imposed sanctions on the military government over reports of human rights violations and the killing of hundreds of pro-democracy demonstrators. The junta has placed less priority on the pandemic as it attempts to restore order. Covid cases in Myanmar have increased since June.
"The coup has resulted in a near-total collapse of the health care system and health care workers are being attacked and arrested. The virus is spreading through the population, very fast indeed. By some estimates, in the next two weeks, half of the population of Myanmar could be infected," British U.N. Ambassador Barbara Woodward said.
Myanmar's U.N. Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, who represents the nation's elected civilian government, said the country desperately needed international assistance. He said humanitarian assistance, an effective vaccination program and "close monitoring" by the international community were essential.
"We would like to request the U.N. - in particular the Security Council - to urgently establish a U.N.-led monitoring mechanism for effective vaccination and smooth delivery of humanitarian assistance," he said.
The conflict and the virus have affected Myanmar's economy. A report from the World Bank estimated the nation's economy could contract by as much as 18% this year.
The latest update to the bank's Myanmar Economic Monitor report nearly doubled its previous forecast of a 10% contraction. Other forecasts were more pessimistic. A report from Fitch Solutions estimated Myanmar's economy could contract by more than 20% this year.
