Myanmar death toll surpasses 2,000; cardinal calls for immediate ceasefire amid tragedy

(OSV News) -- People in Myanmar are in desperate need of humanitarian supplies and medical support as the death toll from the devastating earthquake that rocked central Myanmar March 28 continues to rise.

The president of Myanmar's bishops' conference called for an immediate ceasefire in a country already experiencing civil war and now hit with a new tragedy.

As the number of deaths exceeded 2,000, according to Reuters news agency, some 3,900 were injured. However, hundreds more are still missing or feared dead in the wake of the massive quake.

In an X post published March 30, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA, in Myanmar said that the disaster has placed "more pressure on already vulnerable people facing an alarming humanitarian crisis."

"People urgently need shelter, medical care, and water and sanitation support," OCHA Myanmar said.

The epicenter of the 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck near Mandalay, the country's second largest city, destroying roads, buildings and religious sites.

The U Hla Thein Buddhist monastery in Mandalay was destroyed during the quake while an estimated 270 monks were taking an exam. According to The Associated Press, some 70 monks were able to escape. However, 50 were found dead and over a hundred more are still buried underneath the rubble.

Members of the city's Muslim community also suffered as the earthquake struck while hundreds were gathered in prayers at local mosques during the month of Ramadan. An estimated 700 Muslim worshippers were killed while dozens of mosques in the country were damaged or destroyed, AP reported.

Prayers and calls for immediate ceasefire increase.

Pope Francis, who continues to recover at the Vatican, called for prayers for Myanmar. In his Sunday Angelus address published March 30, the pope prayed for peace in several countries as well as for "Myanmar, which is also suffering so much because of the earthquake."

Burmese Cardinal Charles Muang Bo of Yangon, president of the Catholic bishops' conference of Myanmar, issued a statement acknowledging the pope's prayers and expressing condolences "for those who perished in places of worship in pagodas and mosques."

Assuring that the Catholic Church would "mobilize support to assist with the life-saving needs of food, medicine, and shelter," Cardinal Bo said a ceasefire in the country's ongoing civil war was "imperative" to provide humanitarian relief "for those affected by both the earthquake and the prolonged conflict."

"This humanitarian crisis calls for an urgent cessation of hostilities. We urgently call for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire by all parties involved in the conflict to ensure the safe and unimpeded delivery of essential humanitarian aid by local and international supporters," Cardinal Bo wrote.

Prior to the earthquake, Myanmar was in the throes of a civil war being fought between the military junta after overthrowing the democratically elected government in 2021. Since then, the governing military junta has been accused of violence against civilians opposed to its rule and has been engaged in multiple conflicts with armed groups in the country.

While resistance movements in the country have unilaterally called for a two-week ceasefire in areas affected by the earthquake, the U.N.'s special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, expressed outrage following reports that the governing military junta continued bombing rebel-held areas after the quake.

In an interview with the BBC, Andrews said the bombings were "completely outrageous and unacceptable," adding that it was "nothing short of incredible" that the military continued to "drop bombs when you are trying to rescue people."

"Anyone who has influence on the military needs to step up the pressure and make it very clear that this is not acceptable," Andrews said. "I'm calling upon the junta to just stop, stop any of its military operations."