Cyclone Mocha: Myanmar’s Unseen Suffering Under the Storm of Military Dictatorship and Nature’s Wrath
In Myanmar, where the unrelenting terror of a military dictatorship has ripped families apart, bombed homes, and shattered communities, another devastating blow has been delivered—this time, not by the brutal hands of the junta, but by the fierce and unforgiving force of nature itself. Cyclone Mocha, a storm that ravaged the western coastline in May 2023, has left behind a trail of destruction, despair, and death. Yet, while the world was already turning a blind eye to the ongoing airstrikes, war crimes, and humanitarian crisis in the country, the people of Myanmar were yet again left to fend for themselves, battered by winds and a regime that cares little for their lives.
### The Devastating Toll of Cyclone Mocha
Cyclone Mocha was no ordinary storm. With winds of up to 250 km/h, it became one of the strongest cyclones to hit the Bay of Bengal in over a decade. The official death toll has surpassed 145, with many more missing and unaccounted for, particularly in the vulnerable Rohingya communities of Rakhine State, where already-displaced families faced the storm’s full fury. Many of these lives lost were preventable—if only Myanmar had a government that cared. Instead, the military junta, in its usual apathetic fashion, failed to prepare and protect its citizens from the devastation.
But this disaster is not just about numbers—it is about the human faces behind the statistics. Mothers who clung to their children as their homes were swept away, farmers who lost everything, and communities that were already struggling to survive under military rule now face the additional hardship of rebuilding with no support.
### A Crisis Within a Crisis
It is hard to express how cruelly Cyclone Mocha compounded the ongoing suffering in Myanmar. As the cyclone approached, many in the conflict zones—particularly in Sagaing and Kayin states—were already reeling from brutal airstrikes carried out by the Myanmar military. Civilians, many of them children, were bombed in their villages, hospitals were targeted, and entire communities were burned to the ground. It is difficult to imagine what it feels like to be attacked by your own government, only to have a natural disaster strike while you are still mourning the dead.
In the months leading up to the cyclone, airstrikes were escalating in these regions, targeting innocent civilians. While the international community remained silent or offered only empty condemnations, the people on the ground were enduring unimaginable horrors. As I wrote in April, the brutality of these attacks is a gross violation of international law. The military’s deliberate targeting of civilian areas is not only immoral but a clear war crime.
And then came Mocha—a cruel reminder that nature, too, can be indifferent to the suffering of the oppressed. The military’s refusal to offer proper warnings, aid, or even basic rescue efforts has only made this disaster worse. As thousands lost their homes and livelihoods, the junta prioritized its own survival, securing military assets and infrastructure rather than helping the people it claims to govern.
### The Forgotten Victims: Ethnic Minorities and Displaced Populations
As is always the case in Myanmar, the most vulnerable bear the brunt of every crisis. The Rohingya community in Rakhine State—who already live under apartheid-like conditions—were some of the hardest hit by Cyclone Mocha. Many were already displaced, living in makeshift camps with little access to food, healthcare, or basic necessities. When the storm struck, they had nowhere to go. Their pleas for help were largely ignored, as the military continues to view them as "stateless" and expendable .
Beyond Rakhine, the ethnic minority regions, where civil war has been raging for decades, were also devastated. These areas, already under siege from military airstrikes and ground assaults, saw entire villages wiped out by the cyclone. And yet, aid organizations face significant challenges in delivering help due to the military’s tight control of access routes. The junta continues to restrict humanitarian aid, blocking lifesaving supplies and keeping international organizations at arm's length, further deepening the suffering.
### Myanmar’s Double Plague: Military Brutality and Natural Disasters
Cyclone Mocha’s aftermath is another grim chapter in Myanmar’s tragic recent history. Under the dictatorship, this nation has suffered relentlessly—from massacres, airstrikes, and arbitrary arrests to economic collapse and a massive humanitarian crisis. The junta’s deliberate negligence in the face of this cyclone is yet another example of its failure as a government. But this negligence is not just incompetence—it is calculated cruelty.
As the people struggle to rebuild, the military continues to bomb, burn, and brutalize. They have weaponized not only violence but also the very act of withholding aid. Families who lost everything in the cyclone now face starvation, disease, and ongoing violence from their own supposed leaders. The international community must not turn a blind eye to this. The double catastrophe of military dictatorship and natural disaster cannot be ignored any longer.
### A Call for International Action
The people of Myanmar are not just victims of a cyclone—they are victims of a genocidal regime that cares nothing for their survival. This dictatorship must end. The international community must move beyond mere words and take concrete action to dismantle this regime. Whether through targeted sanctions, diplomatic pressure, or support for the National Unity Government (NUG), the world must stand with the people of Myanmar in their fight for freedom.
Now, more than ever, they need our help. The world cannot afford to wait until more lives are lost—whether to bullets or to the next cyclone. It is time for justice, time for action, and time for the people of Myanmar to rebuild their nation without the terror of military rule hanging over their heads.
Sources:
- Al Jazeera: [Cyclone Mocha death toll in Myanmar rises to 145](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/19/official-cyclone-mocha-death-toll-in-myanmar-rises-to-145)
- Sentinel Asia: [Cyclone Mocha Satellite Imagery](https://sentinel-asia.org/EO/2023/article20230514MM.html)
- United Nations OCHA: [Myanmar Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeal](https://www.unocha.org/publications/report/myanmar/myanmar-cyclone-mocha-flash-appeal-may-2023)
- Human Rights Watch: [Myanmar’s Enhanced Blast Strike Likely a War Crime](https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/05/09/myanmar-enhanced-blast-strike-likely-war-crime)
Photo Source: Reuters/ Al Jazeera
