Myanmar’s shadow government, the NUG, has called for a ceasefire and pledged $1 million to aid victims of Friday’s devastating earthquake near Mandalay. As the junta and anti-coup fighters pause hostilities, a fragile unity emerges to save lives amid the rubble.
BY PC BUREAU
Mandalay, Myanmar – March 30, 2025
In a rare moment of unity amid Myanmar’s ongoing civil conflict, the National Unity Government (NUG), a shadow government formed by ousted civilian lawmakers, and anti-coup fighters from the People’s Defence Force (PDF) have announced a two-week ceasefire starting today, March 30, 2025. The temporary halt in hostilities comes in response to a catastrophic 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck central Myanmar on Friday, March 28, killing over 1,600 people, injuring thousands, and leaving countless others trapped under collapsed structures. The ceasefire aims to facilitate emergency rescue operations and provide relief to survivors in a country already ravaged by war.
The earthquake, centered near the historic city of Mandalay and northwest of Sagaing, struck at approximately 2:15 PM local time on March 28, registering a magnitude of 7.7 on the Richter scale. Its tremors were felt as far away as Bangkok, Thailand, where at least 10 fatalities were reported. In Myanmar, the military junta has confirmed a death toll of 1,644, though the NUG estimates the number could climb higher as rescue efforts continue. Over 2,400 people have been reported injured, and the destruction of homes, hospitals, and infrastructure has left entire communities in desperate need of aid.
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Mandalay, a cultural and economic hub, suffered severe damage, with centuries-old pagodas and modern buildings alike reduced to rubble. In rural areas near Sagaing, landslides triggered by the quake have complicated rescue efforts, burying villages and cutting off access to roads. The disaster has compounded the suffering of a population already reeling from more than four years of civil war.
This rescue scene made me cried.. they have no professional tools to do the rescue, but tried to push up the slab, risking their own safety, to help out a trapped fellow.
I m still crying which I been trying not to and staying strong since the quake hit Myanmar.. 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/mTZUmqwwNF
— ˙ʞ ๅǝᴉɹqɐꓨ 🇲🇲🏳️🌈 (@kokomdy) March 29, 2025
Background: Myanmar’s Political Turmoil
Myanmar has been locked in a brutal conflict since February 1, 2021, when the military, led by General Min Aung Hlaing, staged a coup and overthrew the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The coup sparked widespread protests and gave rise to the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), a grassroots resistance that saw civil servants, teachers, and doctors refuse to work under military rule. In the months that followed, the People’s Defence Force (PDF)—a loose coalition of armed civilian militias—emerged to fight the junta alongside ethnic armed organizations (EAOs), some of which have battled the military for decades over autonomy and resources.
The National Unity Government (NUG), established in April 2021 by ousted lawmakers and anti-junta activists, has positioned itself as Myanmar’s legitimate government-in-exile. Operating clandestinely and from abroad, the NUG has sought international recognition while coordinating resistance efforts against the military regime. The junta, meanwhile, has ruled with an iron fist, detaining thousands, including Suu Kyi, and cracking down violently on dissent.
This ongoing war has displaced over 2 million people and devastated Myanmar’s economy, leaving the country ill-equipped to handle natural disasters of this magnitude. The earthquake has thus exposed the fragility of a nation divided by political strife and now united only by tragedy.
Ceasefire and Rescue Efforts
In a statement released on social media, the NUG called for a two-week ceasefire to prioritize “emergency rescue operations for victims of the earthquake.” The group pledged to deploy CDM staff, including medics and engineers, to assist in junta-controlled areas, provided the military guarantees the safety of rescue workers and refrains from arrests. The NUG has allocated an initial fund of $1 million USD to support these operations, though
it has appealed for international assistance to meet the scale of the crisis.
This video’s so upsetting. People are digging for their loved ones, and they’re just heartbreaking while they do it. 💔😭
#Myanmar #earthquake #earthquakemyanmar #Myanmarquake #Thailand #myanmarearthquake #earthquakethailand pic.twitter.com/krSUGFuml2
— Talat Kashif (@TalatkViews) March 28, 2025
Simultaneously, the PDF announced a partial ceasefire, stating it would “pause offensive military operations, except for defensive actions, in earthquake-affected areas” starting March 30. The NUG added that it would collaborate with the United Nations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to ensure security, transportation, and the establishment of temporary rescue and medical camps in regions under its influence.
The military junta, which has been facilitating its own relief efforts, has not yet formally responded to the NUG’s proposal. However, reports indicate that junta forces have begun distributing aid and clearing debris in urban centers like Mandalay, suggesting a tacit acceptance of the need for a humanitarian pause.
A Nation in Crisis
The earthquake has amplified Myanmar’s humanitarian emergency, with aid agencies warning of shortages of food, clean water, and medical supplies. In junta-controlled zones, distrust of the military has led some civilians to reject official assistance, turning instead to local PDFs or NUG-aligned groups for help. In opposition-held territories, the lack of infrastructure and resources poses its own challenges to relief efforts.
The disaster’s ripple effects have also reached Thailand, where authorities are assessing structural damage in Bangkok and providing support to Myanmar nationals affected by the quake. International aid organizations, including the Red Cross, have mobilized to assist, though access to Myanmar remains restricted due to the ongoing conflict.
As the two-week ceasefire begins, all eyes are on whether this temporary truce can hold—and whether it might pave the way for broader dialogue between the junta and its opponents. For now, however, the focus remains on the survivors, with rescue teams racing against time to find those still trapped. In a country torn apart by war, the earthquake has brought a fleeting moment of shared purpose, though the road to recovery promises to be long and fraught with challenges.
