Trump administrator turns US humanitarian workers to help myanmar earthquake after the earthquake

The Trump administration dismissed three USAID workers who were sent to Myanmar to assess how the United States could help with rescue efforts after the earthquake devastating last month.

The magnification earthquake of 7.7, which killed at least 3,300 people, with 4,850 other people suffering from injuries and approximately 220 people who disappeared, struck near the second largest city in the country, Mandalay, on March 28. It is the second deadliest earthquake in the history of Myanmar.

USAID workers who were dismissed arrived in Myanmar a few days earlier and received their dismissal by e-mail. This decision comes after several weeks of the Trump administration trying to redo USAID like Trump, which includes the reduction of thousands of jobs, severely limiting the amount of aid provided and giving the State Department control of foreign aid.

Their colleagues, who spoke to The New York Times Under the state of anonymity to avoid reprisals, they were “furious” in the way they had been treated, while American diplomats were concerned about whether the layoffs could be a sign of what will happen to the State Department.

The layoffs are in contradiction with commitments previously made by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said that the United States would continue to provide humanitarian and crisis aid despite Trump’s best efforts to dismantle USAID.

USAID employees were warned of expecting layoffs this summer while the agency is integrated into the State Department, but the end of three workers because they were on the ground were considered “particularly cruel” by those who know the situation.

Myanmar asked for help from other countries following the devastating earthquake, Russia, China, Malaysia and India sending teams and assistance supplies with neighboring Thailand and Vietnam; The United States only sent any humanitarian worker this week and have now been dismissed. It is not known when they will have to leave their work or what they will do in Myanmar until then.

In a statement released on Friday, the United States, Australia, Japan and India announced that it jointly provides $ 20 million in aid, while the United States Embassy in Myanmar announced earlier than the United States would only offer $ 2 million in aid.

Democrats have denounced the lack of help efforts, some senators sending a letter to secretaries Rubio and besing on Wednesday urging the government to “quickly assess” what the United States can still do for those affected by the earthquake.