No one should be left out of aid for political reasons.

One month has passed since a major earthquake struck central Myanmar. The country's military, which holds power, has reported some 4,000 people dead or missing. But since the coup d'etat four years ago, the civil war has intensified, making it difficult to grasp the full extent of the damage.

The disaster-hit area is at the forefront of the conflict between the military and pro-democracy forces.

In Myanmar, more than 3.5 million people were already displaced due to the civil war, and the March 28 quake aggravated the tough circumstances they were facing. Even now many still live outdoors, fearing aftershocks.

According to the United Nations, over 4.3 million people urgently need drinking water and other necessities, but power outages have halted water pumps across the region, crippling the country's water supply system. Food shortages are also severe, with children's nutritional status, in particular, deteriorating.

Some medical facilities have collapsed, hindering the provision of a satisfactory level of medical services. Many doctors and nurses had left their jobs in protest against the coup, which had left the healthcare system fragile even before the earthquake. And now the disaster area is entering the rainy season, raising concerns about the spread of infectious diseases.

The problem is that due to the civil war, support has not reached everyone hit by the earthquake.

Following requests from the international community, Myanmar's military, the Tatmadaw, announced it would extend the temporary ceasefire it declared after the quake until April 30. According to local media, however, airstrikes by the military on pro-democracy and ethnic minority armed forces' bases continue.

There are also reports of restrictions on the areas that foreign support teams are allowed to enter. The pro-democracy side accuses the military of distributing aid supplies it has received only within its controlled areas. If this is true, the military must be prompted to change its stance.

International society needs to strengthen its efforts in this regard. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which has connections with both the military and pro-democracy forces, has a significant role to play. It should urge the military not to obstruct aid to pro-democracy areas.

Japan has provided support by dispatching medical teams and transporting medical equipment via Self-Defense Force aircraft, among other measures. Tokyo is urged to continue long-term efforts, such as restoring infrastructure destroyed by the earthquake.