US Invited Burmese Officials to Ride in Relief Helicopters

US military officials have extended a rare invitation for Burmese military personnel to accompany possible aid deliveries. Vice Admiral Timothy Keating said that in meetings in Rangoon he made the offer to high ranking Burmese officials in an attempt to show that thee US military presence off the coast of Burma was benign and only there to provide much needed assistance. Keating offered the use of at least 24 medium and heavy lift helicopters which could deliver around 250,000 pounds of aid supplies each day. He was not given an answer.

From: Narinjara News
http://bnionline.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4233&Itemid=1

Border trade resumes after Cyclone Nargis

Burmese exports goods have again started to flow across the Teknaf border point between Burma and Bangladesh. Trade was stopped in the aftermath of the cyclone. Burma usually exports raw materials such as fish, timber, rice, and bamboo. In return, it imports finished products, such as cement, medicine and fertilizer. Traders in Bangladesh said that at least ten boats had arrived from Burma over the past week. Over the last few weeks the price of Burmese goods on the Bangladesh side of the border had risen sharply due to the restricted supplies from the delta region of Burma.

From: BBC Burmese
http://www.bbc.co.uk/burmese/news/story/2004/12/041201_friday_dawn.shtml

$28 million plan for health care of Burma cyclone victims

The UN is increasing efforts to improve the health care of the millions left homeless by Nargis. The plan is aimed at protection against malaria, cholera and other diseases. Officials from the WHO are concerned about stagnant water left behind by the cyclone which provides breeding grounds for malaria and dengue.

From: Democratic Voice of Burma
http://english.dvb.no/news.php?id=1374

Aid workers given access to delta area

Richard Horsey the UN spokesperson for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, has announced that all pending visas for UN staff have been approved. HE said that since the crisis began 137 visas for UN staff have been issued. He said that UN staff are gaining greater access to the affected regions and that the government have implemented a new 48 hour approval scheme. If UN officials wish to travel into the disaster area they can apply and have permission granted in 48 hours. These developments will hopefully improve humanitarian work in the region. Although local donors have been granted unlimited access to hand out donations, some have reacted cautiously to the news claiming that directives from top military brass are sometimes not followed by lower level officials.

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