Today’s Top Stories on Burma
From: The Irrawaddy
Preventing Disease Outbreaks is 'Race against Time'
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=11944
By MARGIE MASON / AP MEDICAL WRITER / HANOI Sunday, May 11, 2008
Health officials fear the outbreak of water-borne disease and other infectious diseases in the areas worst affected by the cyclone. They urge that relief efforts are now a race against time. There are already reports of diarrhea and skin disease from health workers and there are fears that further delays in aid delivery may result in the outbreak of Dengue Fever, Malaria and Tuberculosis. Health experts warn that the situation is made worse by the fact that those in the affected areas were already suffering poor health prior to the cyclone.
From: BBC News Asia Pacific
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7395364.stm
US aid flight takes off for Burma
The first US aid flight to Burma took off this morning from Thailand. Three other flights from the international medical aid organization Medecins Sans Frontieres are also due in Burma later today. Despite these flights being allowed into Burma experts say the amount of aid reaching those worst affected by the cyclone are completely inadequate.A spokesman for the US effort asserted that the US was prepared to do more if they were allowed by the regime.
In other relief news, the International Committee of the Red Cross has suffered a set back after a boat that was to deliver rice and drinking water hit a submerged tree in the Irrawaddy River and sank, highlighting the logistical difficulty of delivering aid in the aftermath of the cyclone.
From: The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/12/world/asia/12myanmar.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
When Burmese Offer a Hand, Rulers Slap It
Story by MA NGAY GYI
Disputes over the delivery of aid are taking place not just between the international community and the military. There are also reports of tensions between civilian donors and the military as well. Locals who have attempted to donate rice have been told that all aid must be channeled through the military.
Yangon remains for the most part without electricity and commodity prices are soaring. The prices of rice and candles have doubled and the price of gasoline has tripled. Anger is rising on the part of civilians who know that the military receives these items through aid donations for free, but then sells them at inflated prices to citizens.
From: SBS World News Australia
http://news.sbs.com.au/worldnewsaustralia//parts_of_burma_39still_cut_off39_546694
Parts of Burma 'still cut off'
Aid flows into Burma have increased over the past two days; however the military admits that parts of the country remain cut off from assistance. The military is still insisting that international aid workers, who have vast experience in dealing with large scale natural disasters, not be allowed to assist in the relief effort. This is despite the fact that there is growing concern over a looming humanitarian disaster. With bodies still floating in water sources, and civilians still awaiting treatment for ten day old injuries and protection against disease, the international aid agencies insist that the military lacks the ability to undertake the enormous task of providing assistance to the population.
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