Trickle of Aid Reaches Survivors

Resident of Laputta township have said that aid is finally starting to arrive there a full 13 days after the cyclone hit. This small flow of aid is only just arriving despite the WFP having distributed over 700 tons of rice, high-energy biscuits and beans to nearly 100,000 people (about 7 kg per person). This aid however is insufficient for the 80 000 homeless in the region.

There are also reports of aid being sold to villagers by local authorities at outrageous prices. A UN investigation into misappropriated aid is now under way.

There are now 100 UN international staff in Burma. About 46 visas have been issued to nongovernmental aid organizations, according to a UN statement.

With heavy rain forecast later this week, aid officials fear there’s not enough warehouse space to protect the supplies beginning to flow into Rangoon.

From: Mizzima Online
http://bnionline.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4143&Itemid=1

UN envoy to visit Burma

John Holmes is set to visit Burma in the next few days to apply pressure to the regime to let in more foreign aid workers in the race against time to save lives in the Irrawaddy Delta region. Hopes are dim however for My Holmes and also the EU Representative , Aid Commissioner Louis Michel, who is also scheduled to arrive soon. Thai PM Samak was not able to gain any concessions on the entry of foreign workers during his recent trip, despite his good relations with the junta.

From: Shan Herald Agency for News
http://www.shanland.org/humanrights/2008/market-sellers-forced-to-donate-for-cyclone-nargis-victims

Market sellers forced to donate for Cyclone Nargis victims

Local authorities in Muse Township have been forcing shopkeepers to give donations to help survivors in the south. Though the shopkeepers are willing to donate and would like to help they are very suspicious of handing over funds directly to the SPDC. Authorities have also been following monks in trucks with loudspeakers, after ordering the monks to ask for alms for the cyclone survivors.

From: BBC World News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7403997.stm

Burma storm aid frustrations grow

Despite the clear lack of relief aid that is reaching the delta, the Burmese Prime Minister has made the preposterous suggestion that the relief efforts are complete and that reconstruction is underway. Overnight the death toll was revised up to 43 000 dead and 28 000 missing. Despite tones of aid arriving in Rangoon, foreign officials are still being denied access to the delta region. ASEAN will hold a meeting to discuss further aid this week.

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