Burma's Junta Warned by UN of Likely Consequences of Delay in Allowing Foreign Relief Workers into Country; Junta has Other Priorities
Posted by Damozel | Once again, the UN's Secretary General has addressed the potential consequences of delay in getting aid to the stranded and homeless survivors of Burma's cyclone. If Burma continues to ban foreign aid workers from relief work, the consequences may be dire. (BBC News) "Aid agencies already in Burma say they have been doing what they can but are frustrated by the government's reluctance to allow international aid teams into the country and its insistence on distributing aid itself." (BBC News)
But the military junta seems to have other priorities just now.
A Burmese constitutional referendum scheduled for Saturday is going ahead.
Polls opened early on Saturday in all but the worst-affected areas, which will vote on 24 May, and are due to close at 1600 (0930GMT).
The country's ruling generals say the referendum will pave the way for democratic elections in 2010, while the opposition says it is intended to tighten the generals' rule....
There are reports that a senior general over-rode requests from his officers to divert army resources to help the cyclone victims - in order to maintain security for the poll.
Reporting on the referendum from Hlegu, a town 48km (30 miles) north of Rangoon, the Associated Press says turnout has been very light, with people coming to polling stations in small groups and no sign of long queues....
Groups involved in last year's pro-democracy protests accused the junta of concentrating on a "sham constitutional referendum" instead of "putting all resources toward saving the lives" of cyclone victims. (BBC News; emphasis added)
Hmmm, I wonder if the generals really are so keen for the referendum to go forward in spite of the desperate circumstances of the people because they're keen to bring democracy to Burma? I'm sure they would not push the vote through at all costs if the end result were to give them greater powers.
At present, the junta isn't quite sure about letting in those foreign workers or accepting foreign aid.
The World Food Programme says it is in talks with the government after tonnes of aid it flew into Burma was impounded by the military authorities who wanted to control its distribution.(BBC News)
Is this a ray of hope?
The UN agency threatened to suspend relief flights, but later said they would resume on Saturday, while negotiations continued.
The Burmese UN envoy, Ambassador Kyaw Tint Swe, said the first US relief flight was expected to arrive on Monday.
He said that his country was ready to accept help from any quarter..(BBC News)
In the meantime, the Burmese continue to suffer.
The UN believes as many as 1.5 million people could have been affected by Cyclone Nargis, which struck on 3 May, and many say Burma does not have the capacity to respond adequately on its own.
Two BBC correspondents who have travelled to the Irrawaddy delta say tens of thousands of bodies are strewn across the landscape, with houses toppled and trees uprooted.
They say diseases like dysentery are already starting to take hold, and although some aid has arrived there is still no relief effort to match the size of the catastrophe. (BBC News; emphasis added)
The BBC has pictures if you can bear to look. (Warning: May cause cardial fracture).
Devastating Cyclone in Burma: Over 22,400 Confirmed Dead, 41,000 Missing, & A Million Homeless
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