Wednesday, 28 May 2008
Wednesday, 21 May 2008
Sunday, 18 May 2008
UN Boss Ban Ki-Moon To Visit Burma
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon will visit Burma this week to discuss what can be done to speed up the troubled aid operation for victims of Cyclone Nargis.
Ban Ki-Moon expected in Burma this weekThe UN boss is expected to visit the country on Wednesday or Thursday.
He has so far been unable to contact the leader of the country's military junta, Than Shwe.
State television showed Than Shwe making his first visit to relief camps on the outskirts of Yangon on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the UN's top disaster relief chief has landed in Burma to urge the country to opens its doors to foreign aid.
UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes was received at the airport by Deputy Foreign Minister Kyaw Thu.
It is unclear whether he will meet leading members of the junta.
His spokeswoman Amanda Pitt told Sky News Mr Holmes would "help the government understand what's available to them" in the wake of the cyclone .
"The response to a disaster of this magnitude is beyond any one country," she said.
Mr Holmes will also meet other agencies working in Burma to review and coordinate the relief operation.
Still waiting: thousands need helpThe country's military government has severely restricted distribution of aid supplies, leaving many of the disaster's estimated 2.5 million survivors in dire need of food, water and shelter.
UK charity Save the Children warns that thousands of children could die in coming weeks unless more aid is let in.
The charity also warned that time was running out to start planting for the coming rice harvest.
An estimated 30,000 children under the age of five in the affected region were already acutely malnourished prior to the disaster, according to research by the charity.
A Sky News reporter in the Irrawaddy Delta said there was little evidence of government aid being distributed.
Gordon Brown has accused the regime of "inhuman" treatment of survivors.
The Prime Minister said the natural disaster was becoming a "man-made catastrophe" because of the ruling junta's failings.
Burmese authorities put the death toll from the cyclone at 78,000 with a further 56,000 people missing.
Ban Ki-Moon expected in Burma this weekThe UN boss is expected to visit the country on Wednesday or Thursday.
He has so far been unable to contact the leader of the country's military junta, Than Shwe.
State television showed Than Shwe making his first visit to relief camps on the outskirts of Yangon on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the UN's top disaster relief chief has landed in Burma to urge the country to opens its doors to foreign aid.
UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes was received at the airport by Deputy Foreign Minister Kyaw Thu.
It is unclear whether he will meet leading members of the junta.
His spokeswoman Amanda Pitt told Sky News Mr Holmes would "help the government understand what's available to them" in the wake of the cyclone .
"The response to a disaster of this magnitude is beyond any one country," she said.
Mr Holmes will also meet other agencies working in Burma to review and coordinate the relief operation.
Still waiting: thousands need helpThe country's military government has severely restricted distribution of aid supplies, leaving many of the disaster's estimated 2.5 million survivors in dire need of food, water and shelter.
UK charity Save the Children warns that thousands of children could die in coming weeks unless more aid is let in.
The charity also warned that time was running out to start planting for the coming rice harvest.
An estimated 30,000 children under the age of five in the affected region were already acutely malnourished prior to the disaster, according to research by the charity.
A Sky News reporter in the Irrawaddy Delta said there was little evidence of government aid being distributed.
Gordon Brown has accused the regime of "inhuman" treatment of survivors.
The Prime Minister said the natural disaster was becoming a "man-made catastrophe" because of the ruling junta's failings.
Burmese authorities put the death toll from the cyclone at 78,000 with a further 56,000 people missing.
UN Boss Ban Ki-Moon To Visit Burma
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon will visit Burma this week to discuss what can be done to speed up the troubled aid operation for victims of Cyclone Nargis.
Ban Ki-Moon expected in Burma this weekThe UN boss is expected to visit the country on Wednesday or Thursday.
He has so far been unable to contact the leader of the country's military junta, Than Shwe.
State television showed Than Shwe making his first visit to relief camps on the outskirts of Yangon on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the UN's top disaster relief chief has landed in Burma to urge the country to opens its doors to foreign aid.
UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes was received at the airport by Deputy Foreign Minister Kyaw Thu.
It is unclear whether he will meet leading members of the junta.
His spokeswoman Amanda Pitt told Sky News Mr Holmes would "help the government understand what's available to them" in the wake of the cyclone .
"The response to a disaster of this magnitude is beyond any one country," she said.
Mr Holmes will also meet other agencies working in Burma to review and coordinate the relief operation.
Still waiting: thousands need helpThe country's military government has severely restricted distribution of aid supplies, leaving many of the disaster's estimated 2.5 million survivors in dire need of food, water and shelter.
UK charity Save the Children warns that thousands of children could die in coming weeks unless more aid is let in.
The charity also warned that time was running out to start planting for the coming rice harvest.
An estimated 30,000 children under the age of five in the affected region were already acutely malnourished prior to the disaster, according to research by the charity.
A Sky News reporter in the Irrawaddy Delta said there was little evidence of government aid being distributed.
Gordon Brown has accused the regime of "inhuman" treatment of survivors.
The Prime Minister said the natural disaster was becoming a "man-made catastrophe" because of the ruling junta's failings.
Burmese authorities put the death toll from the cyclone at 78,000 with a further 56,000 people missing.
Ban Ki-Moon expected in Burma this weekThe UN boss is expected to visit the country on Wednesday or Thursday.
He has so far been unable to contact the leader of the country's military junta, Than Shwe.
State television showed Than Shwe making his first visit to relief camps on the outskirts of Yangon on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the UN's top disaster relief chief has landed in Burma to urge the country to opens its doors to foreign aid.
UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes was received at the airport by Deputy Foreign Minister Kyaw Thu.
It is unclear whether he will meet leading members of the junta.
His spokeswoman Amanda Pitt told Sky News Mr Holmes would "help the government understand what's available to them" in the wake of the cyclone .
"The response to a disaster of this magnitude is beyond any one country," she said.
Mr Holmes will also meet other agencies working in Burma to review and coordinate the relief operation.
Still waiting: thousands need helpThe country's military government has severely restricted distribution of aid supplies, leaving many of the disaster's estimated 2.5 million survivors in dire need of food, water and shelter.
UK charity Save the Children warns that thousands of children could die in coming weeks unless more aid is let in.
The charity also warned that time was running out to start planting for the coming rice harvest.
An estimated 30,000 children under the age of five in the affected region were already acutely malnourished prior to the disaster, according to research by the charity.
A Sky News reporter in the Irrawaddy Delta said there was little evidence of government aid being distributed.
Gordon Brown has accused the regime of "inhuman" treatment of survivors.
The Prime Minister said the natural disaster was becoming a "man-made catastrophe" because of the ruling junta's failings.
Burmese authorities put the death toll from the cyclone at 78,000 with a further 56,000 people missing.
Friday, 16 May 2008
Burma death toll jumps to 78,000
he official death toll for Burma's cyclone disaster has jumped to almost 78,000 people, with nearly 56,000 missing, according to state TV.
Previously, Burma was giving a toll of 43,000 dead and 28,000 missing while the Red Cross and United Nations had estimated a death toll above 100,000.
Aid agencies are frustrated at the slow progress of aid to areas worst hit.
Cyclone Nargis battered southern regions of Burma, including the Irrawaddy Delta, on 2-3 May.
A BBC reporter in the delta this week saw little sign of official help and foreign aid workers have been barred from the area.
Heavy rain has been lashing the region, compounding the misery of survivors.
The UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator, John Holmes, is due to visit Rangoon, Burma's main city, on Sunday in a bid to persuade the military government to grant more access to UN relief workers and expand its aid effort.
Earlier, the EU's top aid official, Louis Michel, was denied permission to visit the delta region. He said he was given no explanation why disaster emergency experts were being refused visas.
However, Burma - also known as Myanmar - has promised to take foreign diplomats on a tour of the region this weekend.
Previously, Burma was giving a toll of 43,000 dead and 28,000 missing while the Red Cross and United Nations had estimated a death toll above 100,000.
Aid agencies are frustrated at the slow progress of aid to areas worst hit.
Cyclone Nargis battered southern regions of Burma, including the Irrawaddy Delta, on 2-3 May.
A BBC reporter in the delta this week saw little sign of official help and foreign aid workers have been barred from the area.
Heavy rain has been lashing the region, compounding the misery of survivors.
The UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator, John Holmes, is due to visit Rangoon, Burma's main city, on Sunday in a bid to persuade the military government to grant more access to UN relief workers and expand its aid effort.
Earlier, the EU's top aid official, Louis Michel, was denied permission to visit the delta region. He said he was given no explanation why disaster emergency experts were being refused visas.
However, Burma - also known as Myanmar - has promised to take foreign diplomats on a tour of the region this weekend.
Thursday, 15 May 2008
Sunday, 11 May 2008
Cyclone Survivors Face Another Disaster
Updated:21:12, Sunday May 11, 2008
Humanitarian agencies are warning up to 1.5 million people could die if aid does not get through soon and disease takes hold in cyclone-ravaged Burma.
Cyclone survivors arrive at relief centreOxfam has warned of the real risk of a catastrophe, calling it "a perfect storm".
"It's really crucial that people get access to clean water sources and sanitation to avoid unnecessary deaths and suffering," said Oxfam regional chief Sarah Ireland in Bangkok, in neighbouring Thailand.
"There are all the factors for a public health catastrophe which could multiply that death toll by up to 15 times," she said.
Thailand's foreign minister Noppadon Pattama has told Sky News he is to meet his Burmese counterpart in Rangoon on Tuesday to discuss ways of getting aid into the country.
Speaking to Sky's Stuart Ramsay he said he believed that critical comments about the Burmese military regime from President Bush and other western leaders in the aftermath of the cyclone has held up the international rescue effort.
Mr Pattama said: "We have to talk to (the Burmese authorities) and see if they can change their position.
Updated:21:12, Sunday May 11, 2008
Humanitarian agencies are warning up to 1.5 million people could die if aid does not get through soon and disease takes hold in cyclone-ravaged Burma.
Cyclone survivors arrive at relief centreOxfam has warned of the real risk of a catastrophe, calling it "a perfect storm".
"It's really crucial that people get access to clean water sources and sanitation to avoid unnecessary deaths and suffering," said Oxfam regional chief Sarah Ireland in Bangkok, in neighbouring Thailand.
"There are all the factors for a public health catastrophe which could multiply that death toll by up to 15 times," she said.
Thailand's foreign minister Noppadon Pattama has told Sky News he is to meet his Burmese counterpart in Rangoon on Tuesday to discuss ways of getting aid into the country.
Speaking to Sky's Stuart Ramsay he said he believed that critical comments about the Burmese military regime from President Bush and other western leaders in the aftermath of the cyclone has held up the international rescue effort.
Mr Pattama said: "We have to talk to (the Burmese authorities) and see if they can change their position.
Customs delays hold up aid distribution
Aid agencies have been able to deliver assistance to 276,000 people so far, but are facing difficulties getting customs clearance for supplies, according to a United Nations official.
Richard Horsey, spokesperson for the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said today that much more needed to be done to help those affected by Cyclone Nargis.
“The United Nations and its partners, the international NGOs, have delivered assistance to 276,000 people,” Horsey said.
“But there are 1.5 million affected. So we did reach a lot of people, but not quickly enough; we need to increase the scale of the operation.”
The aid operation has faced logistical problems, due to a lack of boats and helicopters and the destruction of transport and communications infrastructure in the cyclone.
But these problems have been exacerbated by the Burmese military regime’s unwillingness to waive visa and customs restrictions for relief workers.
“Some United Nations aid officials are getting into the country, but many are still waiting for visa clearances,” Horsey said.
At least 40 visa applications are waiting to be processed in and around Bangkok, the UN has said.
The World Food Programme has also had difficulties distributing supplies that have already been flown into the country.
“My understanding is that they are having problems getting the aid cleared through customs,” Horsey said.
“It’s not the planes that are the problem, it’s the aid that is on the planes, and they’re having difficulties getting the customs clearance.”
Horsey stressed the importance of allowing essential staff, relief supplies and logistical equipment in to the country to avoid a “second disaster”.
In a press conference yesterday, John Holmes, the UN’s under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and UN emergency relief coordinator, said the humanitarian response was being hampered by lack of access and urged the junta to redress the situation.
“We are simply trying to help the Government of Myanmar to carry out their responsibilities to aid these people in increasingly desperate need,” Holmes said.
“There are no other political motives in this and, therefore, I appeal very strongly indeed to the Government of Myanmar both to step up their own relief efforts to help people on the ground, and to change their attitude completely to the efforts that we are making to get these relief supplies in.”
UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon was also hoping to speak to junta leader senior general Than Shwe to press him to facilitate access.
Holmes said that some progress had been made, and that the Burmese authorities had agreed that customs charges and clearances should be waived for relief supplies, but this did not so far seem to have been applied on the ground.
Aid agencies have been able to deliver assistance to 276,000 people so far, but are facing difficulties getting customs clearance for supplies, according to a United Nations official.
Richard Horsey, spokesperson for the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said today that much more needed to be done to help those affected by Cyclone Nargis.
“The United Nations and its partners, the international NGOs, have delivered assistance to 276,000 people,” Horsey said.
“But there are 1.5 million affected. So we did reach a lot of people, but not quickly enough; we need to increase the scale of the operation.”
The aid operation has faced logistical problems, due to a lack of boats and helicopters and the destruction of transport and communications infrastructure in the cyclone.
But these problems have been exacerbated by the Burmese military regime’s unwillingness to waive visa and customs restrictions for relief workers.
“Some United Nations aid officials are getting into the country, but many are still waiting for visa clearances,” Horsey said.
At least 40 visa applications are waiting to be processed in and around Bangkok, the UN has said.
The World Food Programme has also had difficulties distributing supplies that have already been flown into the country.
“My understanding is that they are having problems getting the aid cleared through customs,” Horsey said.
“It’s not the planes that are the problem, it’s the aid that is on the planes, and they’re having difficulties getting the customs clearance.”
Horsey stressed the importance of allowing essential staff, relief supplies and logistical equipment in to the country to avoid a “second disaster”.
In a press conference yesterday, John Holmes, the UN’s under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and UN emergency relief coordinator, said the humanitarian response was being hampered by lack of access and urged the junta to redress the situation.
“We are simply trying to help the Government of Myanmar to carry out their responsibilities to aid these people in increasingly desperate need,” Holmes said.
“There are no other political motives in this and, therefore, I appeal very strongly indeed to the Government of Myanmar both to step up their own relief efforts to help people on the ground, and to change their attitude completely to the efforts that we are making to get these relief supplies in.”
UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon was also hoping to speak to junta leader senior general Than Shwe to press him to facilitate access.
Holmes said that some progress had been made, and that the Burmese authorities had agreed that customs charges and clearances should be waived for relief supplies, but this did not so far seem to have been applied on the ground.
Polling station guard shot dead in Mon State
A Burmese police officer guarding a polling station in Taguntaing village in Mudon township, Mon State, was shot dead by an unknown gunman today at around 10am local time.
“The person who died is called Aung Soe,” a local resident told DVB. “He was a sergeant in charge of the polling station’s security. It happened while people were voting - the gunman entered the polling station and carried out the shooting.”
The victim was in charge of security in the nearby Three Pagodas Pass five months ago.
A Burmese police officer guarding a polling station in Taguntaing village in Mudon township, Mon State, was shot dead by an unknown gunman today at around 10am local time.
“The person who died is called Aung Soe,” a local resident told DVB. “He was a sergeant in charge of the polling station’s security. It happened while people were voting - the gunman entered the polling station and carried out the shooting.”
The victim was in charge of security in the nearby Three Pagodas Pass five months ago.
Thursday, 8 May 2008
UN Aid Flights Touch Down In Burma
United Nations emergency flights carrying relief supplies to survivors of Cyclone Nargis have been allowed to touch down in Burma.The ruling junta had been refusing to allow aid from the West into the country in the wake of the devastating storm, which is feared to have killed 100,000 people and left a million more homeless.
The cyclone slammed into coastal towns and villages in the rice-growing Irrawaddy Delta six days ago, bringing winds up to 120mph and a giant tidal wave.
UN officials said two of four aeroplanes had arrived in Rangoon while two others would follow, loaded with high-energy biscuits, medicine, and other supplies.
The biscuits are vital because many survivors lost their homes and possessions and have no way of cooking anything.
The planes had waited for two days while the world body negotiated with the military regime to allow the material in.
Eric John, the US ambassador to Thailand, said earlier that Burma's rulers had granted permission to land C-130 transport planes.
But Burmese officials later made it clear this was not the case.
Mr John said it was not clear if they had reversed an earlier decision or if there was a misunderstanding.
Alex Crawford, Sky News Asia correspondent, said that international pressure was growing for more aid to be allowed in.
She said countries around the world were waiting to be granted access to help bring in vital supplies and manpower.
All around the world they're lining up to help, but at the moment only the friendly nations surrounding Burma have been allowed in and that's only a tiny fraction of what's needed in the country," she said.
International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said the UK had made an immediate donation of £5m in relief aid.
"This is a very grave crisis on a scale not seen since the tsunami of 2004," he said.
The UN has also donated £5m.
A local military official has told reporters around 80,000 people have died in the remote district of Labutta alone.
State media have reported almost 23,000 have been killed across the country as a whole by the fierce winds, with a further 42,119 missing.
Seventeen Britons in Burma have failed to make contact since the cyclone, the British Foreign Office said.
BURMESE CYCLONE APPEAL
Assalamualaikum,
Dear Brothers and sisters,
As you know thousands of people killed and many more missing which caused by cyclone. This is the time to ask for your help to assist our brothers and sisters in the country who lost their properties.
Now we are receiving donation for cyclone victims.
If you want to donate you can transfer money to account of Burmese Muslim Association detail is as below.
Account Name ......Burmese Muslim Association
Account Number....92090422
sort code...............40-06-30
HSBC Bank.
You can also send your cheque to
Burmese Muslim Association
15 Orange Grove
London, E11 4LL
You can also contact Hamzah Bhai (Ko Kyaw Zwa) 07828890224, 02085562340,07956365426.
If you know anyone who needs urgent assist please let us know.
Thank you for your support.
Hamzah Kyaw Zwa
Dear Brothers and sisters,
As you know thousands of people killed and many more missing which caused by cyclone. This is the time to ask for your help to assist our brothers and sisters in the country who lost their properties.
Now we are receiving donation for cyclone victims.
If you want to donate you can transfer money to account of Burmese Muslim Association detail is as below.
Account Name ......Burmese Muslim Association
Account Number....92090422
sort code...............40-06-30
HSBC Bank.
You can also send your cheque to
Burmese Muslim Association
15 Orange Grove
London, E11 4LL
You can also contact Hamzah Bhai (Ko Kyaw Zwa) 07828890224, 02085562340,07956365426.
If you know anyone who needs urgent assist please let us know.
Thank you for your support.
Hamzah Kyaw Zwa
Wednesday, 7 May 2008
Myanmar deaths may top 100,000
The death toll from the cyclone that ravaged the Irrawaddy delta in Myanmar may exceed 100,000, the senior U.S. diplomat in the military-ruled country said Wednesday.
Workers pour rice into bags to be loaded on to a truck for distribution in Yangon on May 7.
3 of 3more photos » "The information we are receiving indicates over 100,000 deaths," said the U.S. charge d'affaires in Yangon, Shari Villarosa.
The U.S. figure is almost five times the 22,000 the Myanmar government has estimated.
The U.S. estimate is based on data from an international non-governmental organization, Villarosa said without naming the group. She called the situation in Myanmar "more and more horrendous."
"I think most of the damage was caused by these 12-foot storm surges," she said.
Villarosa also said that about 95 percent of the buildings in the delta region were destroyed when Cyclone Nargis battered the area late Friday into Saturday.
Based on the same data, 70,000 people are missing in the Irrawaddy Delta, which has a population of nearly 6 million people, Villarosa said. The official Myanmar government figure for the missing is 41,000.
Villarosa said, "I can only assume that the longer the delay, the more victims that are created."
Little aid has reached the area since Nargis hit, and on Wednesday, crowds of hungry survivors stormed reopened shops in the devastated Irrawaddy delta.
The United Nations urged the military junta to grant visas to international relief workers amid estimates of 1 million homeless.
Workers pour rice into bags to be loaded on to a truck for distribution in Yangon on May 7.
3 of 3more photos » "The information we are receiving indicates over 100,000 deaths," said the U.S. charge d'affaires in Yangon, Shari Villarosa.
The U.S. figure is almost five times the 22,000 the Myanmar government has estimated.
The U.S. estimate is based on data from an international non-governmental organization, Villarosa said without naming the group. She called the situation in Myanmar "more and more horrendous."
"I think most of the damage was caused by these 12-foot storm surges," she said.
Villarosa also said that about 95 percent of the buildings in the delta region were destroyed when Cyclone Nargis battered the area late Friday into Saturday.
Based on the same data, 70,000 people are missing in the Irrawaddy Delta, which has a population of nearly 6 million people, Villarosa said. The official Myanmar government figure for the missing is 41,000.
Villarosa said, "I can only assume that the longer the delay, the more victims that are created."
Little aid has reached the area since Nargis hit, and on Wednesday, crowds of hungry survivors stormed reopened shops in the devastated Irrawaddy delta.
The United Nations urged the military junta to grant visas to international relief workers amid estimates of 1 million homeless.
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