Posted on 05/08/2008 10:54:51 PM PDT by rontorr
Burma denies US access Relief supplies from UN starting to get through
AP AND BANGKOK POST
RANGOON - Relief supplies from the United Nations began arriving in Burma yesterday, but US military planes loaded with aid were still denied access by the country's isolationist regime five days after a devastating cyclone.
The military junta also continued to stall on visas for UN teams seeking entry to ensure the aid is delivered to the victims, amid fears that a lack of safe food and drinking water could push the death toll above 100,000.
Two planes carrying high-energy biscuits, medicine and other supplies arrived in Rangoon, and two others were to follow, UN officials said.
The planes had waited for the last two days while the world body negotiated with the military regime to allow the material into Burma.
US ambassador to Thailand Eric John told reporters that US and Thai authorities earlier believed they had permission from Burma to land US military C-130s. But officials in Burma 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.
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej offered to negotiate on Washington's behalf to persuade the junta to accept aid from the US, despite the junta's deep hostility and long-standing suspicion of Washington.
Burma's generals, traditionally paranoid about foreign influence, issued an appeal for international assistance after cyclone Nargis struck on Saturday.
They have since dragged their feet on issuing visas to relief workers even as survivors face hunger, disease and flooding.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and British Foreign Secretary David Miliband asked Burma's junta to ''lift all restrictions on the distribution of aid''.
The UN also called on the government to let aid and aid workers in.
''It is imperative at this point that they do open up and allow a major international relief effort to get under way,'' said Richard Horsey, who coordinates UN humanitarian aid out of dhBangkok.
Asean meanwhile, appealed to the international community to send aid through Thailand.
''Please keep the help coming, keep the contributions coming, and if you have to, go to Thailand, park there and wait for redistribution from there,'' said Asean Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan.
Burma's state media said cyclone Nargis killed at least 22,980 people and left 42,119 missing, mostly in the hardest-hit Irrawaddy delta.
Shari Villarosa, who heads the US embassy in Rangoon, said the number of dead could eventually exceed 100,000 because safe food and water were scarce and unsanitary conditions widespread.
UN officials estimate as many as one million people have been left homeless.
Entire villages in the delta were still submerged, and bloated corpses could be seen stuck in mangroves.
Some survivors stripped clothes off the dead. People wailed as they described the horror of the torrent swept ashore by the cyclone.
Even near Rangoon stricken villagers complained they had received no gov ernment assistance and were relying on aid from Buddhist monasteries.
Meanwhile, a senior Burmese army officer has expressed his sincere gratitude for His Majesty the King's expression of concern for the people of Burma, said Maj-Gen Puchong Pongsiri, deputy chief of the civilian affairs department.
Thailand has also agreed to act as an intermediary for Washington, which is trying to deliver aid, government spokesman Wichienchote Sukchotrat said.
Mr Samak has also promised to go to Burma to coordinate wih the junta leaders if needed.
“Burma Denies Aid From USA”
Good. Now if every other nation that gets aid from us would follow suit.
I agree with you if you are talking about the welfare leech governments we are supporting, but lets leave natural disaster humanitarian aid
I whole-heartedly agree with you.
If their people wish to continue to live under oppressive leaders that is their business. Obviously if something like this will not cause them to stage a government overthrow in that nation nothing will.
Good, now let’s bring that money back and start a collection, using all the money that we will STOP shipping overseas to other countries.
Screw ‘em. Send the aid to to the elderly here in the USA.
Plus there has to be the usual allowances for our corrupt politicians to have some money to play with to feed their own corrupt constituents who live off the govt coffers - not to be confused with the legitimate needs such as Section 8 homes, social security, & the genuinely disabled.
Yup! If Burma wants nothing to do with us, fine. They lose eventually 250,000 after disease and famine, but still think they are right. Idiots
Let the UN and the rest of the world carry the ball awhile. Enough funding for nations who hate our guts.
It strikes me that the death toll has already risen to the one for Hiroshima, and is likely to get much higher. This event, on the other hand, is likely to be mostly forgotten in a few months.
You are correct, but here the masses are pretty stupid to understand. It was up to Blanco to say go and she wouldn’t.
I went to Burma ten years ago. The people are great. It’s their government which is lousy. They live on an average of $15 a month. They’ve got nothing but sticks and stones to take on the military dictatorship. They’ve shown great courage in confronting their government several times over the years, but without arms they don’t have a chance.
I say, anything we can do to help them with aid, let’s do it.
I will agree with that but the Junta must allow it right?
Then screw them.
Even near Rangoon stricken villagers complained they had received no gov ernment assistance and were relying on aid from Buddhist monasteries.
Meanwhile, a senior Burmese army officer has expressed his sincere gratitude for His Majesty the King's expression of concern for the people of Burma, said Maj-Gen Puchong Pongsiri, deputy chief of the civilian affairs department.
I love how the government there is responding to the crisis, praising the royal his majesty tinpot dictator asshat while denying aid to their own people.
Just be sure that all the 'screw em' comments are directed the right direction.
F***in disgusting IMHO!
With all that’s been going on in the world, not to mention in
the U.S.A., I completely missed these idiots taking power in
“Burma” - will someone tell me how that happened?
Meanwhile, a senior Burmese army officer has expressed his sincere gratitude for His Majesty the King’s expression of concern for the people...his majesty tinpot dictator asshat of Burma,
......
He was responding to a condolence message with promises of help from THE KING OF THAILAND!!!!!
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