Posted on 07/25/2008 10:27:51 AM PDT by Red in Blue PA
BANGKOK, Thailand - As much as 25 percent of cyclone relief aid in Myanmar is being lost because of the military government's foreign exchange system, a United Nations official said Friday.
Dan Baker, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Myanmar, said he is concerned that the losses could upset donors who have already shown a reluctance to fund the relief effort following the May 2-3 cyclone that killed 84,537 people, according to the government.
"This is a big issue. This is a big concern," Baker said. "The donors aren't going to give us money if they know they will (lose) a percentage of that. This is not an issue we can let go by."
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
A very slick American Red Cross telemarketer called me within hours of this, to tell me that they had “people on the ground” handing out aid in Burma. She asked for $1000, and expected me to immediately say yes.
If 75% of the aid is getting to those it’s intended to help, I’m very surprised. Dictators usually use American aid to reward their supporters and taunt their antagonists, and we never seem to catch on.
Sometimes — one must stand back and allow the toilet to flush....
Ya got that right Shinola.
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