DFID Defies MPs on Burma Aid – No Support for Democracy or Cross-Border Aid

DFID takes no action on any key recommendations by Parliamentary Committee.

The Burma Campaign UK today expressed its shock and disappointment at the Department for International Development’s response to an inquiry into UK aid to Burma by the International Development Committee. DFID has not taken action on any of the key recommendations made by the Committee.

The MPs’ report called for a fundamental change in DFID’s Burma aid policy, including:

• A quadrupling of aid to Burma by 2013, taking aid from £8.8m to £35.3m a year.
• Providing cross-border aid in addition to in-country aid, to ensure aid reaches internally displaced people who cannot be reached through in-country mechanisms because of restrictions imposed by the regime.
• Funding projects promoting human rights and democracy, including exile based Burmese women’s groups and the trade union movement.
• Setting up alternative mechanisms to provide funding for HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB in parts of the country that the 3D fund can’t reach because of restrictions by the regime.

“DFID’s response is disgraceful and inexplicable,” said Mark Farmaner, Acting Director of the Burma Campaign UK. “They have not changed their position on any key issues, no commitment on increasing aid, no cross-border aid, and no funding for pro-democracy work. They are ignoring the democratic process in the UK, and refusing to fund pro-democracy work for Burma.”

Despite already knowing what its budget for the next three years will be, following the Comprehensive Spending Review earlier this year, DFID has made no commitment to quadruple aid, as MPs requested. It has only said it is ‘considering’ increasing aid.

The regime will not let the UN or other aid agencies deliver aid to large parts of Burma, mainly ethnic areas in the east and north of the country. The people in these areas are among the poorest and most vulnerable in the country. Millions of people could be reached by cross-border aid from neighbouring countries, but DFID refuses to fund this kind of aid.

DFID uses figures that downplay the number of people that can be reached by cross border aid, as it only counts Internally Displaced People (IDPs), not everyone in need of assistance. For months now DFID has tried to deflect criticism by saying it is waiting for the outcome of a UN study into the humanitarian needs. However, DFID did not need a lengthy study before its recent announcement of a £1 million increase in in-country aid following the crackdown. While DFID dithers, people are dying from preventable diseases every day. These lives could be saved by UK aid.

With tight restrictions inside the country, organisations and projects promoting human rights and democracy have to be based in exile, and work through underground networks in Burma. Despite the International Development Committee reccomending funding for these organisations, DFID is still refusing to fund such projects. Many of these organisations played a crucial role in getting news and images out of Burma during the recent protests and crackdown.

“This is not joined up government,” said Mark Farmaner. “The government isn’t putting its money where its mouth is. The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have been leading the international community in supporting Burma’s democrats, but DFID seems to be going in a different direction, only prepared to deliver aid to people and projects that the Burmese dictatorship agrees to.”

For more information contact Mark Farmaner, Acting Director, on 02073244713.   

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