UK Must Provide Additional Aid For Cyclone Victims

The Burma Campaign UK today called on the UK government to provide emergency aid for cyclone victims in Burma. At least 15,000 people are feared dead and hundreds of thousands homeless after Burma was struck by Cyclone Nargis on Friday night. The European Commission and USA have offered emergency assistance, but so far there has been no response from the British government.

The Burma Campaign UK fears the death-toll in Burma will escalate dramatically unless aid is delivered to victims in the next few days. Most people already live in poverty, and have no resources to cope with a disaster on this scale.  The regime ruling Burma places severe restrictions on the delivery of aid, and this has largely gone unchallenged by the international community.

“This is a major humanitarian disaster,” said Mark Farmaner, Director of the Burma Campaign UK. “The British government must provide extra aid to help cope with this crisis. We also need to see the UK and other governments do more to challenge restrictions on the delivery of aid. Unless aid arrives soon thousands more will die.”

Although the regime has said it will accept aid, there is no information on what aid it will allow and where it can be delivered. It is highly unlikely that the regime will allow aid to be delivered freely on the basis of need. It is essential that aid is delivered through independent agencies such as the UN and aid agencies, rather than the regime, which is likely to misuse or steal aid.

The Irrawaddy Delta of Burma, which bore the brunt of the cyclone, is largely inhabited by farmers and fisher-people who live in bamboo huts held together with dried grass. Most people have no electricity and most roads are made from dirt and in bad condition. Delivery of aid would be extremely challenging even if the government was co-operating.

“Thousands more will die unless the international community insists on immediate access for aid, and then puts its money where its mouth is,” said Mark Farmaner. “We appreciate the challenges there are in delivering aid in Burma, but given the scale of this disaster the response from the United Nations and governments is pathetic, and the people of Burma will pay with their lives.”

For more information contact Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK, on 020 7324 4710.

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