The UN said Tuesday that only a tiny portion of international aid is reaching Burma's cyclone victims, as reports emerged that the country's military regime is hoarding higher-quality foreign aid for itself and doling out rotten food.
"There is obviously still a lot of frustration that this aid effort hasn't picked up pace" 10 days after the cyclone hit, said Richard Horsey, the spokesman for the UN humanitarian operation in Bangkok, the capital of neighboring Thailand.
Cyclone Nargis devastated Burma's Irrawaddy delta on May 3, leaving about 62,000 people dead or missing according to the government count. The UN has suggested the death toll is likely to be more than 100,000.
"There is obviously still a lot of frustration that this aid effort hasn't picked up pace" 10 days after the cyclone hit, said Richard Horsey, the spokesman for the UN humanitarian operation in Bangkok, the capital of neighboring Thailand.
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| Relief supply from the USAID is loaded into a US plane C-130 at the Rangoon International airport. The United States will send two more relief flights into cyclone-hit Burma on Tuesday, an aid official said, hours after the first US flight of emergency supplies landed in the country. (Photo: AFP) |
With their homes washed away and large tracts of land under water, some 2 million survivors—mostly poor rice farmers—are living in abject misery, facing disease and starvation.
The UN said the World Food Program is getting in 20 percent of the food needed because of bottlenecks, logistics problems and government-imposed restrictions.
"That is a characterization of the program as a whole. We are not reaching enough people quickly enough," Horsey told The Associated Press.
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| Cyclone survivors cook meals after taking refuge in a temple in Kyauktan at the outskirt of Rangoon. Experts warned the relief effort was floundering and 1.5 million cyclone survivors were at grave risk from hunger and disease. (Photo: AFP) |
The military—which has ruled the country with an iron fist since 1962—has taken control of most aid sent by other countries including the United States.
The regime told a US military commander who delivered the first American shipment Monday that storm victims' basic needs are being fulfilled—and that "skillful humanitarian workers are not necessary."
But the junta's words and actions have only served to back up complaints that the military is appropriating the aid for itself.
A longtime foreign resident of Burma's biggest city, Rangoon, told the AP in Bangkok by telephone that angry government officials have complained to him about the military misappropriating aid.
He said the officials told him that quantities of the high-energy biscuits rushed into Burma on the World Food Program's first flights were sent to a military warehouse.
They were exchanged by what the officials said were "tasteless and low-quality" biscuits produced by the Industry Ministry to be handed out to cyclone victims, the foreign resident said.
He spoke on condition of anonymity because identifying himself could jeopardize his safety.
He said it was not known what has been happening to the high quality food—whether it is being sold on the black market or consumed by the military.
The claim appeared to be backed up on the ground.
CARE Australia's country director in Burma, Brian Agland, said members of his local staff brought back some of the rotting rice that's being distributed in the delta.
"I have a small sample in my pocket, and it's some of the poorest quality rice we've seen," he said. "It's affected by salt water and it's very old."
It's unclear whether the rice, which is dark gray in color and consists of very small grains, is coming from the government or from mills in the area or warehouses hit by the cyclone.
"We were using food from the World Food Program, which is very high quality," Agland said by telephone from Rangoon. "Certainly, we are concerned that (poor quality rice) is being distributed.
More story, read HERE
The regime told a US military commander who delivered the first American shipment Monday that storm victims' basic needs are being fulfilled—and that "skillful humanitarian workers are not necessary."
But the junta's words and actions have only served to back up complaints that the military is appropriating the aid for itself.
A longtime foreign resident of Burma's biggest city, Rangoon, told the AP in Bangkok by telephone that angry government officials have complained to him about the military misappropriating aid.
He said the officials told him that quantities of the high-energy biscuits rushed into Burma on the World Food Program's first flights were sent to a military warehouse.
They were exchanged by what the officials said were "tasteless and low-quality" biscuits produced by the Industry Ministry to be handed out to cyclone victims, the foreign resident said.
He spoke on condition of anonymity because identifying himself could jeopardize his safety.
He said it was not known what has been happening to the high quality food—whether it is being sold on the black market or consumed by the military.
The claim appeared to be backed up on the ground.
CARE Australia's country director in Burma, Brian Agland, said members of his local staff brought back some of the rotting rice that's being distributed in the delta.
"I have a small sample in my pocket, and it's some of the poorest quality rice we've seen," he said. "It's affected by salt water and it's very old."
It's unclear whether the rice, which is dark gray in color and consists of very small grains, is coming from the government or from mills in the area or warehouses hit by the cyclone.
"We were using food from the World Food Program, which is very high quality," Agland said by telephone from Rangoon. "Certainly, we are concerned that (poor quality rice) is being distributed.
More story, read HERE
