John Holmes, the UN Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, may soon visit Burma to review the humanitarian relief operation in the Irrawaddy delta, devastated by Cyclone Nargis in early May.
Holmes said: "It is possible I may go back [to Burma]… before too long to see how the operation is proceeding."
No date has been set, but Holms told reporters, "It would be in near future."
Holmes remarks follow the announcement that UN Special Envoy on Burma, Ibrahim Gambari, will visit Burma this month. No date has been announced.
Holmes told reporters that substantial progress has been made in the humanitarian relief work in the Irrawaddy Delta.
Holmes said: "It is possible I may go back [to Burma]… before too long to see how the operation is proceeding."
No date has been set, but Holms told reporters, "It would be in near future."
Holmes remarks follow the announcement that UN Special Envoy on Burma, Ibrahim Gambari, will visit Burma this month. No date has been announced.
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| John Holmes, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. (Photo: AP) |
"The relief operation is proceeding,” he said. “The access for international humanitarian relief workers has improved markedly over the last six weeks, though we are still working on that. But, I think, we have made distinct progress."
When a reporter said humanitarian relief workers are still not being given access to the entire delta area, he said: "You are wrong, conditions have changed a lot. They have granted access—not unlimited as we would like—but it is improving all the time."
Holmes said between 250 and 300 people from the UN have had short-term and long-term access and also NGOs are receiving greater access to the cyclone-stricken area.
"The access is improving and is being made easier," he said. Referring to the recent joint assessment report by the UN, Asean and the Burmese regime, Holmes said it was clear that there are unmeet needs, and refugees need further assistance.
"We have not had the second wave of deaths that people feared, a catastrophe following the first, but there are many continuing needs there for relief operations for the next few months," he said.
Meanwhile, the leaders of the world's wealthiest nations meeting at the G8 summit in Japan expressed concern over the political situation in Burma, the White House said on Tuesday.
The G-8 leaders called on the Burmese authorities to release all political detainees including Aung San Suu Kyi, the pro-democracy leader who is under house arrest.
G-8 leaders also called upon the Burmese junta to foster a transition to a legitimate, democratic, civilian government.
The White House said the G-8 leaders expressed their commitment to ensure that aid reaches those affected by Cyclone Nargis. The leaders called on the Burmese government to lift all remaining restrictions on access for foreign aid workers, the White House said.
