Junta claims 'Emergency relief' phase over, aid agencies refute

by Mungpi

Tuesday, 03 June 2008 19:36

New Delhi - Burma's ruling junta has announced that the 'emergency relief period is over' and it is now focusing  on reconstruction work, even as the international community and domestic aid workers are escalating their efforts to supply aid to cyclone victims. Burmese junta's second man Vice Senior General Maung Aye during a meeting with officials in Pathein, capital of Irrawaddy division on Monday said following the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis, the government was able to successfully carry out relief work. "Myanmar was able to successfully carry out the relief and rehabilitation operation in a short time although it was hit hard by the severe cyclone," Maung Aye said. But this statement largely contradicted the ongoing state of affairs as reported by several aid workers including domestic and international aid agencies. Humanitarian Assistant Committee of the National League for Democracy, Burma's main opposition party, said while aid has been reaching several towns, which are easier to access,  several villages in the remote areas have not seen any form of aid. "Our humanitarian committee assess that at the most only about 40 percent of the victims might have received initial aid, but the rest has not seen any form of aid," Nyan Win, the NLD's spokesperson said. Nyan Win said it is important that the government opens up to aid supplies and to workers so that more aid reaches to remote areas as several people are going hungry day by day. "No, no 'emergency relief' continues," said Paul Risley, spokesperson of the World Food Programme in Bangkok, adding that the terms used may vary from 'relief or recovery' but the facts remain the same.  While it is possible to reach to refugees in towns such as Laputta and Bogale in Irrawaddy delta, it still remains a difficult challenge to reach remote areas, Risley said. "Aid supply continues to be problem.  Getting access to the areas in the delta requires permission from the government. So it is very difficult," he added. WFP said it is negotiating with the Burmese government to allow them to deploy helicopters, with one ready in Rangoon and nine more in Bangkok, for supplying aid to remote areas. < Prev   Next >