Myanmar

[cgallery]

10,000 dead, another 3,000 missing. The suffering has to be absolutely monumental.

[TB Roye]

I saw on the new tonight that the current government is not allowing help in or is restricting help both from the UN and USA. What a shame those people really need help but their government is the problem. That is my understanding of thing and not a political statement or opinion.

Tom

[Ed62]

That is just unimaginable. Those poor people really need all the help they can get.

Ed

[Alex Franke]

10,000 dead, another 3,000 missing. The suffering has to be absolutely monumental.

10,000??? Wow, that's just horrible. I didn't realize it was so catastrophic... time to go read the news I guess.

Edit: 15,000+ now... from CNN: "The death toll from the Myanmar cyclone is more than 15,000 people, the country's government has said." it's just terrible.

[crokett]

Wow. I had no idea it was that bad either. They really do need some help.

[dkerfoot]

Burma Death Toll

My guess is it is much higher. The regime there is probably as repressive as North Korea and is very unlikely to allow outsiders in.

Myanmar is the name preferred by the military junta - the governments of the US, Canada, Australia and the UK continue to use the name Burma.

Naturally, CNN uses the name Myanmar.

[Alex Franke]

Oh no, it's getting worse:

From CNN.com: "Cyclone death toll jumps to 22,000 -
The death toll in the devastating Myanmar cyclone has risen to more than 22,000, according to state radio and opposition sources. The radio broadcast added that 41,000 more are missing, according to The Associated Press. developing story"

[atgcpaul]

Being Burmese myself, you feel helpless and powerless to do anything except
watch the news and wait for a reputable charity to support to send aid.

Most of our family from my mom's side is in the US now since the late 70s.
My Aunt is actually visiting the US for the first time, but her daughter, my
cousin, is still in Rangoon and we have not heard from her yet. She lives in
my grandfathers VERY sturdy concrete house so we hope she has weathered
the storm OK. Our family has not been able to call in Burma yet.

My father's brother and his family are still there. My dad received an e-mail
saying they are fine and that my grandfather's house there suffered some
minor roof damage that my uncle has repaired.

Just as Hurricane Katrina exposed how unprepared America was on so many
levels, I hope this disaster in Burma does the same thing. The death toll will
certainly rise from water borne diseases and lack of food from the devasted
rice crops. I hope common sense will prevail not only in the oppressive ranks
of the government, but more in the general population that they can no
longer survive under those conditions and that something very drastic has to
happen on the scale of the Romanian rebellion against the Ceausescu regime
or the French Revolution.

Pray for the people of Burma,

Paul

[cgallery]

One U.S. diplomat is saying they were told as many as 100,000 are expected dead by a relief organization worker that has expertise in this area. Myanmar government officials are saying 70,000 dead.

I don't think the world understands the consequences of 70,000 to 100,000 dead. The amount of resources to document and bury the deceased would probably be too much even if it happened HERE.

My heart goes out to these people, hundreds of thousands of lost absolutely everything.

[Russianwolf]

I work for an organization that deals exclusively in SE Asia including Myanmar. Here is an update we are providing to our members.

I admit it's a slippery slope as to aid. The US has sanctions which prevented direct monetary aid, and due to those sanctions the government of Myanmar would ahve a sore spot for the US. gotta love "Diplomatic Relations"

MYANMAR UPDATE: CYCLONE NARGIS

On Saturday, a deadly cyclone slammed into Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon. State radio has reported that the cyclone has killed over 22,500 people, and there are still 41,000 unaccounted for. The cyclone, the deadliest natural disaster to hit the ASEAN region since the tsunami of December 2004, is estimated to have left over one million homeless and has prompted aid organizations to mobilize for a major relief operation.

The cyclone triggered a 12-foot storm surge that swept inland, destroying entire villages. "More deaths were caused by the tidal wave than the storm itself," Minister for Relief and Resettlement Maung Maung Swe told a news conference in Yangon.

The US Government has pledged over $3 million USD to the relief effort as well as four US Navy ships stocked with emergency relief equipment. The money will be given to the World Food Program and other NGOs to meet the immediate needs of those affected by the storm. “The United States has made an initial aid contribution, but we want to do a lot more. We're prepared to move U.S. Navy assets to help find those who've lost their lives, to help find the missing, to help stabilize the situation. But in order to do so, the military junta must allow our disaster assessment teams into the country,” said President Bush.

Until Tuesday May 6, US financial sanctions prevented US aid organizations as well as individuals from donating money directly to organizations within Myanmar without an OFAC license. But, yesterday the US Treasury Department posted a ruling that has relaxed the financial sanctions. Direct monetary donations to international relief organizations are now permitted without a license. Aid to the government of Myanmar is not allowed without an exemption. To read the complete US Treasury Department Notice, please click: http://www.treasury.gov/offices/enfo.../burmagl14.pdf

At this time, the Myanmar rulers have not accepted US offers of assistance but on May 6, the United Nations was granted permission to conduct relief operations and provide emergency supplies. Most UN workers, as well as employees and volunteers from International NGOs, are still awaiting visas to enter the country, according to both press reports as well as to humanitarian organizations attempting to secure visas.

Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, the Secretary-General of ASEAN has called on senior officials of countries participating in the ASEAN Regional Forum to look into ways and means of mobilizing necessary resources and equipment to support the emergency relief in Myanmar. Singapore and the Philippines have already sent their experts to join the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination Team assembled in Bangkok over the weekend. “I am sure Myanmar’s neighbors in ASEAN are standing by ready to join the international community to extend help in whatever form the Government of Myanmar would like them to do,” Dr. Surin added.

The government of Myanmar has reported that its constitutional referendum will be delayed for areas affected by the disaster until May 24.

Statement by and contact information for the US Mission to Myanmar:
http://burma.usembassy.gov/wmessage_05052008.html

If you or your company wish to help with the relief effort in Myanmar, the US-ASEAN Business Council suggests that you work through the recommended organizations listed below. These recommended groups have been working in Myanmar for a number of years and therefore already have teams on the ground:

CARE
http://www.care.org/

Save the Children
http://www.savethechildren.org/

UN World Food Programme
http://www.wfp.org/english/

UNHCR
http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home

UNICEF
http://www.unicef.org/

World Vision
http://www.worldvision.org/


In addition, Former US Ambassador to Thailand Darryl Johnson and Mark Schlansky, who is well-known by many Council members, are working with UPLIFT INTERNATIONAL to provide emergency relief to the Burmese people. They have gotten approval and visas from the Myanmar Embassy in Washington DC and plan to be on the ground promptly.
http://www.upliftinternational.org/

For a list of additional humanitarian organizations assisting with the relief effort in Myanmar, please go to: http://www.interaction.org/burma

These organizations are asking for monetary assistance. In-kind donations are also welcome but transporting goods into the country right now is a slow process and monetary help will be of the most use at this time. Of course, if your company wishes to make an in-kind contribution, you are most welcome but please be sure to contact one of the humanitarian organizations in order to ensure that your donation can be best put to use.

While immediate assistance is desperately needed, repairing the disaster in Myanmar and aiding its victims looks to be a long-term process. If you and/or your company wish to contribute please keep in mind that assistance will be needed down the road as well.

Save the Children will be holding a conference call on Thursday May 8 at 3 pm (EST) to discuss relief efforts. To dial into this call from the US, please call 877-298-8255 and enter conference ID 3747672 followed by the # sign. International participants should dial 303-928-2636 and enter conference ID 3747672 followed by the # sign.