USA/MYANMAR: U.N. says Myanmar starting to let in aid

Record ID: 336203

  • Title: USA/MYANMAR: U.N. says Myanmar starting to let in aid
  • Date: 8th May 2008
  • Summary: YANGON, MYANMAR (MAY 06, 2008) (REUTERS) THAI MILITARY CARRIER ON RUNWAY VARIOUS OF MYANMAR SOLDIERS LIFTING SUPPLIES
  • Embargoed: 23rd May 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
  • Reuters ID: LVA2EBYSRGEVQ0WNBINEZAA84ARW
  • Story Text: The United Nations says that the Myanmar junta is cooperating in slowly allowing food aid and assistance into the country, but U.N. officials hope that the process will soon speed up.
    The number of people killed in Myanmar by Cyclone Nargis may rise beyond the government's official estimate, but aid is slowly being allowed into the country, the top U.N. humanitarian official said on Wednesday (May 07).
    John Holmes, U.N. undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs, gave no precise estimate of how much the death toll could rise. Myanmar's military government has said nearly 23,000 people died and 41,000 are missing because of the cyclone.

    "It is not impossible, in fact I think it's quite likely that those figures will continue to rise and that we are really facing a major catastrophe there," said Holmes.
    Holmes said the United Nations would immediately release at least $10 million from its emergency relief fund for Myanmar and would launch a global appeal on Friday to raise more based on an initial U.N. damage assessment.
    Although four Asian U.N. aid workers, who do not need visas to get into the country, were going in on Thursday, Holmes said other U.N. aid workers still were waiting to get visas.

    "We would like that to move much faster, both in terms of visas, but also in terms of custom clearance, rapid customs clearance of good that are already there in some cases, or will be arriving shortly," said Holmes.
    However, he did say that Myanmar's junta was cooperating and that it was a good sign that they were welcoming international assistance.
    The U.N. World Food Program said in statement that it has sent four aircraft loaded with food aid and other relief items to Myanmar. They are expected to arrive on Thursday.
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