Aid to Myanmar

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Aid to Myanmar
By Cartoon: Manny Francisco of Manila, The Phillippines
Project: Cynthia Kirkeby
May 25, 2008, 21:25 PST

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Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, was devastated by a cyclone in May, 2008. According to the Associated Press, "The U.N. has estimated of the 2.4 million people affected by the storm, about 42 percent had received some kind of emergency assistance. But of the 2 million people living in the 15 worst-affected townships, only 23 percent had been reached," and "official estimates put the death toll at about 78,000, with another 56,000 missing. Myanmar has estimated the economic damage at about US$11 billion (€7 billion) and the United Nations has launched an emergency appeal for US$201 million (€127.7 million)."

However, the military junta has denied access to the affected areas by foreign aid workers, and subsequently many nations have chosen not to continue forward with their aid missions. Although the military authorities now say that they will allow foreign workers into the area, they still will not allow military vessels enter their waters.

France became so enraged by the actions of the junta that they diverted the aid to Thailand where, according to Reuters, "U.N. World Food Programme would take charge of the shipment and ensure it gets to victims of Cyclone Nargis that devastated Myanmar's Irrawaddy delta earlier this month. The 1,000 tonnes of aid, including drugs, food and tents, has been sitting in a French naval vessel off the Myanmar coast since May 17 waiting for a green light from the local junta to let them deliver it to the storm victims."

Questions to Ponder

Should the UN continue to distribute aid to Myanmar, without proper oversight, considering the history of the military junta's rule?
How do you provide oversight for more than$100 million dollars in aid when the ruling party will not allow aid workers to provide any sort of oversight?
Could the aid that is being extended to Myanmar be diverted to weapons and other non-aid items?
Do you think the current regime will back down and allow relief workers access to the country?