Wednesday
May142008
UN aid to Myanmar by the numbers
Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 1:28PM
UN Aid to Myanmar by the numbers
* There are 30-40 aid flights a day plus commercial flights being donated by companies such as Thai airlines.
* 700 tons of rice and high energy biscuits are enough to feed 100,000 people
* The UN goal is to have tarps for 200,000 households
*There are about 160 relief workers being allowed in from neighboring countries.
*The UN has applied for about 100-200 visas for professional staff, with the ability to train and work with workers.
*$150 million has been raised but now the amount needed has increased.
*1.6-2.5 million people will need some form of aid over the long term, the numbers on this are constantly being refined.
*Death toll is 38,000. and 27,000 missing. Those are the statistics of Myanmar not of the United Nations. It could be up to 100,000 or even higher but there is no reliable figures. There is the possibility that people have been double counted.
Myanmar/Burma briefing by John Holmes Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator
In his update briefing on the conditions and aid flights to Myanmar, Holmes said that so far the Burmese government is not allowing international workers but they have asked neighboring countries to help. Holmes said that there is still a long way to go. He said that clean water is still very important, but that in the medical supplies dehydration kits has helped to stave off a real crisis.
Holmes said that there is no detectable moving of aid for other purposes which the UN has determined by looking at markets, but Holmes said, that doesn't mean it is not happening. He reported that the Ports are now open so large quantities of goods should be able to move soon. Myanmar is still not accepting assets such as engineering teams or helicopters said Holmes. He said that Myanmar’s national resources are not adequate. The plan, Holmes said, is to develop a logistics hub, perhaps in Thailand.
Holmes also said that the issue of relief workers and outside assets is a discussion that the United Nations is trying to move forward with the Myanmar government. The government has stepped up road blocks looking for foreigners. Currently international staff is being turned away at road blocks, which gets in the way of distributing aid in a professional way. “You can't just hand out things at the back of a truck,” said Holmes
He mentioned that the World Bank might be able to play a long term roll in terms of developing infrastructure after recovery from the crisis. That is why the United Nations is relying on local staff, but Holmes said, many of the local United Nations staff is not trained in emergency relief. Air drops that have been made against the wishes of the government are proving a complicated issue.
Within a week to ten days after a disaster is when disease begins to spread, said Holmes. Disease can break out at any time if aid can not get through. The Secretary General has sent a second letter, they have not been able to contact by telephone.
Holmes told the briefing that the Thai Prime Minister is going to be in Myanmar, and hoping to make some headway with a regime 'that seems allergic to the telephone".
In response to a question Holmes said that the UN has not heard stories of aid being denied because of the referendum, but it does not seem to be possible for them to hold a referendum give the circumstances.
On the bombings in India:
The statement given at the briefing was that the Secretary General is outraged by the bombings and terrorism.
On the Security Council:
The Council is concerned about JEM fighters near Khartoum over last weekend as well as increased violence in Darfur. Ethiopia and Eritrea will also be on the agenda this afternoon.
* There are 30-40 aid flights a day plus commercial flights being donated by companies such as Thai airlines.
* 700 tons of rice and high energy biscuits are enough to feed 100,000 people
* The UN goal is to have tarps for 200,000 households
*There are about 160 relief workers being allowed in from neighboring countries.
*The UN has applied for about 100-200 visas for professional staff, with the ability to train and work with workers.
*$150 million has been raised but now the amount needed has increased.
*1.6-2.5 million people will need some form of aid over the long term, the numbers on this are constantly being refined.
*Death toll is 38,000. and 27,000 missing. Those are the statistics of Myanmar not of the United Nations. It could be up to 100,000 or even higher but there is no reliable figures. There is the possibility that people have been double counted.
Myanmar/Burma briefing by John Holmes Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator
In his update briefing on the conditions and aid flights to Myanmar, Holmes said that so far the Burmese government is not allowing international workers but they have asked neighboring countries to help. Holmes said that there is still a long way to go. He said that clean water is still very important, but that in the medical supplies dehydration kits has helped to stave off a real crisis.
Holmes said that there is no detectable moving of aid for other purposes which the UN has determined by looking at markets, but Holmes said, that doesn't mean it is not happening. He reported that the Ports are now open so large quantities of goods should be able to move soon. Myanmar is still not accepting assets such as engineering teams or helicopters said Holmes. He said that Myanmar’s national resources are not adequate. The plan, Holmes said, is to develop a logistics hub, perhaps in Thailand.
Holmes also said that the issue of relief workers and outside assets is a discussion that the United Nations is trying to move forward with the Myanmar government. The government has stepped up road blocks looking for foreigners. Currently international staff is being turned away at road blocks, which gets in the way of distributing aid in a professional way. “You can't just hand out things at the back of a truck,” said Holmes
He mentioned that the World Bank might be able to play a long term roll in terms of developing infrastructure after recovery from the crisis. That is why the United Nations is relying on local staff, but Holmes said, many of the local United Nations staff is not trained in emergency relief. Air drops that have been made against the wishes of the government are proving a complicated issue.
Within a week to ten days after a disaster is when disease begins to spread, said Holmes. Disease can break out at any time if aid can not get through. The Secretary General has sent a second letter, they have not been able to contact by telephone.
Holmes told the briefing that the Thai Prime Minister is going to be in Myanmar, and hoping to make some headway with a regime 'that seems allergic to the telephone".
In response to a question Holmes said that the UN has not heard stories of aid being denied because of the referendum, but it does not seem to be possible for them to hold a referendum give the circumstances.
On the bombings in India:
The statement given at the briefing was that the Secretary General is outraged by the bombings and terrorism.
On the Security Council:
The Council is concerned about JEM fighters near Khartoum over last weekend as well as increased violence in Darfur. Ethiopia and Eritrea will also be on the agenda this afternoon.
An Olympic challenge: Bush should address human rights abuse
Kumar made his message clear: Human rights in China have deteriorated since the International Olympic Committee decided the games would be held in Beijing. 250,000 people are imprisoned in labor camps through the "re-education through labor" detention system. According to Kumar, the Chinese government executes more people than every other country combined.
In his speech in Thailand yesterday, Bush addressed Chinese human rights violations, but that speech was meaningless if he does speak up when he is actually in China, Kumar said. Kumar suggested that Bush meet with"Mothers of Tiananmen," which consists of relatives of Tiananmen Square victims. The Chinese government has decided to designate three areas for peaceful demonstration, Kumar said, and Bush should also visit them.
Bush is sending a conflicted message about religious freedom by visiting state-controlled churches during his visit, argued Kumar. He should also visit independent churches.
Speaking out would be a symbolic victory against human right violations in China. Although it would have not have a significant short-term effect, Bush could set the standard for what the United States expects of China and establish guidelines for the next president, Kumar said.