UN humanitarian chief John Holmes plans to travel to cyclone-hit Burma to persuade the junta to open up to foreign aid, as southeast Asia neighbours prepared for donor talks.
Holmes was preparing his trip as Burma's Southeast Asian neighbours geared for talks aimed at convening a high-level donors meeting, which UN sources said could take place in Bangkok on May 24.
--Read More: here
Thursday, May 15, 2008
UN envoy to visit Burma
The top United Nations aid official will visit Burma soon to see if he can pressure the ruling generals to speed up the relief effort for survivors of Cyclone Nargis.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes was assigned by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to monitor the relief effort.
"He is planning to visit the region, sometime in the next couple of days," said Amanda Pitt, Regional Public Information and Advocacy Officer for the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
--Read More: here
UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes was assigned by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to monitor the relief effort.
"He is planning to visit the region, sometime in the next couple of days," said Amanda Pitt, Regional Public Information and Advocacy Officer for the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
--Read More: here
Cyclone Survivors Told to Return to Shattered Homes
Nearly 2,000 cyclone survivors still sheltering in monasteries, religious buildings and schools in one Rangoon township have been told by the authorities to return to what is left of their homes by May 20.The order was confirmed by one resident of the affected township, South Dagon Myothit, who asked: “Where will the survivors live?” Angered by the official order, Ko Pauk said: “Their homes were destroyed by the cyclone. The authorities are really stupid.”
--Read More: here
Behind the Story in Laputta
The following is an Internet conversation between an Irrawaddy editor and an Irrawaddy correspondent in Rangoon, who had just returned from Laputta Township in the Irrawaddy delta.
EXCERPTS
Office: What about shelters?
Correspondent: I was really disheartened to see refugees who have no shelter and were shivering in the rain. It is tragic. It is high time to question the UN’s actions. What are they doing? Where is the aid?
Office: They must get permission to help the refugees from the government.
Correspondent: Can we call this assistance, since they are offering only a little bit of rice and a few medicines? How can we understand this? Before UN relief agencies came, people there had rice soup. Now they are eating low-quality rice and drinking water that has chlorine in it. Maybe one or two biscuits.
--Read More: here
EXCERPTS
Office: What about shelters?
Correspondent: I was really disheartened to see refugees who have no shelter and were shivering in the rain. It is tragic. It is high time to question the UN’s actions. What are they doing? Where is the aid?
Office: They must get permission to help the refugees from the government.
Correspondent: Can we call this assistance, since they are offering only a little bit of rice and a few medicines? How can we understand this? Before UN relief agencies came, people there had rice soup. Now they are eating low-quality rice and drinking water that has chlorine in it. Maybe one or two biscuits.
--Read More: here
China Blocking UN Responsibility To Protect Action For Burma
No Hope For Responsibility To Protect Action By Security Council the Burma Campaign UK today condemned China for continuing to obstruct moves to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Burma.
--Read More: here
--Read More: here
Help Burma -Support Cyclone Victims
David Duchovny supports Burma
Nicole Richie & Joel Madden support Burma
VOA Burmese Team interview with Cyclone survivors
Burmese Monks to Fast for Starving Cyclone Victims
Where:
Ralph Bunch Park,
Ralph Bunch Park,
across from UN 43rd St. and 1st Ave. New York City
When:
When:
Thursday, May 15
Time: 3-7pm
Time: 3-7pm
and
Friday, May 16
Time: 9am-6pm
Friday, May 16
Time: 9am-6pm
Join the Fast Join the Prayers and Meditation Support the Monks and the People of Burma Supporters are invited to join the monks as they fast with alarm and grief for their country. Please come and support this courageous, peaceful action. They petitioned the United Nations to take action immediately in Burma before more people die of starvation through willful government neglect. If you would like to join the fast, you are very welcome!
The monks will eat their last meal Thursday morning and then will break the fast Saturday morning. If you wish to fast for any of that time, or part of that time, please do. Please wear white if you are fasting so that you can be identified. All are welcome to come and meditate and pray with the monks. The more the better, and the stronger the message will be. These days of fasting, meditation, and prayers is sponsored by the International Burmese Monks Organization, (International Burmese Monks Organization, IBMO)
May, 17, 2008 UN PROTEST: 2.5 MILLION LIVES IN BURMA IN THE BALANCE. UN ACT NOW!
WHEN: Saturday,
May 17, 12pm
WHERE: Ralph Bunche Park, United Nations, 43rd St and 1st AveWHO: NY
Burma activists -- NY Burma Roundtable, US Campaign for Burma, Burma 88 Coalition, 8-8-08 for Burma.
As a compassionate New York resident, please wear white on Saturday and join us to hold a vigil with 15 Burmese Buddhist monks who will fast and demonstrate in front of the United Nations.
CONTACT: Farheen Malik, newyork@uscampaignforburma.org
Cristina Moon, 347-756-4088, info@8808forburma.org
May 17, 12pm
WHERE: Ralph Bunche Park, United Nations, 43rd St and 1st AveWHO: NY
Burma activists -- NY Burma Roundtable, US Campaign for Burma, Burma 88 Coalition, 8-8-08 for Burma.
As a compassionate New York resident, please wear white on Saturday and join us to hold a vigil with 15 Burmese Buddhist monks who will fast and demonstrate in front of the United Nations.
CONTACT: Farheen Malik, newyork@uscampaignforburma.org
Cristina Moon, 347-756-4088, info@8808forburma.org
UN Security Council Update Report
Expected Council ActionThe Council has been discussing, both at the experts level and in informal consultations, the humanitarian situation in Myanmar since Cyclone Nargis struck the country on 2 May 2008.France has been pushing for Council action but, at the time of writing, it was unclear if France would put a draft resolution on the table. It seems that a text is being consulted with various members of the Council and that it may appeal to member states to offer emergency aid and assistance and urge the government of Myanmar to establish a coordinating mechanism to assist and facilitate in the delivery of aid.
--Read More: here
Invitation for Demostration Infront of JUNTA Embassy
We would like to appeals to all Burmese community to come and pressure for
Myanmar (SPDC) has to accept to all international aid workers and as a Burmese
Myanmar (SPDC) has to accept to all international aid workers and as a Burmese
community in UK has to show that we are supporting and trying to get the
aid to cyclone victims.
Date: 16.05.08(Friday)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00
Place of Demonstration : Myanmar Embassy
19A Charles Street
London
W1J 5DX
Date: 16.05.08(Friday)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00
Place of Demonstration : Myanmar Embassy
19A Charles Street
London
W1J 5DX
Much bigger aid effort needed for Myanmar – Ban Ki-moon
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for a much greater mobilization of resources and aid workers in Myanmar to respond to the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis, which has left at least 38,000 dead and more than 27,000 others missing since it swept through the country earlier this month.
“Even though the Myanmar Government has shown some sense of flexibility, at this time, it’s far, far too short,” Mr. Ban said today. “The magnitude of this situation requires much more mobilization of resources and aid workers,” he added.
--Read More: here
British prime minister seeks emergency UN summit on Myanmar aid
LONDON: Britain's prime minister on Wednesday called for an emergency U.N. summit to coordinate efforts to rush aid to cyclone victims in Myanmar.
Gordon Brown told lawmakers during his weekly questions session in Parliament that the military regime in Myanmar, which is also known as Burma, has shown some improvement in recent days, but is still blocking much of the aid being sent by other countries.
--Read More: here
Time to Save Burma
Burma is in the middle of a catastrophe—the lives of more than a million people are at great risk and about 100,000 people have been killed.. The damage to the country's infrastructure and agriculture caused by Cyclone Nargis will be felt for years.
The landscape of Burma's Irrawaddy delta is devastated. The bloated corpses of men, women and children lay strewn around the rice paddies. Animal carcasses float down rivers and wash up on riverbanks. Those lucky enough to survive now desperately seek shelter, water, food and medical care anywhere they can. Buddhist temples and schools have been turned into makeshift refugee centers and clinics.
--Read More: here
The landscape of Burma's Irrawaddy delta is devastated. The bloated corpses of men, women and children lay strewn around the rice paddies. Animal carcasses float down rivers and wash up on riverbanks. Those lucky enough to survive now desperately seek shelter, water, food and medical care anywhere they can. Buddhist temples and schools have been turned into makeshift refugee centers and clinics.
--Read More: here
Western navies wait off Burma
Britain dispatched a Royal Navy frigate to join American warships and a French landing craft in international waters off Burma today, as the three Western powers prepared to push the UN Security Council into approving direct humanitarian intervention in the cyclone-devastated Irrawaddy delta.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said his government would use its position as current chairman of the Security Council to get the council - and the Burmese regime - to recognise that "unfettered access should be made available immediately".
--Read More: here
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