Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Canadian Groups say cyclone aid getting through

It has always seemed to me that there has been blatant politicising of the aid issue. While it is true that the junta is stalling and not letting some aid workers in it is just as true that politicians love to show that they are against the junta by criticising them at every turn. This is just plain counterproductive. Aid agencies with people on the ground in Burma have a different story and their efforts are not helped by attacks on the junta.

Canadian groups say cyclone aid getting through
document.
May 13, 2008 12:58 PM THE CANADIAN PRESS
OTTAWA – Canadian aid agencies say they are managing to help cyclone victims in Myanmar, despite the country's nearly-closed border.
Officials from Oxfam, CARE and other groups say they fear Canadians won't donate money to the Myanmar cause due to reports about reluctance by the military junta to let foreign workers in.
CARE Canada president Kevin McCort says his and other agencies have had 1,000 aid workers on the ground in Myanmar for more than a decade.
He says the workers are already busy getting food, water, clothing and other supplies to cyclone victims.
But he admits the agencies could use two or three times as many workers as they currently have in Myanmar.
McCort says aid groups are often better able to distribute disaster relief than governments because they have established relationships in the affected countries.

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