Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Yangon (Agenzia Fides) - For Myanmar, these are decisive moments: in the hours to come, international aid should arrive in the country, more needed than ever as the lives of the nation struck by Cyclone Nargis on May 2 continue in grave conditions and there is threat of a serious humanitarian crisis. In recent days, the country’s authorities promised the UN Secretary General, Ban-Ki Moon, on his visit to Myanmar, that they would not place obstacles in the arrival of foreign aid and international aid workers. For many international observers, it seemed like things were taking a positive turn. Now, the public and the nation’s citizens anxiously await to see how the events will evolve. In the meantime, Yangon (former capital of Myanmar) recently hosted the Conference of Donating Nations that allocated 63 million Euros in aid, equivalent to nearly 100 million dollars. It is a significant yet insufficient amount, according to the Myanmar government that had requested 11 billion dollars in aid.
The other part of the humanitarian crisis should be formed by the ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which Myanmar is a part. According to agreements made last week, ASEAN would be in charge of distributing the aid, serving as mediator and guarantor for both Myanmar and the rest of the nations of the world.
Moreover, today marks the beginning of the Ad Limina Apostolorum visit of the Bishops of Myanmar to the Vatican, which will last until next Saturday. In the meantime, the internal situation in the country remains quite difficult. In light of these conditions, Archbishop Charles Maung Bo of Yangon, Salesian, has written a letter describing the humanitarian crisis: “Three weeks after the devastating Cyclone Nargis struck on the 2nd and 3rd of May, the people of Myanmar are still struggling to comes to terms with scale of the disaster. For those who survived in the affected Delta and Yangon regions, survival is a day to day struggle, with access to clean water, food, shelter and medical attention still limited. In addition to this the severe water logging, damage to paddy fields, the loss of tools, seed and animals will have a negative impact on rice production and food security for this vulnerable population.”
“The local response in Myanmar has been hugely important in these initial few weeks, however, resources and capacity have been stretched. Therefore, I welcome the recent announcement, that the government will allow all aid workers into the country. I hope that this announcement is followed through and that international support can build on the local structures and efforts already underway.”
The most recent United Nations statistics mention 2.5 million people that have suffered grave damages from the cyclone, 40% of which are children. In the city of Laputta, nearly 30% of the children under 5 years of age are suffering from diarrhea or dysentery. The UNICEF has begun a vaccination campaign against measles throughout the entire region. Food and medicine are being distributed among the survivors, however according to various international agencies, there is still not a sufficient quantity for meeting the needs of the entire population. The United Nations estimates that 70% of the people affected by the cyclone have not received any kind of alimentary aid. Many sleep outdoors, without mattresses or protection from the elements. Pre-fabricated lavatories have been set up, however the number is still insufficient. There is still high risk for the spread of epidemics from water contamination. (Mtp) (Agenzia Fides 27/05/2008; righe 46, parole 574)
