Asean asks Myanmar to open doors for aid
Future tense: A girl sits in a broken boat outside her washed away home in the cyclone-hit area of Dedaye township, some 48 kilometres south of Yangon. Picture: AFP
Friday, May 9, 2008
MYANMAR'S junta came under rare pressure from its Asian neighbours yesterday to unlock its borders to international aid as estimates of the death toll from Cyclone Nargis topped 100,000.
Echoing calls from the United Nations and Washington, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) chief Surin Pitsuwan said Myanmar's regime needed to work with the international aid community "before it's too late."
"It's very much a matter of urgency," he said.
China also urged the generals to drop their normal belligerance toward outside interference and cooperate for the sake of the millions of people affected by the catastrophe.
"Given the magnitude of the disaster in Myanmar, the international community has expressed concern and willingness to provide assistance," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said.
"This is natural and we hope Myanmar will cooperate with the international community and have consultations with the international community."
Surin said regional governments, working through the Jakarta-based Asean secretariat, were "trying to communicate (to the Myanmar regime) the sense of urgency and the flood of goodwill that is being offered."
The former Thai foreign minister was speaking on the sidelines of a technology conference hours after Shari Villarosa, the US charge d'affaires in Myanmar, said the death toll from Saturday's storm "may well be over 100,000."
A spokesman for the Thai government said Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej would call junta leader Than Shwe to urge the regime to cooperate with US efforts to deliver aid.
But Asean secretary general Surin chose his words carefully when asked if his secretariat had spoken directly with the generals in Myanmar.
"The goodwill is there (from the outside world), it's just a matter of permission and coordination and that is being done now," he said, referring to "communication problems" in Myanmar resulting from the storm.
"I have no idea what is the cause of the delay but I would assume (it is because) physical infrastructure has been destroyed and there is probably some consultation inside about what is the best way to receive this help," he said.
"I'm very concerned and I'm under tremendous pressure trying to coordinate this," he added.
Indonesian Welfare Minister Aburizal Bakrie said Jakarta had dispatched three transport aircraft with critical supplies to Myanmar and donated US$1 million for the aid effort.
Among the Asian countries that have pledged emergency aid so far, China has promised US994,000, Japan US$263,000 and Singapore has offered US$200,000 and a cargo-plane full of medical supplies.
Thailand has made facilities available to be a hub for the relief effort and has already sent more than US$500,000 worth of emergency supplies and equipment to its western neighbour.
AFP
Echoing calls from the United Nations and Washington, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) chief Surin Pitsuwan said Myanmar's regime needed to work with the international aid community "before it's too late."
"It's very much a matter of urgency," he said.
China also urged the generals to drop their normal belligerance toward outside interference and cooperate for the sake of the millions of people affected by the catastrophe.
"Given the magnitude of the disaster in Myanmar, the international community has expressed concern and willingness to provide assistance," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said.
"This is natural and we hope Myanmar will cooperate with the international community and have consultations with the international community."
Surin said regional governments, working through the Jakarta-based Asean secretariat, were "trying to communicate (to the Myanmar regime) the sense of urgency and the flood of goodwill that is being offered."
The former Thai foreign minister was speaking on the sidelines of a technology conference hours after Shari Villarosa, the US charge d'affaires in Myanmar, said the death toll from Saturday's storm "may well be over 100,000."
A spokesman for the Thai government said Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej would call junta leader Than Shwe to urge the regime to cooperate with US efforts to deliver aid.
But Asean secretary general Surin chose his words carefully when asked if his secretariat had spoken directly with the generals in Myanmar.
"The goodwill is there (from the outside world), it's just a matter of permission and coordination and that is being done now," he said, referring to "communication problems" in Myanmar resulting from the storm.
"I have no idea what is the cause of the delay but I would assume (it is because) physical infrastructure has been destroyed and there is probably some consultation inside about what is the best way to receive this help," he said.
"I'm very concerned and I'm under tremendous pressure trying to coordinate this," he added.
Indonesian Welfare Minister Aburizal Bakrie said Jakarta had dispatched three transport aircraft with critical supplies to Myanmar and donated US$1 million for the aid effort.
Among the Asian countries that have pledged emergency aid so far, China has promised US994,000, Japan US$263,000 and Singapore has offered US$200,000 and a cargo-plane full of medical supplies.
Thailand has made facilities available to be a hub for the relief effort and has already sent more than US$500,000 worth of emergency supplies and equipment to its western neighbour.
AFP
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