News: Humanitarian airlift to Myanmar
I am back in Brindisi.
I am sure you have seen the news of humanitarian relief goods being flown into Myanmar to assist with the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis. I bet all of that footage was on the Myanmar side...
Those first relief flights actually all originated from here, from the UN Humanitarian Response Depot in Brindisi.
Here are some pictures from the first relief flights into Myanmar on May 10th. This particular flight had cargo from OCHA and Irish Aid, containing water purification units, moskito nets, blankets, kitchen sets, tarpaulins and water storage containers.
Relief flight from UNHRD Brindisi to Myanmar on May 10th 2008[i-Relief flight from UNHRD Brindisi to Myanmar on May 10th 2008]
Relief flight from UNHRD Brindisi to Myanmar on May 10th 2008[i-Relief flight from UNHRD Brindisi to Myanmar on May 10th 2008]
Relief flight from UNHRD Brindisi to Myanmar on May 10th 2008[i-Relief flight from UNHRD Brindisi to Myanmar on May 10th 2008]
View the picture slide show of this airlift.
Donate to the Myanmar Cyclone Nargis victims[i-Donate to the Myanmar Cyclone Nargis victims]
Pictures courtesy Fulvio Pirato (UNHRD/WFP)
News: From Cyclone Sidr to Cyclone Nargis - an aidworker's perspective
Cyclone victims[i-Cyclone victims]
An aidworker from Oxfam explains how the immediate effect of the cyclone devastation is only the beginning of misery for those affected.
Those on the ground (in Myanmar) are estimating that at least 100,000 people were killed by the storm. The numbers are devastating, each one of them painfully reminding me what a difference an investment into disaster preparedness and early warning systems — like those that have been implemented in Bangladesh — could have made for the families in Myanmar.
Surface water that people are used to drinking is likely to be contaminated not only by dead bodies and livestock carcasses, but also human and animal waste spread by floodwaters and overflowing latrines. The weather forecast for this week predicts more heavy rain, and even a new storm approaching the cyclone-affected area. With people’s resistance to disease already weakened after days of living in overcrowded conditions without food and proper roofs over their heads, the children and elderly are likely to be among the worst affected.
Even once the floodwaters recede, they will leave behind a fertile breeding ground for flies and mosquitoes — bringing with them deadly threats like malaria and dengue fever (dengue season in Myanmar runs from May to October, the country had a major outbreak only last year). And I haven’t even begun to think about the psychological and emotional trauma that the storm has left behind. (Full)
Picture courtesy New York Times. Read the full post...
News: Myanmar - begging to aid or forcing to aid?
Myanmar Cyclone Nargis victim[i-Myanmar Cyclone Nargis victim]
From the UN press briefing in Geneva on May 13:
The UN Secretary-General registered his deep concern —and immense frustration— at the unacceptably slow response to the grave humanitarian crisis in Myanmar. They were at a critical point, and unless more aid got into the country —very quickly— the people faced an outbreak of infectious diseases that could dwarf today’s crisis. The Secretary_General called, in the most strenuous terms, on the Government of Myanmar to put its people’s lives first. It must do all that it could to prevent this disaster from becoming even more serious.
From the same briefing:
Rupert Colville of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, responding to a question on the fact that it was strange that the Human Rights Council would be holding a Special Session on the global food crisis, but not on the current situation in Myanmar, said (..) there had been discussion to some extent on the possibility of talking about Myanmar, but the Council had a very full programme, including the Universal Periodic Review, so it was a pretty packed schedule at the moment and it would be difficult to fit (the issue of Myanmar human rights) in.
What do we read in this? Is the international community "begging to aid"? But not "forcing to aid" by stating more explicitely that a regime denying its citizens the "right to sufficient and effective aid" is a violation of human rights? Up to what level is this morally and ethically acceptable?
Donate to the Myanmar Cyclone Nargis victims[i-Donate to the Myanmar Cyclone Nargis victims]
Picture courtesy AP (New York Times)
Picture of the day: Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar
Myanmar Cyclone Nargis[i-Myanmar Cyclone Nargis]
Almost a week after Cyclone Nargis inundated Myanmar’s densely settled coast, wiped out villages and left untold tens of thousands dead and hundreds of thousands homeless, the first two United Nations flights carrying relief supplies arrived in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, on Thursday. (Full)
More "Pictures of the Day" on the Road.
Picture courtesy Andy Newman (New York Times)