Alphabetical           State by State
 Asia Pacific News Send this page to a friend!  
 Home
 News and Weather
 Africa
 Alternative Media
 Asia
 Australia
 Breaking News
 Business
 By Category
 Canada
 Central America
 College and University
 Columns
 Columns and Columnists
 Current Events
 Daily
 Editorial
 Entertainment
 Europe
 Ezines
 Filters
 Government
 Indices
 Industry Information
 Internet Broadcasts
 Ireland
 Journalism
 Magazines
 Media
 Middle East
 New Zealand
 News Directories
 News Satire
 Newspapers
 Newswires
 North America
 Online
 Personalized News
 Politics
 Radio
 Regional
 Services
 Software and Agents
 South America
 Sports
 Technology
 USA
 Universities and Colleges
 Weather
 Weekly
 World
Copyright © 1998-00 OpenHere
Company Information
Suggest a Site
FAQ
VirtualDesk
Login:

Password:
Asia:  Red Cross Warns of Further Misery for Burma's Cyclone Victims
Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:10 AM

The International Red Cross says heavy rains will bring new misery to survivors of the cyclone in Burma's Irrawaddy Delta...


The International Red Cross says heavy rains will bring new misery to survivors of the cyclone in Burma's Irrawaddy Delta region. Ron Corben has this report from Bangkok.

A young survivor of the cyclone Nargis wait for relief supplies in Bogalay, Burma, 13 May, 2008
A young survivor of the cyclone Nargis wait for relief supplies in Bogalay, Burma, 13 May, 2008
Officials with International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies fear rain during the next few days will worsen conditions for tens of thousands of people made homeless by Cyclone Nargis.

Red Cross officials in Bangkok said the seasonal rains will bring new floods and complicate relief efforts.

The United Nations and aid organizations fear more than 120,000 people perished in the storm, which came ashore May second. Now 2.5 million people are in urgent need of water, food, shelter and medical assistance.

A Red Cross coordinator in Thailand, Joanna Maclean, says international relief workers need more access to the region. She warns that Burmese relief workers and volunteers will soon be exhausted from the effort to help storm victims.

"Of course those working, they are going to be burnt out very quickly and this is a long-term effort," she said. "If there can be additional support either from the region from outside or with additional people brought in - to work with the Myanmar Red Cross and with the International Federation - then that absolutely has to happen."

Relief efforts are slowly being stepped up. But Burma's military government has been reluctant to allow international aid workers into the country to direct the effort. Some aid experts and storm survivors say only a small number of victims have received help.

Burma's government has come under intense international pressure to allow in aid. The senior U.N. relief expert is headed to Burma to discuss relief efforts.

Despite the warnings of aid agencies, Burmese officials told Thailand's prime minister they do not need international aid workers and say there have not been widespread hunger or disease among the survivors.

Meanwhile, Burma's government says 92 percent of voters approved a new constitution in a referendum held Saturday in areas that were less affected by the storm. International rights activists criticized the government for going ahead with the vote, given the storm damage.

The government says the new constitution is another step in its path to democracy. But the main opposition party, the National League for Democracy, and other rights groups condemn the draft constitution, which they say will only keep the military in power.

Asia Pacific

  • Asia Pacific Home

  • Asia:  Thousands of Protesters Rally in Northern Japan Against G8 Summit

  • Asia:  Gunmen Kill Lawmaker in Southern Afghanistan

  • Asia:  Burma Imprisons 4 Activists for Campaigning Against Draft Constitution

  • Asia:  Activists Disappointed By Bush Decision to Attend Olympics Opening

  • Asia:  China Will Use Drones to Monitor Olympic Sailing Venue

  • Asia:  North Korea Wants Nuclear Negotiating Partners to Speed Aid

  • Asia:  UN Chief Says No North Korea Trip, for Now  

  • Asia:  Afghan Police: Gunmen Kill 8 Officers in Southern Afghanistan

  • Asia:  China'First Regular Commercial Flights Take Mainland Tourists to Taiwan

  • Asia:  Bush to Attend Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony

  • Asia:  NGO Works to Change Lives of India's 'Untouchables'  

  • Asia:  Burma Intercepts Human Trafficking Victims

  • Asia:  New Corruption Charges Brought Against Former Bangladeshi PM

  • Asia:  Pakistan Rules Out Offensive Against Militants by Foreign Forces

  • Asia:  Chinese Wrestler Banned from Olympics After Positive Drug Test

  • Asia:  UN Official Urges Regional Cooperation to Stabilize Afghanistan

  • Asia:  US Commander in South Korea Says Control Transfer Will Strengthen Alliance  

  • Asia:  US Warns Time Running Out for India-US Nuclear Deal  

  • Asia:  China Fights Algae Bloom in Preparation for Summer Olympics

  • Asia:  Asian Working Conditions Discussed as Olympics Approach  

  • Asia:  Philippine Military: Rebels Kill 3, Injure 11 in Grenade Attack

  • Asia:  UN Commission Seeks Legal Access for Poor in Southeast Asia

  • Asia:  NBA Star Yao Ming Raises Money for China Earthquake Victims

  • Asia:  Indonesian Police Seize Bombs, Arrest 9 Suspected Terrorists  

  • Asia:  Indian PM to Finalize Nuclear Deal with US  

  • Asia:  China Expresses Willingness to Discuss Climate Change Goals at G8

  • Asia:  US Group Urges Radical Cuts in Carbon Emissions

  • Asia:  Cambodian Killing Fields Survivor Tells His Story In New Book  

  • Asia:  Bush Acknowledges Tough Fight in Afghanistan  

  • Asia:  US Says Two Blacklisted Pakistani Groups Are Operating Under Aliases


  • More Headlines