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More on Myanmar

Posted by: CARE on May 8, 2008 at 5:42PM EST

Today, we distributed rice to 3,000 people, using locally available food. On Wednesday, we distributed water to about 10,000 people in townships in Yangon. The recipients were those staying in temporary shelters and others who have no access to town water supplies. In addition to supplying them with bottled water, we cleaned the wells and toilets at the collective shelters, many of which are located in schools and pagodas.

We’re now assembling 50,000 family kits in Bangkok to be flown into Myanmar as soon as possible. Inside the kits are blankets, jerry cans, plastic sheeting, clothes, and kitchen and hygiene items. We’re hopeful about an early delivery for these items.

Have you been watching the media coverage on Myanmar? What’s your take on the situation?

Send This | Categories: care, Cyclone, Disaster, Myanmar, Relief

(4) Comments

Posted by: Tracey Gronniger on May 14, 2008 9:37AM EST

Have you been able to get supplies into Myanmar despite the military's efforts to keep foreigners and foreign aid out of the country? Does the military seem to care at all about all the suffering people?

Posted by: Laura Bellinger on May 14, 2008 1:16PM EST

We haven’t yet shipped supplies into Myanmar, but are staging supplies to transport in the coming days that include some 100,000 family kits (blankets, hygiene items, clothes, jerry cans, plastic sheeting, etc). We have distributed locally procured food, water, hygiene supplies and fuel. As CARE has worked in Myanmar for 14 years, we had 500 staff members on the ground (only three of whom are expats), at the time of the cyclone. We remain optimistic that more aid will be allowed in to reach the most affected people. It’s also important to remember that a longer term response is needed over the next couple years to help rebuild livelihoods.

Posted by: Joy Kramer on May 16, 2008 12:53AM EST

Is it possible to drop any aid in from a plane or helicopter? Given that the Burmese army is so poorly equipped, I can't imagine that they would shoot down aid. What is the general attitude of the army foot soldiers towards their fellow countrymen? Of course the leaders of the junta are holding fast to their ideals but does this translate on the ground in the villages?

Posted by: Laura Bellinger on May 16, 2008 4:05PM EST

Aid drops may appear to be a quick fix, but they do not target the people most in need. The most vulnerable people, such as children, the elderly, the sick and disabled, may never get their hands on aid dropped from the sky. Stronger, faster and perhaps more powerful people will reach it first. Aid must be fairly distributed among the people who need it the most and therefore aid drops are a last resort in most situations.