On May 2, 2008 Tropical Storm Nargis struck
southwestern Burma. The regions of Yangon, Irrawaddy Division, Pegu,
Karen State, and Mon State have been declared ‘disaster zones’,
and the current death estimates are 600,000. The death toll is
expected to rise as over a million people are without
shelter, food, or safe drinking water.
It is difficult to know the full extent of the
damage, as flooding, closed roads, and downed telephone and internet
lines have hindered assessment and communication. International aid
organizations are offering assistance in the way of supplies and aid
workers. Supply shipments have been accepted from the UN, China,
India, Thailand, and Indonesia, but the government has yet to allow
entrance of aid workers.
EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE
TEAM – BURMA
9th May 2008
The Emergency Assistance Team (EAT-BURMA)
is working at the grassroots level to provide aid and assistance to
the people affected by Cyclone Nargis in the Irrawaddy and Rangoon
division areas.
EAT is working with networks of local organisations and concerned
individuals in Burma to get food, water, cooking equipment, shelter,
clothing, health services and rehabilitation to those most in need.
This will be provided by working directly with the affected
communities.
For the safety of our teams and the people inside, we cannot give
out information regarding the exact location of our teams, nor their
identities. But we are working with a team of about 40 people on the
ground who are each working with their own networks of local
organisations and people.
HOW TO HELP
SUPPORT OUR WORK
Currently, we urgently need funds to support the people inside and
to address the most important needs of the people there. We will
provide regular reports and updates to all of our donors on how this
money is used. We hope to be able to provide photos of the work we
do as well as these reports.
We estimate that we need 10 million baht for the first thee weeks.
Mae Tao Clinic has been designated to take responsibility for the
funds by the group. Donations may be sent through Mae Tao Clinic's
website (www.maetaoclinic.org)
or by contacting Mae Tao Clinic directly:
win7@loxinfo.co.th (attention Lisa).
You can make a donation through the Mae Tao
Clinic donation page. Please put “Cylcone
Nargis Disaster Relief” in the ‘Purpose’ field.
DEMAND ACTION BY THE UN, INTERNATIONAL GOVERNMENTS AND THE
HUMANITARIAN AID COMMUNITY
We are calling on all governments and UN bodies
to provide aid immediately to our people who are dying in their
thousands. International humanitarian organizations and local
community organizations must do whatever they can to prevent further
deaths and to assist in the restoration of life in Burma. This is
not the time to respect Burma's border controls. National
restrictions that are causing further deaths, do not deserve
anyone's respect.
The global community has a responsibility to
protect its citizens. The SPDC has time and again failed to protect
the people of Burma, and this time the scale of their neglect is
killing our people. The United Nations must invoke the
Responsibility To Protect, even if it is necessary to coerce or
force the regime to comply with providing protection and
rehabilitation to its citizens.
For Further Information
Dr Cynthia Maung
win7@loxinfo.co.th
