Myanmar

Death toll estimate rises, more than a million homeless

Article published on the 2008-05-08 Latest update 2008-05-08 15:55 TU

The survivors of Cyclone Nargis are in urgent need of aid
(Photo : AFP)

More than one million homeless in Myanmar were battling to stave off disease and hunger Thursday. The military government is still limiting foreign assistance six days after cyclone Nargis hit the country as death toll estimates rise to 100,000.

Seven metric tons of high-energy biscuits were flown into the former capital, Yangon, today by the World Food Programme, which said the military government was holding up three more flights.

Aid was coming in despite warnings that specialists were needed to deliver food and water through disaster zones and it was unclear if the regime was giving visas to foreign aid staff.

Aung Zaw, the editor of Irrawaddy news magazine in neighbouring Thailand, claims that the military rulers are exploiting aid efforts for their own ends.

"Surprisingly, on some of the food packages, you can see some of the names of the top leaders as if they were the ones who donated this food and water to people," he told RFI. 

The United States, one of the military junta 's most vociferous critics, cancelled an aid flight due to arrive in Myanmar, adding to confusion over the international relief effort.

Aid groups said the country needs hundreds of planes to cope with Cyclone Nargis, one of the worst natural disasters in recent memory.

They said help was slowly arriving from Thailand, China and India, but not enough for most of those in the southwest Irrawaddy delta, who saw their villages ripped apart or washed away.

The United Nations said four disaster experts received permission to travel to Myanmar, but there was no immediate word for hundreds of others awaiting a green light from the military, which has ruled the former Burma since 1962.

In a rare break from its policy of non-interference in its members' affairs, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) pressed the junta to soften its stance, as did China, Myanmar's most powerful ally.