Myanmar

Red Cross calls for aid and open borders

Article published on the 2008-05-16 Latest update 2008-05-16 13:16 TU

Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej (2nd from the left) presents his country's humanitarian aid to Myanmar's PM Thien Sein (l), 14 mai 2008.
(Photo : AFP)

The Red Cross has called on Myanmar’s military junta to open its borders to foreign aid, warning that failure to do so could exacerbate an already desperate situation.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies called for just over 32 million euros in funding to provide aid in the wake of the 2 May cyclone.

Official figures now stand at 43,000 dead and 28,000 missing. Aid workers warn that far more could die if aid and foreign relief workers are not allowed into the country.

“Every day counts – it’s a matter of days, not of weeks,” Thomas Gurtner, program and coordination director for the Red Cross told reporters in Geneva.

Because the rainy season is approaching in south-east Asia, efforts to get aid and equipment to remote affected regions could be severely complicated.

“We are certainly going to see a further aggravation of the situation, further destitution among an already hard-hit population. The harvest is already lost,” Gurtner said.

The Red Cross is investigating special equipment such as floating warehouses and landing craft to adapt to the rainy season.

Myanmar opened its borders to material aid this week, though it continues to prevent any foreigners from leaving Yangon.