UN's top disaster official arrives in Myanmar
The UN's top disaster official John Holmes arrived in Myanmar on Sunday on a three-day visit to convince the reluctant regime to open the doors to a massive relief effort after Cyclone Nargis.
By Agencies |
YANGON: The UN's top disaster official John Holmes arrived in Myanmar on Sunday on a three-day visit to convince the reluctant regime to open the doors to a massive relief effort after Cyclone Nargis.
He arrived just hours after the latest UN emergency report on the country -- where around two million survivors are lacking food and water more than two weeks after the storm hit -- said needs were still critical.
The international community has been turning up the pressure on the regime over its handling of the tragedy, which has left nearly 134,000 people dead or missing since tearing into the southern Irrawaddy Delta on May 2.
Holmes was carrying a letter from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to the head of the junta, Than Shwe. The UN chief has made repeated calls to the military leader but failed to reach him since the tragedy.
The secretive military rulers have been letting more foreign experts into the country in recent days, but aid groups say it is not enough to ensure that victims get the food, water, shelter and medical care they need.
British aid group Save the Children today said thousands of children could starve to death within weeks, and the latest UN internal report said it was still awaiting government approval to import rice, pulses and oil.
It also warned that time was running out to start planting for the coming rice harvest.
"If this planting season is lost, then assistance will be required for some months to come," the report said.
Holmes was to visit the delta tomorrow and hold talks with regime officials, local UN representative Dan Baker told reporters.
He arrived just hours after the latest UN emergency report on the country -- where around two million survivors are lacking food and water more than two weeks after the storm hit -- said needs were still critical.
The international community has been turning up the pressure on the regime over its handling of the tragedy, which has left nearly 134,000 people dead or missing since tearing into the southern Irrawaddy Delta on May 2.
Holmes was carrying a letter from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to the head of the junta, Than Shwe. The UN chief has made repeated calls to the military leader but failed to reach him since the tragedy.
The secretive military rulers have been letting more foreign experts into the country in recent days, but aid groups say it is not enough to ensure that victims get the food, water, shelter and medical care they need.
British aid group Save the Children today said thousands of children could starve to death within weeks, and the latest UN internal report said it was still awaiting government approval to import rice, pulses and oil.
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It also warned that time was running out to start planting for the coming rice harvest.
"If this planting season is lost, then assistance will be required for some months to come," the report said.
Holmes was to visit the delta tomorrow and hold talks with regime officials, local UN representative Dan Baker told reporters.
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