With Chinese authorities mobilizing a massive emergency response to Monday's devastating earthquake, international aid agencies remained focused Tuesday on trying to persuade officials of the wary Myanmar government to allow entry of more relief workers and humanitarian supplies 10 days after a cyclone struck the country, killing at least 32,000 people.A day after United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon called the response by Myanmar's military regime "unacceptably slow," a trickle of emergency supplies arrived in the country, which is also called Burma.
The UN delivered 24 tons of plastic sheeting, blankets, kitchen equipment and other necessities in an airlift from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with another flight scheduled for Wednesday, according to UN spokeswoman Michele Montas. In addition, the UN's World Food Program has delivered about 426 tons of food, and Myanmar officials have given the World Health Organization a list of medicines that they say are in short supply.On Monday, a U.S. military plane delivered bottled water, blankets and mosquito nets."The delivery of aid is improving," Montas said. "It's not improving as fast as we would like, or as fast as the situation demands, but it is improving."According to wire service reports from Yangon, Myanmar's biggest city, food shipments were backing up at the airport. Relief workers said some survivors were being given substandard food rather than nutrition-rich biscuits sent by donors.Myanmar officials approved visas for 34 UN aid officials—far short of the number needed, according to Stephanie Bunker, spokeswoman for the UN's emergency-relief office, which has issued an appeal for $187 million to fund disaster relief. "There are areas that have not been visited yet," said Bunker, adding that contaminated drinking water is an increasing worry. "We really need to get in there with supplies that will help prevent epidemics of diarrhea, which can be especially dangerous for young children."Non-profit aid groups also are waiting for a response on visa requests. CARE International had 500 staffers in the country before the cyclone, but it needs specialists to help with food distribution and to coordinate communications. Concern over Myanmar stands in marked contrast to expressions of confidence that China's government could handle almost all of its own relief effort."China has an excellent track record in responding to disasters," Bunker said.Following the earthquake, Ban offered UN assistance to the Chinese government, but Montas said the Chinese have not asked for anything yet.The U.S. pledged an initial $500,000 in aid Tuesday, in advance of an expected appeal for funds by the International Committee of the Red Cross. A Chinese disaster official said Beijing welcomes funds and supplies, but with thousands of its own troops and other personnel on the scene, it would not accept international aid workers.
