By AFP,
Bangkok : New guidelines adopted by Myanmar’s ruling generals are further delaying emergency efforts to deliver aid to regions ravaged by the cyclone, human rights experts said.
The rules, issued on Monday, require UN and other aid groups to receive formal permission from Myanmar authorities to travel and to distribute aid.
Bureaucratic delays in the issuing of humanitarian visas and official roadblocks across the worst-hit Irrawaddy delta region have already led to criticisms the Myanmar government was obstructing relief. I t had been hoped that assurances given to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon three weeks ago had eased the passage of aid.
“The government should be streamlining aid efforts to cyclone victims, not slowing down aid with these new rules,” Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.
“Once again the generals are placing control of the population over the needs of the population.”
Human Rights Watch says the new rules require humanitarian workers to obtain permission from both Myanmar government ministries and the core group — including the United Nations, the regional bloc ASEAN and Myanmar governent — coordinating the aid effort.
The local authorities, known as Township Coordination Committees, must also be kept informed, it said.
The watchdog said its sources in the former capital Yangon also claimed that further permissions are necessary from regional and local military commanders, and that government officials must accompany all travel by foreign aid workers to the delta.
Six weeks after Cyclone Nargis hit, leaving more than 133,000 dead or missing, more than one million survivors have still not been reached by foreign assistance, according to the United Nations.
“Clearly international staff do require much more sustained access to the delta areas, particularly for key skilled technical staff so they can really establish more systematic operations,” said Amanda Pitt, spokeswoman for the UN’s emergency relief arm.
“The reality on the ground often differs sharply from government promises to allow aid,” Adams said.
“Diplomats, the UN, and ASEAN need to keep a close eye on aid delivery and sound the alarm if the government improperly interferes.”