OneWorld.net (U.S.)

OneWorld.net's take: The Burmese military regime's restrictions on humanitarian access continueto prevent aid workers from helping civilians rebuild their lives, saidan emergency relief group yesterday, noting that housing, disasterpreparedness training, and access to clean drinking water remain majorconcerns.

• Distributing supplies to cyclone survivors in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis. © Integrisure (flickr)

  Refugees International offers a slightly nuanced view of the humanitarian aid situation in Burma today. Although humanitarian groups gained "unprecedented ... access" to the Burmese regions hardest hit by Cyclone Nargis, the "process of transitioning from relief to self-sufficiency will require international help well through 2009 and perhaps beyond," states the international refugee agency.

• Although Burma has refused foreign aid in the past, the government is easing up on their policies. Since June, over 1,000 visas have been issued to international aid workers, adds Refugees International. Aid organizations also say they have not encountered trouble entering areas of the Ayeyarwady Delta, including ethnic minority areas which are usually restricted by Burmese military.

• "Cyclone Nargis hit Burma's Ayeyarwady Division on May 2 and 3, and has affected over 2.4 million people, roughly one-third of the population of the delta region. While as many as 800,000 people may have been displaced because of the cyclone, the vast majority have since returned to their home villages, both voluntarily and under governmental forced return policies," writes Refugees International in a report detailing post-cyclone humanitarian needs.
  

• To read about efforts to mitigate the impact of natural disasters worldwide, visit OneWorld.net's Perspectives magazine issue, "Dealing with Disasters."

Burma 'still hampering cyclone aid'

Six months after Cyclone Nargis caused massive devastation inBurma Christian Aid says the country will require assistance for theforeseeable future. There is still a need for more permanent housingand disaster preparedness training; access to clean drinking water inthe upcoming dry season is also a major concern.

‘Cyclone Nargis made it easier for humanitarian agencies such asChristian Aid which has a longstanding partnership with localorganisations to work in Burma. We have been able to deliver assistancein an effective and accountable way,’ says Ray Hasan, Christian Aid’shead of programme policy for the region.

‘But despite concessions made in the Irrawaddy Delta after thecyclone, the junta's restrictions on humanitarian access continue toobstruct aid workers in Burma,’ continues Mr Hasan.

Christian Aid partners say that the majority of the peopleaffected are still unable to start the process of rebuilding theirlives. Resources remain limited and restrictions on freedom of movementare still in place.

To date Christian Aid has spent more than one million pounds inBurma on emergency aid and improved conditions for a quarter of amillion people.

Immediately following the cyclone partner organisations providedwater containers and purifiers, food rations, emergency shelter,household items and clothing, and basic medicines.

Work is now proceeding with recovery work. A Christian Aid partneris providing 12 villages with goats and pigs and support to the fishingindustry.

Boats and nets are being distributed and 50 permanent shelters are being constructed.

‘The progress is surprising, everyone seems to be employed inconstructing houses,’ says an engineers working with one partnerorganisation. ‘We don’t need to motivate the people here. They like towork together and they are looking after each other.’

Christian Aid has made disaster reduction training a priority;learning how to respond to disasters is essential to avoid the massivedamages suffered by Burma from the cyclone in May.

‘In June we sent two engineers to visit our partner organisationin Orissa, India to learn about disaster response training,’ says MrHasan. ‘Our work in Orissa in training communities and building cyclone–resistant shelters has saved thousands of lives there.’

An engineer who travelled to India said: ‘We have brought backblueprints of designs which we have adapted for our local situation.

'We need to modify these designs further. The priority right nowis to meet the urgent needs for rebuilding peoples’ lives, both interms of providing shelter but more importantly the spirit of communityin the face of disaster.’

Christian Aid says pressure must be maintained on the regime toensure unrestricted access to the affected areas and that the needs ofthe most vulnerable communities affected by Nargis are prioritised.

‘But it is also imperative that the donor community recognises therole of civil society in Burma and ensures local organisations areadequately funded. Thus far they have been most effective in respondingto the crisis and they are crucial to the future development of Burma,’says Mr Hasan.

For more information about humanitarian aid to Burma and disaster relief efforts following Cyclone Nargis, visit Christian Aid.