=====
Highlights:
Krieger is one of the only volunteers who managed to enter Myanmar, after
the ruling junta refused to allow aid teams to enter its territory. Many
international aid crews, including United Nations organizations, have been
waiting In Thailand for days in hopes of receiving an approval to enter
the
country.
On Saturday morning, Krieger managed to reach the capital of Yangon, which
has hardly seen any foreigners on its destructed streets.
"We have not seen one white person since our arrival," he said. "We are
among the few people here. There is very little international aid here.
The
city is empty," he added.
Krieger arrived in Myanmar with Dana Manor, who is responsible for the
organization's emergency aid activities abroad.
Weintrob is concerned, however, that the extent of the disaster is much
more
severe than what is currently known, due to the junta's refusal to report
of
the number of victims.
"Since the military junta does now [read: not] allow media crews in, the
world is unaware of the extent of this dreadful disaster. It is very
important for us to recruit the Israeli public. There are no media crews
there, and if the international teams would send up helicopters, they
would
make a difference," he noted.
=====
First Israeli aid crew lands in Myanmar
Small Israeli rescue team manages to enter cyclone-stricken country
despite
government ban, reports to Ynet of dreadful destruction. 'The residents
are
waiting for help,' says Josh Krieger of Latet organization
Tal Rabinovsky
Published: 05.10.08, 13:52 / Israel Activism
A first Israeli aid crew arrived in Myanmar on Saturday morning in order
to
assist the victims hit by the Nargis cyclone.
Talking to Ynet, Josh Krieger of the Latet organization reported of the
difficult sights and the great damage caused by the storm, as well as of
the
difficulties posed by the authorities.
"You see a chaos which is only now being treated. Trees on the roads,
destructed houses, roofless houses, water and fuel shortages," he said.
Krieger is one of the only volunteers who managed to enter Myanmar, after
the ruling junta refused to allow aid teams to enter its territory. Many
international aid crews, including United Nations organizations, have been
waiting In Thailand for days in hopes of receiving an approval to enter
the
country.
==
Photo:
2_wa.jpg
Destruction in Myanmar (Photo: Josh Krieger)
==
On Saturday morning, Krieger managed to reach the capital of Yangon, which
has hardly seen any foreigners on its destructed streets.
"We have not seen one white person since our arrival," he said. "We are
among the few people here. There is very little international aid here.
The
city is empty," he added.
According to Krieger, media outlets were prohibited to send
representatives
to the country, and journalists attempting to infiltrate Myanmar and hide
their cameras were expelled.
Despite the media blackout, the residents are willing to talk to those who
approach them. "They say the situation is terrible, that it's very
difficult. They are waiting for someone to come help them, but you won't
hear them complain about the junta," Krieger said.
Krieger arrived in Myanmar with Dana Manor, who is responsible for the
organization's emergency aid activities abroad. The two met over the past
few days with members of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in a joint meeting of the humanitarian
organizations held in Bangkok.
They later managed to enter Myanmar together, becoming one of the first to
do so since the cyclone hit the country.
The two said that the reports from Myanmar regarding the number of
casualties are vague. An official statement claimed that 23,000 people
have
perished in the disaster, but sources in the country fear the number will
rise, reaching up to 60,000 people.
According to Krieger and Manor, the cyclone hit an area called Irrawaddy,
which sustained most of the damage, and continued to Yangon and Thailand.
"The delta area sustained the heaviest damage. There are reports of bodies
floating there. Our work could take years. Everything here has been
completely destroyed," Krieger said.
He added that it was hard to estimate the extent of the damage, as the
authorities have removed some of the damage in the capital.
'In the photos it looks like a tsunami'
This is not the first time Krieger arrives in disaster-stricken places. In
the past, he was part of aid missions following the tsunami in
southeastern
Asia and the strong earthquake in Pakistan, and says that the images from
Myanmar remind him of previous events.
"From the photos it looks like a tsunami," he said.
Eran Weintrob, CEO of Latet - Israeli Humanitarian Aid, has begun raising
donations for the disaster's victims.
"Now is the real test. Logistically, we are equipped. We have managed to
raise 30,000 balls for water purification, each sufficient for a 300-liter
reservoir. This donation alone is worth NIS 50,000 (about $14,430)," he
said.
Weintrob is concerned, however, that the extent of the disaster is much
more
severe than what is currently known, due to the junta's refusal to report
of
the number of victims.
"Since the military junta does now [read: not] allow media crews in, the
world is unaware of the extent of this dreadful disaster. It is very
important for us to recruit the Israeli public. There are no media crews
there, and if the international teams would send up helicopters, they
would
make a difference," he noted.
Those interested in donating to the Myanmar cyclone victims can call to
the
Latet organization at 1-700-50-40-33, or make a donation through bank
account 200803 in the Bank Hapoalim's (12) Rabin Square branch (609).
=====
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