FYI: http://news.sbs.com.au/worldnewsaustralia/#
DEATH TOLL CLIMBS IN BURMA
Burma is struggling to cope with a devastating and deadly cyclone
tonight, but it looks like aid agencies could be frozen out of the
rescue effort. The death toll is put at over 350 and thousands of
homes have been destroyed. Hardest-hit by Cyclone Nargis - unlea****ng
winds of 190km/h - is the low-lying Irrawaddy region. But the military
regime appears reluctant to accept outside help.
Utter devastation in an already impoverished country. Hundreds of
people are dead and tens of thousands are homeless after Tropical
Cyclone Nargis cut a swathe through Burma's south-west. The country's
military rulers have declared a state of emergency in five southern
regions which have suffered the worst casualties. Even Burma's
state-run media - notorious for downplaying negative events - couldn't
ignore this disaster.
MRTV NATIONAL NEWSREADER: Since 2 May, severe cyclonic storm Nargis
has initially crossed Irrawaddy, Bago and Yangon divisions, Mon and
Kayin states in Myanmar, causing loss of lives and properties.
The death toll is likely to rise as authorities slowly make their way
through the devastated areas. Already there are re****ts of soaring
fuel prices and food shortages - the storm ravaging the country's
rice-growing regions. Teams of United Nations and other relief workers
are trying to *****s the damage and determine aid needs - a job made
almost impossible by a breakdown in infrastructure. Another hurdle - a
military regime that's highly suspicious of outsiders.
JACK DE GROOT, CARITAS AUSTRALIA: It's crucial that the Burmese
Government actually open up to the international community about the
situation and the immediate needs as well as their longer-term
response that they'll need international sup****t for.
Mr de Groot says he fears Burma's rulers will bar NGOs and other aid
agencies from the country, as they did during the 2004 Asian tsunami.
Caritas and other organisations have joined Burmese exiles pleading
for the government to allow relief workers access to the country. But,
whatever the military decides, the Australian Government has pledged
its sup****t.
STEPHEN SMITH, FOREIGN MINISTER: We will obviously be giving
consideration to what, if any, humanitarian assistance we can bring to
the people themselves as a result of damage done by the cyclone.
Much of southern Burma may be in ruins, but the junta says it will
press ahead with a controversial referendum on a new constitution.
Planned for this Saturday, the vote has been panned by the
international community as a thinly veiled attempt at entrenching
military rule. A tamer Cyclone Nargis is now making its way to
Thailand, where storm warnings have been issued. Auskar Surbakti,
World News Australia. w
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