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Myanmar Opens Borders To Help From Neighbors

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The Associated Press

Published: May 20, 2008

YANGON, Myanmar - Myanmar's junta, facing global outrage for spurning international assistance, appeared to relent Monday, saying it would allow its Asian neighbors to oversee the distribution of foreign relief to cyclone survivors.

It also approved a visit by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and prepared to host a meeting of aid donors, while claiming that losses from the May 2-3 disaster exceeded $10 billion.

A three-day official period of mourning was to begin today for the dead, which numbered more than 78,000, according to official figures. Another 56,000 people are missing.

Conditions, especially in the hard-hit, low-lying Irrawaddy Delta, remain precarious for survivors, who face disease, malnutrition and exposure to the elements.
Heavy rain fell again Monday, said the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, noting that such weather can have the benefit of providing clean water for those able to catch the downpour with plastic sheeting. "However, the rain for many others simply adds to the misery as they look forward to their 18th night in often wretched conditions," the agency said. "In addition, access to already relatively inaccessible locations is set to remain very difficult."

The organization remained concerned about the distribution of relief supplies, saying, "Reports indicate that in most of the bigger affected townships, basic relief and food is available but much less so in the more remote areas."

It said there seemed to be problems at some of the government's temporary relief camps: "While significant relief is getting through, there are indications of mounting frustration among many displaced communities."

Myanmar, responding to entreaties from its Southeast Asia neighbors, promised Monday that it would let them into the cyclone-devastated areas to oversee and help distribute foreign assistance.

In Singapore, an emergency meeting of foreign ministers from the 10 countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations agreed to set up an ASEAN-led task force for distributing foreign aid.

"This mechanism will facilitate the effective distribution and utilization of assistance from the international community, including the expeditious and effective deployment of relief workers, especially health and medical personnel," said Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo.

Myanmar agreed to open its doors to medical teams from all ASEAN countries, Yeo said. ASEAN member Thailand had already sent teams in, as did non-ASEAN neighbors India and China.

Myanmar Foreign Minister Nyan Win told the meeting that losses from the cyclone are expected to be "well over U.S.$10 billion."

ASEAN and the United Nations jointly announced an ASEAN-UN International Pledging Conference to seek some of the needed funding, to be held this Sunday in Yangon.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will arrive in Yangon on Thursday.

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