Second catastrophe looms in Burma as regime blocks aid shipments

Martin Fletcher and Joanna Sugden

Burma was said last night to be facing a catastrophe of “apocalyptic proportions” as the military regime stepped up its obstruction of international relief efforts after the cyclone.

Epidemics of malaria, cholera and dysentery will unleash a wave of death even greater than the first, disaster experts declared, as the isolationist regime impounded UN emergency supplies and turned away aid workers.

“If there’s not a significant opening of doors in the next couple of days the danger of a secondary disaster is extremely high,” said Matthias Schmale, of the British Red Cross.

Last night the White House announced that it had received permission to fly a military C130 transport plane into Burma on Monday. A spokesman said he hoped that continued aid would flow into the country.

Some 5,000 square kilometres are still flooded, there is scant sanitation, shelter or fresh water, and human and animal corpses are rotting in the open. Many areas remain inaccessible and more heavy rain is forecast next week.

“The potential for an epidemic is extremely probable,” said Tim Costello, a World Vision executive in Rangoon. “Once an epidemic starts it’s very difficult to stop and becomes of apocalyptic proportions.” Neoleen Heyzer, the UN’s leading Asia official, said: “There is a small window of opportunity if we are to avert the spread of diseases that could multiply the already tragic number of casualties.”

The junta announced that it would accept aid but not aid workers: Burma “is not in a position to receive rescue and information teams from foreign countries”. Burma would distribute relief supplies “with its own resources”.

Later it impounded 38 tonnes of high-energy biscuits – enough to feed 95,000 people – on two UN relief planes. The UN World Food Programme declared that “unacceptable”, and suspended flights into Rangoon, though it will send in two more today.

The previous night the regime refused a relief plane from Qatar carrying unauthorised rescue personnel.

In Thailand a small army of relief workers, backed by a growing mountain of emergency supplies, is awaiting permission to enter Burma. Their frustration was compounded by the Burmese Embassy’s closure until Monday because of a Thai public holiday.

“This is too long to wait for people whose lives are at such a precarious balance,” said Paul Risley, a World Food Programme spokesman, describing the blockage as “unprecedented in modern humanitarian relief efforts”.

Many governments have muted their condemnation lest they make things worse – but not all. “The Burmese regime is behaving appallingly,” Kevin Rudd, the Australian Prime Minister, said. Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, backed French calls for the UN Security Council to explore ways of forcing Burma to back down. Ban Ki Moon, the UN Secretary-General, urged it to admit humanitarian workers “without hindrance”.

The Association of SouthEast Asian Nations urged the regime to accept Asean relief and rescue teams. Indonesia urged it to focus on rescue efforts, not on today’s referendum on a constitution strengthening the junta.

The regime is said to be terrified that an efficient international relief effort would weaken its grip on power by exposing its own shortcomings. “The military regime is extraordinarily xenophobic. They’re afraid of everything,” Sean Turnell, a Burma expert at Macquarie University in Sydney, said. “They are more concerned with control and maintaining an omniscience in front of their people than saving lives.”

Donations to the British Disaster Emergency Committee can be made by calling 0870 6060900

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