Friday, May 16, 2008, Jamadi-ul-Awwal 9, 1429    

Myanmar junta warns people not to hoard aid

Yangon, Myanmar—Myanmar’s junta warned Thursday that legal action would be taken against people who trade or hoard international aid in the aftermath of this month’s devastating Cyclone.
It was the first acknowledgment by the military government, albeit indirectly, of problems with relief operations in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, which left at least 38,491 people dead and 27,838 missing.
The warning came amid reports that foreign aid was being sold openly in markets, and that the military was pilfering and diverting aid for its own use.
The ruling junta has been blasted by aid agencies for refusing to allow most foreign experts into the hard-hit Irrawaddy delta and not responding adequately to what they say is a spiraling crisis.
Relief workers also reported some storm survivors were being given spoiled or poor-quality food rather than nutrition-rich biscuits sent by international donors, adding to fears that the ruling military junta in the Southeast Asian country could be misappropriating assistance.
New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a statement Wednesday that it had confirmed an Associated Press report that the military had seized high-energy biscuits that came from abroad, and distributed low-quality, locally produced biscuits to survivors.
Thursday’s radio announcement obliquely denied the military was misappropriating aid.
“The government has systematically accepted donations and has distributed the relief goods immediately and directly to the victims,” it said.
The government says 38,491 people are known dead and 27,838 missing in the May 2-3 cyclone.—Agencies