Japan to give additional $10 million aid to cyclone-hit Myanmar

Friday 09th May, 11:28 AM JST

TOKYO —

Japan decided Friday to give additional emergency aid of up to $10 million to cyclone hit-Myanmar through U.N. agencies and to offer the dispatch of a disaster relief team, Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said. ‘‘We would like to contribute personnel, such as a disaster relief team, but the Myanmar side has yet to accept this so we will have to work on convincing them,’’ Komura told reporters.

Similarly, Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura said in a separate news conference, ‘‘It seems that their basic stance is not to accept any personnel, but that is ridiculous so we are consulting with the Myanmar government both in Myanmar and here in Tokyo.’’

Machimura added that while Myanmar has approved the entry of two members of the Japanese Red Cross, it is not accepting representatives from nongovernmental organizations in large numbers. ‘‘Myanmar must revise its way of thinking,’’ the top government spokesman said.

The extra aid, to be provided through the U.N. Children’s Fund, the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, the World Food Program and other agencies, comes in addition to Japan’s earlier provision of a total of 64 million yen worth of tents, power generators and other humanitarian supplies.

Cyclone Nargis swept through Myanmar on Friday and Saturday, leaving more than 22,000 people dead and 40,000 missing as of Tuesday, according to Myanmar’s state-run radio.

12 Comments

rjd_jr at 11:53 AM JST - 9th May

Good for Japan, always helping those in need in time of disaster. Sad that this government of Burma is being so stubborn in accepting aid. And I bet those that will criticize and nitpick this generous aid have not given one penny to help any citizen of Burma affected by this disaster, let alone 10 million. Kudos.
jerseyboy at 01:07 PM JST - 9th May

rjd-jr...No criticism from me. Good to see Japan stepping up to the plate to help a fellow Asian country. But, your snide remark aside, if you have actually done any reading about the situation besides just here on JT, you'd recognize that the U.S. has offerred massive assistence, similar to what it did after the tsunami. But has been rebuffed by the government of Mynamar. And, in fact, they are considering doing food drops from cargo planes anyway. So, as a tax-payer of both countries, I guess I can feel doubly proud. Right?
Nyein_Chan at 01:33 PM JST - 9th May

This is an update (00:20 p.m. EST, May 9, 2008) on international humanitarian aid. In order to minimize the waste (realistically towards less than 15%) I will keep track of international donations (revenue side) and will also ask the people on the ground to kept track of spending (expenditure side). The total pledged aid so far is 49.0006 millions. You should also take note that the pledged amount of aid may be different from the amount actually delivered.

UN 5.0000 millions U.S $ May 5, 2008 EU 3.1000 millions U.S $ May 5, 2008 Canada 2.0000 millions U.S $ May 5, 2008 Norway 2.0000 millions U.S $ May 5, 2008 Germany 0.7700 millions U.S $ May 5, 2008 Japan 0.2660 millions U.S $ May 5, 2008 USA 0.2500 millions U.S $ May 5, 2008 Red Cross 0.1890 millions U.S $ May 5, 2008 Thailand 0.1000 millions U.S $ May 5, 2008 British Red Cross 0.0600 millions U.S $ May 5, 2008 Britain 10.0000 millions U.S $ May 6, 2008 Australia 3.0000 millions U.S $ May 6, 2008 USA 3.0000 millions U.S $ May 6, 2008 China 1.0000 millions U.S $ May 6, 2008 Qatar 1.0000 millions U.S $ May 6, 2008 Spain 0.7750 millions U.S $ May 6, 2008 Switzerland 0.4750 millions U.S $ May 6, 2008 New Zealand 0.3940 millions U.S $ May 6, 2008 France 0.3090 millions U.S $ May 6, 2008 Greece 0.2000 millions U.S $ May 6, 2008 Netherlands 0.2000 millions U.S $ May 6, 2008 Singapore 0.2000 millions U.S $ May 6, 2008 Czech 0.1540 millions U.S $ May 6, 2008 Denmark 0.1036 millions U.S $ May 6, 2008 Israel 0.1000 millions U.S $ May 6, 2008 South Korea 0.1000 millions U.S $ May 6, 2008 Sri Lanka 0.0250 millions U.S $ May 6, 2008 Indonesia 1.0000 millions U.S $ May 7, 2008 Cambodia 0.5000 millions U.S $ May 7, 2008 Finland 0.4500 millions U.S $ May 7, 2008 Germany 0.7500 millions U.S $ May 7, 2008 South Korea 2.0000 millions U.S $ May 7, 2008 China 4.3000 millions U.S $ May 8, 2008 Poland 0.2300 millions U.S $ May 8, 2008 Kuwait 5.0000 millions U.S $ May 8, 2008

Total 49.0006 millions U.S $

The current total (49.0006 millions) is smaller than the total two days ago (55.000 millions) because I am using $ 5 million for the UN aid figures rather than the earlier figures 30 millions. What I hear is that UN staff asked Burmese government how much funds should be released from UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the Burmese government representative responded $ 5 millions, probably minding about the amount of their appropriation for disaster relief: 5 billion in Burmese currency, which can be converted to 5 million U.S dollars approximately. They seemed to think that they should not ask the countries with trillion-dollar annual GDP for an amount more than they allocate (with less than 10 billion dollar annual GDP). Our folks are like that and they will always be like that.
Nyein_Chan at 01:35 PM JST - 9th May

Helping Burma and Getting Visa

Some INGOs are requesting that the Burmese government waive the visa (completely) for their staff. This is not going to happen.

The following is what can be done to expedite the process without scrapping it all together.

First, the Burmese Embassies around the world will make the visa application of the INGO staff the first priority. Keep the consulate open even for the holidays and weekends. (The delay caused by the holiday closure of Burmese Embassy in Thailand in occasion of a Thai Holiday should and would not be repeated.)

Second, the INGOs should screen their own staff, and have their staff signed the customary pledge form. Their mission into Burma is relief and humanitarian assistance for the Cyclone victims, not for political purposes and not for referendum monitoring.

Thirdly, since some INGOs are better than others in getting their staff disengaged from politics in Burma, the visa application for the staff of the INGOs with better track records should take less time and, if possible, be done within a single day.

I hope that although the visa application process of INGOs staff cannot be waived, it could be expedited. (Except for those in Thailand, INGO staff cannot leave the home base in one day anyway.)

If the visa application process take only one day, and some INGOs still insist on visa waiver – right before the referendum on May 10 – some might begin to wonder why those INGOs are insisting on visa waiver.

The ongoing problem is NOT that the international aid teams “are bogged down by a bureaucracy still reluctant to open its borders to foreigners.” The Burmese Embassies around the world are willing to expedite the visa process (within a day) but the INGOs didn’t screen their aid workers. Some journalists, political activists and referendum monitors MAY be camouflaging as aid workers.

So both sides must work their best for the sake of Burmese people. INGO should screen the aid workers they are going to send into the country. Burmese Embassies should make visa decisions with their full capacity within one day. (Notice that I didn’t say that they have to issue visa to every aid workers (some are politicized) but I simply said that they should make visa decisions quickly: within 24 hours so that the international aid agencies can propose another expert as replacements).
rtrhead1 at 02:29 PM JST - 9th May

The difference, 13akio13, is that we don't have any intention of going in there for anything other than HUMANITARIAN AID!!! After the tsunami, did we stay there? Get over your blind disdain for anything American. If you were smart, you'd be railing against the Myanmar gov't for PURPOSELY starving it's people because they "don't trust the US".
jerseyboy at 03:01 PM JST - 9th May

rtrhead1...Well said. I don't recall the government of Thailand, or any of the other tsunami-impacted countries, complaining about the U.S. trying to over-stay their welcome. But, I do recall, ex-presidents Bush and Clinton working together to raise millions of dollars of funds for the relief effort -- strictly for humanitarian reasons. Hopefully, the Myanmar government will somehow allow the U.S. aid to flow, if even if it is through a third party.
Jyan_Bon at 05:42 PM JST - 9th May

Thai's Prime Minister Samak recently advocates the Myanmar generals as "GOOD BUDDHISTS". What kind of good Buddhist will block the international aids from rescuing millions of helpless children,elderly and sick from dying ? These Myanmar generals are obviously NOT HUMAN BEINGS.
super delegate at 05:58 PM JST - 9th May

Amazing.

Letting tens of thousands of their own people perish rather than accept US aid.

You really have to wonder who has so successfully brainwashed the thugs and generals in this junta.

Is China behind this, or is it a world view they arrived at listening to BBC World News?
Jyan_Bon at 06:20 PM JST - 9th May

After 7 days since the cyclone hit the delta,tens of thousands of victims are still cut-off from the world, surrounded by water infested with decomposed corpses of humans and animals perished seven days ago. Without clean water, food nor medicine, young and weaks must have been already beyond help.The vital,crutial time have been wasted by the Myanmar(so-called) government headed by a 77 year-old geriatric general, well-know for his irrational, paranoia decisions.
Athletes at 06:27 PM JST - 9th May

Nyein Chan

Natural Disaster strikes everywhere around in the world. No holidays is necessary for Humanitarian aids and movement. Efficiency is needed for saving lives. No other countries prevented the emergency aids like Myanmar.

Tragedies of Victims are caused by negligence and arrogance of Myanmar Military regime. They are Xenophobic and narrow minded even in this circumstances. Myanmar was a major rice exporting country before. Now Myanmar is becoming a rice importing country. How sad?

In my understanding, within a few days, many contagious diseases will occur unless urgent actions are taken. After flooding, many floating human bodies and animal bodies were spoiled and germs and bacteria will be spread. There is no fuel for cremation of dead bodies. Water and food will be contaminated too. Why are your bureaucrats wasting time?

Myanmar has very limited resources and so backward in technology. Why not let the experienced disaster relief teams to help victims who are suffering. It is not wise for politicizing at the moment.

Relief and donation service need to carried out by Red Cross and other reputable organizations. Otherwise, super rich military officers will put in their own pockets or bank account. They are so corrupted and can not be trusted any more. No amount of money will be enough for their greeds.

Even Bangladesh, Myanmar poor neighbor can perform better for relief effort. Your government is the worst and unreliable in my living memory.
Orangeporange at 06:57 PM JST - 9th May

My heart goes out to the people of Myanmar. How unfortunate that their government has to hide and cover up the things that they are going on in their country to the extent they are forcing tens of thousands of people to die needlessly. The government is afraid that foreigners are going to come in and see even worse cruelty of it's people and take action. We have heard the stories from refugees, now we know for sure the attrocities going on there.
roomtemperature at 07:31 AM JST - 10th May

"if you have actually done any reading about the situation"

Just for once, try to read rjd-jr's post again. Is it really that difficult for you to get it? Just for yourself, Jersey. TRY to read!! Because your response on his post is completely off the mark.

Besides, this article is about additional aid from Japan. Not about how good the US is and was when it comes to aid.