| Action
alert: Relief assistance to Cyclone affected people
We urge you to take action to ensure that the Burmese government
lifts all restrictions to humanitarian aid, including restrictions
on visa applications for relief workers, customs procedures for
relief stocks, and to allow freedom of movement for expatriate relief
workers, and free distribution of food supplies. These restrictions
on multilateral and independent aid organisations are currently
delaying urgent assessment and response mechanisms.
Please find below a brief statement of concern which we urge you
to call on your government to pressure the Burmese government to
lift the restrictions and also forward the statement to the Burmese
Embassies around the world
http://www.myanmars.net/bluepages/myanmar.embassies.htm
Also please read attached statements by the Women's
League of Burma and a group of Burmese
Health NGOs demanding that the SPDC cooperate with international
humanitarian aid agencies and NGOs to help the affected victims
of the cyclone.
In solidarity
IWRAW Asia Pacific
Statement of concern:
To whom it may concern,
We write to express our deepest concern for the survivors of the
cyclone which hit Burma on 2 and 3 May 2008 resulting in thousands
of people losing their lives and the destruction of tens of thousands
of homes and to urge the Burmese government to facilitate the provision
of relief to survivors.
We call on the government of Burma to immediately lift all restrictions
on humanitarian aid, including restrictions on visa applications
for relief workers, customs procedures for relief stocks, and to
allow freedom of movement for expatriate relief workers, and free
distribution of food supplies. These restrictions on multilateral
and independent aid organisations are currently delaying urgent
assessment and response mechanisms.
We also express our concern that the cyclone will lead to more long-term
displacement inside Burma and the compounding of suffering of the
existing displaced population estimated to be at over 1 million
people and call on the government to enable immediate releif to
be brought to these people.
In
the circumstances, we call for the national referendum on the draft
constitution, scheduled for Saturday May 10, to be postponed nationwide.
Sincerely,
International Women's Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific
80-B, Jalan Bangsar
59200 Kuala Lumpur
MALAYSIA
Telephone: (603) 2282 2255
Fax: (603) 2283 2552
Email: iwraw-ap@iwraw-ap.org, iwraw_ap@yahoo.com
Website: www.iwraw-ap.org
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This
page was last updated on May 20, 2008
“IWRAW
Asia Pacific is an independent, non-profit, NGO in Special consultative
status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.”
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