Aid agencies fear the worst for Burma's cyclone hit region as military junta reject foreign intervention.
Aid agencies warn of an “unimaginable” tragedy if the Burmese regime continues to pursue its strategy of isolation and intolerance to foreigners.
Burma’s military junta is accepting aid from the outside world but has reiterated that it will allow foreign logistical teams needed to transport the aid into the delta region.
"Unless there is a massive and fast infusion of aid, experts and supplies into the hardest-hit areas, there's going to be a tragedy on an unimaginable scale," said Greg Beck of the International Rescue Committee.
The international aid agency Oxfam, claim the lives of 1.5 million people in the cyclone affected areas are at risk due to disease outbreaks unless a tsunami-like aid effort is mobilised and quickly..
"In the Boxing Day tsunami 250,000 people lost their lives in the first few hours, but we did not see an outbreak of disease because the host governments and the world mobilised a massive aid effort to prevent it from happening," Oxfam's Regional Director for East Asia Sara Ireland told reporters in Bangkok. "We have to do the same for the people of Myanmar."
She added: "We understand that a lot of water sources are already contaminated. The ponds are full of dead bodies. The wells have got saline water in them, and something as basic as a bucket is in scarce supply.
“So, if people don't have things to put the water in order to make sure it's clean and safe, then that's very difficult. We've got lots of buckets on standby in our warehouse in Dubai. We'd really like access to be able to send them in."
The U.N. has appealed for $187 million in aid, even though it is still not confident the food, water, medicines, bedding and utensils flown in will make it to those most in need because of the junta's reluctance to admit international relief workers.
The World Food Programme (WFP) said on Sunday it was now moving aid down to its field headquarters in Labutta using trucks provided by its long-time partners in Myanmar, including the Red Cross.
However, whilst the international community struggle to overcome the entrenched stance adopted by Burma’s insular government, the junta is maintaining its programme of multi-party elections and constitutional referendums by erecting voting booths, some adjacent to displaced camps.
The referendum, the first of its kind in Burma in nearly 20 years, is all but a foregone conclusion with no one expecting any surprises.
The self appointed generals refused offers of United Nations monitors and groups opposed to military rule, denounced the vote as an attempt by the military to legitimise its 46-year grip on power.
