Whilst the Burmese junta pontificates over visa entries, tens of thousands run the risk of disease and starvation.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has dispatched four aircraft loaded with critically needed food aid and other relief items for the Burmese people struck by Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar.
"Time is of the essence and we are already reaching storm victims with food. We are mobilising all possible resources to save lives given the massive disruption in food, water, and shelter caused by this storm," said WFP Executive Director, Josette Sheeran.
WFP have organised for the distribution of 45 metric tons of high energy biscuits (HEBs) which is expected to arrive at Yangon airport on Thursday, the first UN flights to arrive in the city.
"It is critical that we reach the hungry and homeless in Myanmar with ready-to-eat food as soon as possible to help them survive this horrific disaster," said Sheeran. "Food and clean water are the first steps toward helping the people of Myanmar get back on their feet and rebuild their lives."
In other developments, the reluctance of the Government of Myanmar to lift the restriction on the movement of commodities and international staff has not changed significantly. WFP and other UN agencies are awaiting word on the granting of visas for teams of disaster response workers.
In a coordinated response, the head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that four Asian members of a UN disaster coordination team had finally obtained clearance and would arrive in Myanmar on Thursday.
According to the Myanmar government, the death toll from Cyclone Nargis has risen to over 22,000 and more than 41,000 people are missing. An estimated one million people have been left homeless.
However, this figure has been challenged by a US diplomat, who claimed the figure could exceed one hundred thousand dead.
“The information that we're receiving indicates that there may well be over 100,000 deaths in the delta area," said Shari Villarosa, the head of the US embassy in Burma.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged the military government of Myanmar to allow aid workers and relief supplies into the country as soon as possible to help people in need of medical assistance, food, clean drinking water and shelter.
However, Amnesty International have expressed concern that some donors were delaying aid for fear it would be siphoned off to the army.
WFP's regional director Anthony Banbury echoed those concerns saying: "We will not just bring our supplies to an airport, dump it and take off. This is one reason why there is a hold up now, because we are going to bring in not just supplies but a lot of capacity to go with them to make sure the supplies get to the people."
