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Myanmar okays copter relief to cyclone-hit, says UN chief
UN Secretary-General Ban KiMoon said on Tuesday that Myanmar's junta had granted permission for the World Food Programme to use helicopters to distribute aid to cyclone-hit areas of the country.
- Agencies
- Published: 19:20 May 20, 2008
United Nations: UN Secretary-General Ban KiMoon said on Tuesday that Myanmar's junta had granted permission for the World Food Programme to use helicopters to
distribute aid to cyclone-hit areas of the country.
Ban was due to arrive in the Thai capital Bangkok on Wednesday and go to Myanmar on Thursday.
The military government in the former Burma has allowed
relief flights to deliver supplies to Yangon, the largest city,
but had balked at aerial access to the southwestern Irrawaddy delta, where an estimated 2.4 million people were left destitute.
"We have received government permission to operate nine WFP helicopters which will allow us to reach areas that have so far been largely inaccessible," Ban told reporters before departing for a visit to Myanmar.
The top UN humanitarian envoy, John Holmes, said in
Myanmar on Tuesday he had discussed the use of helicopters with government officials, who "took note" of his suggestion.
The junta's delays in allowing access to international aid
workers has drawn criticism and warnings that many more people could die in the aftermath of the cyclone that roared across parts of the Southeast Asian country at the start of May.
Ban said he welcomed the government's "recent flexibility"
but added that aid workers had so far been able to reach only
around 25 per cent of those in need.
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