Burma shuns foreign aid workers

Burma's military junta says the country is not ready to accept foreign aid workers, amid mounting criticism of its response to the devastating cyclone. The foreign ministry said Burma was happy to accept overseas aid, but insisted that it would control the distribution itself. Burma shuns foreign aid workers The statement follows pressure from the United Nations to speed up the issuing of visas to foreign relief experts. Some aid has made it in, but experts stress that much more is needed. Dozens of aid experts are reported to be waiting for visas in neighbouring Thailand - but the Burmese embassy there has now closed for a public holiday until next Tuesday. The UN says that up to 1.5 million people may have been affected by Cyclone Nargis, which devastated the Irrawaddy Delta region on Saturday. Burmese state media say 22,980 people were killed, but there are fears the figure could rise to 100,000. Hundreds of thousands of people have no food, water or shelter. International aid agencies on the ground say that they have reached only 10% of those that need help. In a statement, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged the junta to prioritise the aid effort over tomorrow's nation-wide referendum on a widely-criticised new constitution. It would be "prudent to focus instead on mobilising all available resources and capacity for the emergency response efforts", he said. Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej was due to fly to Burma on Sunday to urge its leaders to allow foreign aid workers in. But following the junta's statement, the Thai leader said there was "no point" in his visit. "Not ready" In a foreign ministry statement carried by The New Light of Myanmar daily, Burma's government said it would welcome cash and emergency aid. But it said it had turned back a relief flight from Qatar which had an aid team and a media crew on board. "Currently Myanmar [Burma] has prioritized receiving emergency relief provisions and is making strenuous efforts to transport those provisions without delay by its own labors to the affected areas," it said. "As such, Myanmar is not ready to receive search and rescue teams as well as media teams from foreign countries." A BBC correspondent in the storm-hit region says Burmese troops have begun distributing significantly more aid. But international experts agree that the military regime lacks the resources to co-ordinate an effective relief effort, given the magnitude of the disaster. It has accepted limited help - some countries which have good relations with Burma have flown aid in.

Burma shuns foreign aid workers

The statement follows pressure from the United Nations to speed up the issuing of visas to foreign relief experts.

Some aid has made it in, but experts stress that much more is needed.

Dozens of aid experts are reported to be waiting for visas in neighbouring Thailand - but the Burmese embassy there has now closed for a public holiday until next Tuesday.

The UN says that up to 1.5 million people may have been affected by Cyclone Nargis, which devastated the Irrawaddy Delta region on Saturday.

Burmese state media say 22,980 people were killed, but there are fears the figure could rise to 100,000.

Hundreds of thousands of people have no food, water or shelter. International aid agencies on the ground say that they have reached only 10% of those that need help.

In a statement, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged the junta to prioritise the aid effort over tomorrow's nation-wide referendum on a widely-criticised new constitution.

It would be "prudent to focus instead on mobilising all available resources and capacity for the emergency response efforts", he said.

Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej was due to fly to Burma on Sunday to urge its leaders to allow foreign aid workers in.

But following the junta's statement, the Thai leader said there was "no point" in his visit.

"Not ready"

In a foreign ministry statement carried by The New Light of Myanmar daily, Burma's government said it would welcome cash and emergency aid.

But it said it had turned back a relief flight from Qatar which had an aid team and a media crew on board.

"Currently Myanmar [Burma] has prioritized receiving emergency relief provisions and is making strenuous efforts to transport those provisions without delay by its own labors to the affected areas," it said.

"As such, Myanmar is not ready to receive search and rescue teams as well as media teams from foreign countries."

A BBC correspondent in the storm-hit region says Burmese troops have begun distributing significantly more aid.

But international experts agree that the military regime lacks the resources to co-ordinate an effective relief effort, given the magnitude of the disaster.

It has accepted limited help - some countries which have good relations with Burma have flown aid in.