Myanmar, which was hit by a powerful cyclone Nargis recently, has eventually permitted the entrance of the very first significant international aid shipment on Thursday 8 May. The military regime, however, brushed-off the offer of the United States to assist those in Myanmar who have been hit badly by the cyclone. Teams from the UN and other foreign aid workers who want to assist the cyclone victims with food, water and medicine continue to stall on visas days after disaster hit the region. The situation infact is so bad that it is feared that death toll could hit 100,000.   

 

There are at least 10 members of the USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team waiting in Thailand for a green signal from the Myanmar government. U.S. Ambassador Eric John has commented that they want to help out Myanmar, but it seems that the Burmese do not trust them enough. He added that this attitude was really sad as it translated into more suffering for a lot of people out there. There are been widespread reports of destruction in Myanmar following the Nargis episode, but it is being alleged that the response of the junta has been very slow and discouraging.