Global Aid Groups Ask Junta for peoples Care

Thirteen humanitarian global organizations working in Burma made a request to the military government to allow international aid groups to help to care the poorest members of society for their adequate health, education and food.

Inger Sandberg, an adviser to Norwegian People’s Aid, said, “The situation is getting worse, particularly for the poorest people after the oil and commodities price increases in Burma.”

The consortium said the military regime's policies have depleted the ability of local communities to give aid to the members of society who have fallen below subsistence levels.

Aid group called for a more open working environment for local and international humanitarian organizations and a significant build up of economical and health facilities,humanitarian assistance to directly address the needs of the poor.

Presently, international and local humanitarian groups cannot respond to people's needs because of constraints put in place by the military government, sources said.

Consortium that signed the statement include the Action Contre la Faim, Aide Medicale Internationale, Asian Harm Reduction Network, Cooperazione e Sviluppo onlus, Deutsche Welthungerhilfe/German Agro Action, Enfants du Monde Droits de l'Hommes, International HIV/AIDS Alliance, Malteser International, Medecins du Monde, Norwegian People's Aid, Population Services International, Save the Children and Terre des Hommes Italia.

Aid group also urged the international community to increase efforts to address the humanitarian needs of the Burmese people.

The recent increase in fuel prices and commodities have exacerbated the already fragile living conditions faced by many Burmese citizens, according to the statement.

Meanwhile, the UN agency in charge of fighting hunger has issued a plea for the world to provide more food aid to the people of Burma.

About 5 million people are chronically short of food, according to the World Food Program, which tries to provide aid to 500,000 people each month. However, because of constraints, only 200,000 people now receive aid each month.

UN estimates that more than one-third of Burmese children suffer from malnutrition and estimates about 100,000 die each yea