'Save the Children' clarifies aid distribution mode

Mizzima News
25 June 2008

New Delhi — Urgency for the sake of cyclone affected children and an urgent appeal by the Burmese military junta forced the hand of the 'Save the Children' to route 9,000 plastic sheets through the regime.

'Save the Children', and international non-governmental organization that has been helping cyclone survivors in Burma's delta region on Wednesday admitted that it had given 9000 plastic sheets to the Burmese junta in response to its request.

Kathryn Rawe, Media Manager Asia of the group said they gave 9000 plastic sheets responding to an urgent request put forward by Burma's ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement and the United Nations humanitarian coordinator.

But Rawe said, "We are independently monitoring the distribution of those sheets."

'Save the Children's' clarification on the 9000 plastic sheets it had given to Burma's military junta on June 7, came following the United Kingdom's Department For International Development (DFID) objecting to the group's mode of distribution of aid supplies.

'Save the Children' received the 9000 plastic sheets as a part of the DFID's donation for cyclone survivors in Burma's Irrawaddy delta.

However, the UK Parliament maintained that its assistance to victims of Cyclone Nargis in Burma must not "go through the Burmese regime".

Douglas Alexander, Secretary of state for International Development in a ministerial statement issued on June 18 expressed concern over the mode of distribution of the 9000 sheets.

"Save the Children's first priority is always to reach help to children who need it most," Rawe told Mizzima adding that it was a life-saving assistance that was needed urgently in the delta.