Will assessment report bring in more aid for cyclone survivors?

Solomon - Mizzima News

23 June 2008, New Delhi - The report of the Post-Nargis Joint Assessment team will be used to seek more funds to help victims of Cyclone Nargis in Burma, a United Nations spokesperson said on Monday.

Laksmita Noviera, spokesperson of the UN Coordination Office in Burma said they are hopeful that the report of the assessment conducted by PONJA will clearly show the actual situation after the cyclone and reflect the amount of aid needed to help victims.

"The result of the assessment will be used to feed the revised appeal so that we can solicit more funds from donors," Noviera said.

The Tripartite Core Group, formed with members of the UN, Burmese government representatives and experts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), had sent a 250-member team of Post-Nargis Joint Assessment to conduct a survey of the extent of devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis where 133,000 were people killed and went missing.

The PONJA which begun work on June 9, joined by technical experts from the World Bank and the Asia Development Bank, announced on June 20 that it had completed an initial assessment in Burma's Irrawaddy and Rangoon division, which were the worst affected by the cyclone.

"The most important thing is that, from this assessment we hope that we can get a clearer picture of the situation," said Noviera, adding that the assessment will also be used to ask for more funds.

While the assessment might carry a certain degree of reliability in the aftermath of the cyclone, receiving more funds or attracting donor countries would largely depend on how the gap is being bridged between the Burmese junta and the international community, a Burmese researcher said.

"Their [assessment team] job could be reliable but it is difficult to say and guess whether donors will give funds or not depending on the assessment result," said Zaw Oo a researcher based in Washington.

Zaw Oo told Mizzima that the TCG's assessment could bring excellent results but attracting more funds from donors would require proper mediation.

"Proper mediation is required between the donors and the Burmese government," Zaw Oo said.

According to the United Nations, so far only 45 per cent of the estimated US $ 69.5 million required to help cyclone victims have been received.

But Debbie Stothard, coordinator of Alternative ASEAN network on Burma, an advocacy group, said the behaviour of the Burmese junta confused international donors over their willingness to support cyclone victims.

"Many fear that no matter how much money they (donors) give it will not reach the people who are in need," Stothard said.

Stothard blamed the slow and reluctant response of the Burmese military junta in accepting international aid which showed that it was not genuinely interested in helping the victims.

"This time it is very clear that the State Peace and Development Council, is interested in using the cyclone as a money making opportunity," added Stothard referring to Burma's ruling junta as the SPDC, the name of the council it has formed to rule the country.

She added that the post cyclone period has been worsened by the Burmese junta.

"After the cyclone and before the cyclone, the biggest problem is still the SPDC," Stothard said.