A dispatch from a trusted relief organization at work in Burma

“The way we are providing support is a little complex. As you know, most of our staff are perceived as enemies to the government which makes it difficult for them to provide services directly inside. However, our organsitions have contacts with people through various networks: health workers, faithbased, community based, business links etc. We are using all of the networks at our disposal to get assitance to the people.

Basically we have probably about 10 teams on the ground. A team may consist of 2-5 people and the team communicates the needs and the areas that they can work in and how they will work. At the same time they assess where supplies can be bought and transported from in country.

It is very difficult to transport supplies into the country from outside. It is possible to get supplies to Rangoon, but to get anything from Rangoon to Delta areas is very difficult. Therefore, for the moment we are using cash and buying things in-country.,

Some things such as water purification tabs are difficult to get in country. Therefore, we are trying to develop networks with Thai and international relief organisations to see if it is possible to establish some underground networks with them to get supplies to the most in need.

The Emergency Assistance Team (EAT-BURMA) is working at the grassroots level to provide aid and assistance to the people affected by Cyclone Nargis in the Irrawaddy and Rangoon division areas.

EAT is working with networks of local organizations and concerned individuals in Burma to get food, water, cooking equipment, shelter, clothing, health services and rehabilitation to those most in need. This will be provided by working directly with the affected communities.

For the safety of our teams and the people inside, we cannot give out information regarding the exact location of our teams, nor their identities. But we are working with a team of about 40 people on the ground who are each working with their own networks of local organizations and people.

HOW TO HELP

SUPPORT OUR WORK

Currently, we urgently need funds to support the people inside and to address the most important needs of the people there. We will provide regular reports and updates to all of our donors on how this money is used. We hope to be able to provide photos of the work we do as well as these reports.

We estimate that we need 10 million baht for the first three weeks.

Mae Tao Clinic has been designated to take responsibility for the funds by the group. Donations may be sent through Mae Tao Clinic’s website (www.maetaoclinic.org).

DEMAND ACTION BY THE UN, INTERNATIONAL GOVERNMENTS AND THE HUMANITARIAN AID COMMUNITY

We are calling on all governments and UN bodies to provide aid immediately to our people who are dying in their thousands. International humanitarian organizations and local community organizations must do whatever they can to prevent further deaths and to assist in the restoration of life in Burma. This is not the time to respect Burma’s border controls. National restrictions that are causing further deaths, do not deserve anyone’s respect.

The global community has a responsibility to protect its citizens. The SPDC has time and again failed to protect the people of Burma, and this time the scale of their neglect is killing our people. The United Nations must invoke the Responsibility To Protect, even if it is necessary to coerce or force the regime to comply with providing protection and rehabilitation to its citizens.”