Minister admits concerns over aid supplies to Burma

The Minister for Overseas Development has voiced concerns that Irish aid being sent to Burma might not reach the correct people.

Minister Peter Power said the Government is working closely with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on the ground, but admits that there is no 100% guarantee that the Irish aid will reach the most needy recipients.

Water, toilets, shelter and sanitation supplies worth a further €120,000 are being flown out of Dublin Airport today to help the victims of Cyclone Nargis.

However, there have been widespread reports that Burma's military government is withholding aid from certain areas.

Earlier this week it was revealed the Burmese people are continuing to struggle with the aftermath of the disaster, as a severe shortage of housing has left hundreds of thousands of cyclone survivors exposed to heavy rains as the monsoon season begins.

The United Nations and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies warned there was an 'urgent need' for tarpaulins to provide the estimated 1.5 million homeless survivors with temporary shelter. Otherwise, they warned, the threats of hunger and disease could intensify.

The UN estimates a total of 2.4 million people were affected when Cyclone Nargis hit on 2-3 May, and warns that more than 1 million of those still need help, most of them in the hard-to-reach and mostly flooded Irrawaddy delta.

(DW)