Burma Allows One U.S. C-130 to Deliver Relief Supplies

[kiwi]

Burma Allows One U.S. C-130 to Deliver Relief Supplies
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 9, 2008 - Burmese officials have given permission for an Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft to deliver supplies to Rangoon on May 12, White House officials said here.

Gordon Johndroe, deputy White House press secretary, said the United States welcomes the Burmese government's permission for the C-130 to deliver emergency relief supplies. "We hope this is the beginning of major U.S. assistance to the Burmese people," he said.

The U.S. government will continue to work with the government of Burma on additional access for the U.S. Agency for International Development, nongovernmental organizations, and international aid agencies.

"We certainly appreciate the efforts that some countries such as China and others have made to talk to the junta about the need to get help in," Johndroe said. "Clearly the junta has determined that the magnitude of this disaster requires additional assistance, and so we're pleased to be able to offer that."

Press reports out of the Asian nation have put the death toll at more than 100,000 from Cyclone Nargis, which hit the Irrawaddy River delta May 5. Burmese officials said more than 25,000 have been confirmed dead, and another 45,000 people are missing.

American aircraft are standing by in neighboring Thailand once the Burmese junta gives permission for further aid flights. In addition, USS Essex Strike Group has deployed a dozen helicopters to a Royal Thai Air Force base.

"The helicopters and some relief supplies are being staged in Thailand because they could reach Burma in a matter of hours with relief supplies," a Defense Department official said today.

The Essex group itself is steaming to be in position to provide further aid, if allowed, Navy officials said. The helicopters and amphibious landing craft are exceptionally useful in moving people and supplies to remote locations, inaccessible by road.

The Essex would deliver pre-positioned material. U.S. officials are working with nongovernmental organizations to determine what is most needed in the affected areas.

"We talked some this week, and the U.N. has talked some this week, about the most urgent needs, such as water purification devices as well as other issues to stop some of the water-borne diseases we're very concerned about," Johndroe said. "We're working through those details right now to see what gets loaded on that airplane.

The Burmese government has not approved visas for a U.S. government assistance team.

"We're going to continue to work with the government of Burma to allow additional access for not only U.S. assistance but also assistance from (nongovernmental organizations) and other countries," he said. "We hope this is the beginning of a long line of assistance from the United States to the people of Burma."

The U.S. C-130 will fly out of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and will land in the former Burmese capital of Rangoon. Burmese officials will distribute any supplies the Hercules brings.

[sniper]

What a mob of idiots that junta is.............what ever your politics humanitiarian aid is needed FAST

[Mord aka Mark JTF Scum]

And they put Burmesse Generals names on the packages

[KellyMaureen]

They aren't going to have anyone to send aid to if they dont stop being jackasses about it, with all those dead bodies and heat they will have disease running rampant if they dont already and killing off anyone who survived.  I cant believe what this govt is doing to its own people, utterly disgusting. 

[Mord aka Mark JTF Scum]

The Govt are run by real  dvl:

[kiwi]

Australia is now giving 24 million dollars in Aid. 

[Ari]

They need to send Rambo over there for real.

[kiwi]

They need to send Rambo over there for real.

LOL you think like my MUM, thats here answer for everything, just send Rambo

[sniper]

No send some AIDS it will sort it out cheaply

[kiwi]

AIDS takes to long, think of the years you need to wait 

[Ari]

Rambo was just in Burma.   Too bad a little early. 


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rambo_%28film%29

[kiwi]

More Humanitarian Flights Arrive in Burma
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 18, 2008 - More American aircraft delivered desperately needed supplies to Burmese affected by Cyclone Nargis, but the aid is a fraction of what's needed, Defense and State department officials said today.

Yesterday, four Air Force C-130 relief flights landed in Rangoon, and today five C-130s made the trip.

The aircraft delivered water, plastic sheeting, mosquito netting, hygiene kits, rice, rations, blankets and clean water containers, officials said.

To date, the Burmese military junta has allowed 26 American flights into the country, carrying more than 615,000 pounds of supplies.

The official Cyclone Nargis death toll now stands at 78,000, with another 56,000 Burmese missing. United Nations officials put the number of those affected at 2.5 million, including 1 million children.

Officials around the world worry that if the Burmese junta does not allow more aid to reach the Irrawaddy River delta, deaths from secondary effects ? starvation, exposure, water-borne diseases ? will skyrocket.

The United Nations sent John Holmes, its humanitarian affairs chief, to Burma in an effort to open the country up to more aid.

The United States is slated to send more aircraft into Rangoon tomorrow. U.S. ships remain off the coast of Burma, waiting for permission to go ashore. The USS Essex group, alone, carries 41,000 five-gallon containers of water and hundreds of pallets of supplies. The group also has the ability to land the supplies where they are needed most, DoD officials said.