Thailand's' Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej is not ready to believe that international aid for Burma's Cyclone Nargis victims is being set aside by the Burma Army. He said so on television last night.
Yesterday, Samak Sundaravej went to Burma and met Burmese PM Gen. Thein Sein. He checked out on victims of the cyclone when he travelled to Burma. After he returned, he made a few recommendations for the Burmese junta.
Aid from UN and the international community including aid from Thailand have been reaching cyclone victims, said Samak on Thai TV -NBT channel at 8 last night.
"They (junta) won't exploit and use the aid," said Samak after he met with Burmese PM Thein Sein.
On May 9, CNN news agency reported that the Burma Army forcibly took UN relief material for cyclone victims instead of sending it to victims. The UN's two plane loads of 38 tons of vitamin added biscuits were kept for the army instead of giving it to victims.
According to the AP news report, vitamin added biscuits, which were first sent by the World Food Program, were distributed among high ranking officials' homes said an AP news report. Low vitamin biscuits produced in Burma were distributed to victims instead of distributing the highly laced vitamin biscuits, mentioned the news report.
Before he left for Burma, the UN-secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon requested the Thai PM Samak to discuss with the junta to allow humanitarian aid for cyclone victims.
Thai PM Samak talked about the concerns of the international relief team that wanted to enter Burma for effective help. "The Burmese can live by themselves. Even though they are pitied by outsiders. They can help each other," said Samak.
"The junta doesn't want any international intervention in domestic matters. It's their right," Samak added.
After Cyclone Nargis lashed Burma the junta has only accepted international aid for victims but not allowed in international aid workers. Although some relief organizations are in Burma, those organizations are barred from travelling to cyclone hit areas.
