Humanitarian Crisis in Burma

With the death toll in the tens of thousands and expected to hit 100,000, the situation in Burma is devastating. But the problems go beyond those killed in the cyclone itself or its immediate aftermath. This article in today's Globe and Mail spells it out: the rice crop is gone along with the seedlings they need to plant a new rice crop; the water supply is contaminated across the region, which will lead to outbreaks of diseases; 1.5 million people have been left homeless; 24 million people are without electricity and running water; hospitals are overrun and schools are destroyed; many areas are only accessible by boat.

This article in the NY Times discusses some of the challenges faced by aid agencies, which include the problems of accessing remote locations as well as having to deal with a military government which hasn't been fully cooperative with their efforts, although there are signs indicating that this may be changing. There are also concerns that the aid will be siphoned off by the military and won't reach those who need it most. A sidebar in this article also includes a list of American organizations accepting donations.

Avaaz sent me an email about this crisis. They are collecting money for the International Burmese Monks Organization (for an article about the formation of this group click here). The money will be distributed by this organization directly to the monasteries in Burma, through their own grassroots network. Unfortunately this morning as I type this, none of the links to the Avaaz site are working, so I cannot check them, but I will post them in the hopes that later on in the day they will be back up:

To donate: https://secure.avaaz.org/en/burma_cyclone/3.php?cl=86139302

For information about the work Avaaz has been doing for Burma:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/burma_report_back/