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12 May, 2008

WHO in Burma: Latest Figures on Casualties & Requests for Help


Updated official statistics as of 10 May:

  • 28,458 deaths
  • 33,416 remain missing
  • Over 1,5 M severely affected

Situational Brief:
  • Government assessment results to be officially released on 12 May
  • International humanitarian staff not allowed to move out of Yangon yet
  • Visas are hard to obtain for non-Asian nationals


Help Needed:
  • 500 fogging machines
  • 100,000 bed nets
  • Tents to open outreach dispensaries

In order to make a donation or provide offers in kind assistance for the requested relief items, please contact the WHO Health Cluster Lead - Arun Malik, via E-Mail to mallik AT searo.who.int or phone on +66 819215486.



Source: UN OCHA Sit Rep sent to relief teams in Burma / WHO regional office in Bangkok

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4 Comments Post a Comment
Anonymous Anonymous said :

Angelo, a clarification please. Can you give us any more specific information about who's being allowed in? How about asian people from non-asian countries? Are they letting monks in?

The BBC just announced that the WFP workers in Rangoon have run out of rice.

12 May, 2008 12:17  
Blogger Angelo Embuldeniya said :

Hi there,

The mention of visas being hard to obtain for non-Asian nationals was an observation by Int'l aid workers and hence was cited on internal sit reps, however, I know for a fact that they have allowed in relief workers from organizations such as Muslim Aid, FACT, Red Cross, etc. The majority of these organizations obtained their visas from Burma foreign missions in Sri Lanka or Paris, my suggestion to other aid workers stuck in Bangkok is to go through the same route in obtaining their visas.

Another way of getting a visa into Burma, is by applying for an entry visa for mediation purposes, the requirement for this is to get in touch with a monastery or meditation school in Burma, have them send you an invitation letter and produce that along with the entry visa application the immigration. You will need to also state the hotel which you will be booked at. Overall, there are about 3 kinds of visas available in Burma - entry/meditatation visa, tourist visa & business visa.

I can't recall which foundation this was, however, I have seen reports from monks who have entered Burma from China and Thailand.

Additionally, the preference at government level in terms of visa approvals, is for ASEAN+3 nationals (China, Japan & Korea)

If you're interested in donating food supplies to the WFP, get in touch with their Deputy Country Director - Hakan Tongul who is also the Food Cluster Lead via e-mail to hakan.tongul AT wfp.org or phone him on +95 95014484

12 May, 2008 13:27  
Blogger Publia said :

mediation purposes or meditation purposes?

12 May, 2008 16:37  
Blogger Angelo Embuldeniya said :

Thanks Publia for spotting the typo, meant to read as meditation visa.

12 May, 2008 19:29