PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGEClub-wielding members of a pro-regime citizens’ group attempted to hijack relief supplies in Rangoon, according to local charity groups and non-government organizations in the former Burmese capital.
A convoy of vehicles carrying rice to cyclone victims in Rangoon’s Thanlyin Township was attacked on Thursday by armed members of Swan-Ar-Shin, a government-supported organization that helped suppress last September’s demonstrations, one Rangoon source reported. The attackers were armed with clubs and knives, the source said.
One NGO worker said permission had to be obtained from another pro-government organization, the Union Solidarity and Development Association, before relief supplies could be delivered
Looting and violent clashes involving hungry residents are being reported from Rangoon’s outskirts, where security is lacking. Fighting broke out on Thursday among people queuing at a food distribution center set up by a local relief group in Rangoon’s Hlaing Tharyar Township.
Looting is also being reported from the Irrawaddy Delta, where at least a million survivors of the cyclone are in dire need of food, fresh water and medicines. One source told The Irrawaddy that one group of people had broken into a paddy mill in Dedaye Township and carried away the rice.
A convoy of vehicles carrying rice to cyclone victims in Rangoon’s Thanlyin Township was attacked on Thursday by armed members of Swan-Ar-Shin, a government-supported organization that helped suppress last September’s demonstrations, one Rangoon source reported. The attackers were armed with clubs and knives, the source said.
One NGO worker said permission had to be obtained from another pro-government organization, the Union Solidarity and Development Association, before relief supplies could be delivered
Looting and violent clashes involving hungry residents are being reported from Rangoon’s outskirts, where security is lacking. Fighting broke out on Thursday among people queuing at a food distribution center set up by a local relief group in Rangoon’s Hlaing Tharyar Township.
Looting is also being reported from the Irrawaddy Delta, where at least a million survivors of the cyclone are in dire need of food, fresh water and medicines. One source told The Irrawaddy that one group of people had broken into a paddy mill in Dedaye Township and carried away the rice.
Junta expels Qatar aircraft carrying relief supplies
The obduracy of the Burmese military junta is inexplicable. On Thursday it sent back an aircraft from Qatar carrying relief material for cyclone hit victims. The aircraft was sent back from Rangoon's Mingalardon airport.The military aircraft from Qatar carried a team of 62 people along with relief material including medicines and landed at the Mingalardon airport, a source working in the airport said."They were sent away after officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs met them at about 9:15 a.m.," the source said.In a statement issued from Naypyitaw, the junta's Foreign Ministry said the government refused to allow the rescue and information team which came in the aircraft, therefore the government has ordered the aircraft to return."Myanmar (Burma) had no prior knowledge of the rescue, search and information team which came along with relief supplies. The government was only aware that the aircraft would come to hand over relief supplies," the statement said."We are not yet ready to receive such emergency rescue, search and information teams from foreign countries for the time being," the statement added.
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