RI hails US’s new Burma policy

by Mungpi
Tuesday, 29 September 2009 18:31

New Delhi (Mizzima) – The Refugee International on Monday hailed the United States for including an increase in humanitarian assistance to the Burmese people in its new policy announced by the State Department and urged the Congress to provide adequate funding for assistance to the Southeast Asian nation.

In a statement released after the announcement of the Burma policy by the State Department on Monday, RI said, International humanitarian aid for the Burmese people has not kept pace with the needs but applauded the new policy saying it would correct a long-standing flaw in US policy on Burma.

Joel Charny, Acting President of Refugees International said, “Allowing desperately needed assistance to reach the Burmese people corrects a long-standing flaw in U.S. policy towards Burma.”

“For years, the policy has doubly punished the Burmese people: they have suffered under a regime that directly contributes to their daily hardships, while being denied life-saving assistance by the U.S. government. This new policy will increase desperately needed assistance to the Burmese people through independent channels,” added Charny.

The US State Department on Monday announced the new policy on Burma, which was under review for the past seven months, revealing the US’s willingness to engage the Burmese military regime directly while maintaining the existing sanctions.

Under successive administrations, the US has maintained strict financial and economic sanctions on Burmese military rulers including freezing of their assets and banning travel to the US.

However, since early 2009, the Obama administration announced a review of the policy, which was concluded after seven months.

Under the new policy, the US will engage the Burmese regime, increase humanitarian assistance to the Burmese people and will only phase out sanctions if the Burmese Generals show progress in political change in the country.

“Now that the Administration has announced its intention to support humanitarian aid inside Burma, Congress should ensure that it fully funds this programme in 2010,” said Charny.

“Refugee International supports the Senate appropriation of at least $39.8 million for Burma, and agrees that this money should be used wherever the greatest need exists, both inside the country and for refugees forced to flee to neighbouring states," added Charny.

According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Burma received US $ 4.08 per person in 2007 as overseas development assistance, which is less than any of the poorest 55 countries, where the average assistance is more than US$ 42 per person.

Burma, according to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), has the 13th lowest GDP per capita in the world. An average Burmese family spends 75 per cent of their income on securing food.

RI said, “The Burmese people perpetually live on the brink of a humanitarian crisis, and Cyclone Nargis proved that further disruption can be disastrous.”

In the aftermath of the deadly Cyclone Nargis, which left more than 140,000 dead or missing and devastated over 2.4 million people’s lives, the U.S. contributed US$ 75 million as emergency relief.

RI said the US’s efforts in the aftermath of the cyclone shows that it is possible to provide aid inside the country transparently and effectively.

“However, prior to the cyclone, U.S. contributions were a meagre $3 million per year for a country of 55 million people,” the RI said.