Death Toll Swells in Myanmar

Thursday, May 8, A.D. 2008

With the humanitarian tragedy in Myanmar (Burma) worsening by the hour following Saturday’s devastating Cyclone Nargis, some officials, including Shari Villerosa, the top U.S. diplomat in the country, fear the death toll may exceed 100,000. At least one million people have been left homeless. Massive destruction, destroyed transportation and communications infrastructure, and initial intransigence from the ruling regime have hampered initial relief responses. However, yesterday the UN and India were able to dispatch relief supplies by air.

Church aid organizations are urgently putting relief operations in place. Tomorrow Marvin Parvez, Acting Asia/Pacific Regional Coordinator for Church World Service, will arrive in Myanmar to coordinate CWS’ response. CWS and other Action by Churches Together (ACT) members, including Christian Aid of the UK, Norwegian Church Aid, Danchurchaid and others, have active local partner networks in the country. Parvez noted that "in global disaster response work, local partners know best where assistance is needed and always have more effective response networks.”

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