Healing Burma: Getting Relief to Myanmar.

Dear friends,

Burma has been devastated by a cyclone—and by the military junta's failure to help its people cope. Help raise relief funds for distribution by Burma's monks:

CLICK TO DONATE!

In the wake of a massive cyclone, tens of thousands of Burmese are dead. More than 40,000 are missing. A million are homeless.

But what's happening in Burma is not just a natural disaster—it's also a catastrophe of bad leadership.

Burma's brutal and corrupt military junta failed to warn the people, failed to evacuate any areas, and suppressed freedom of communication so that Burmese people didn't know the storm was coming when the rest of the world did. Now the government is failing to respond to the disaster and obstructing international aid organizations.

Humanitarian relief is urgently needed, but Burma's government could easily delay, divert or misuse any aid. Today the International Burmese Monks Organization, including many leaders of the democracy protests last fall, launched a new effort to provide relief through Burma's powerful grass roots network of monasteries—the most trusted institutions in the country and currently the only source of housing and support in many devastated communities. Click below to help the Burmese people with a donation and see a video appeal to Avaaz from a leader of the monks:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/burma_cyclone/77.php

Giving to the monks is a smart, fast way to get aid directly to Burma's people. Governments and international aid organizations are important, but face challenges—they may not be allowed into Burma, or they may be forced to provide aid according to the junta's rules. And most will have to spend large amounts of money just setting up operations in the country. The monks are already on the front lines of the aid effort—housing, feeding, and supporting the victims of the cyclone since the day it struck. The International Burmese Monks Organization will send money directly to each monastery through their own networks, bypassing regime controls.

Last year, more than 800,000 of us around the world stood with the Burmese people as they rose up against the military dictatorship. The government lost no time then in dispatching its armies to ruthlessly crush the nonviolent democracy movement—but now, as tens of thousands die, the junta's response is slow and threatens to divert precious aid into the corrupt regime's pockets.

The monks are unlikely to receive aid from governments or large humanitarian organizations, but they have a stronger presence and trust among the Burmese people than both. If we all chip in a little bit, we can help them to make a big difference.

Click here to donate:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/burma_cyclone/77.php

With hope,

Ricken, Ben, Graziela, Paul, Iain, Veronique, Pascal, Galit and the whole Avaaz team

PS: Here are some links to more information:

For more information about Avaaz's work to support the Burmese people, click here: http://www.avaaz.org/en/burma_report_back/

For more information about the cyclone, the humanitarian crisis, and the political dimension, see these articles:

New York Times: "A Challenge Getting Relief to Myanmar's Remote Areas." 7 May 2008.

BBC: "Will Burma's leaders let aid in?" 6 May 2008.

India's Economic Times: Indian meteorological department advised junta 48 hours in advance, 6 May 2008.

BBC: "Disaster tests Burma's junta." 5 May 2008

Times Online: "Aid workers fear Burma cyclone deaths will top 50,000." 6 May 2008.

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ABOUT AVAAZ
Avaaz.org is an independent, not-for-profit global campaigning organization that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people inform global decision-making. (Avaaz means "voice" in many languages.) Avaaz receives no money from governments or corporations, and is staffed by a global team based in London, Rio de Janeiro, New York, Paris, Washington DC, and Geneva.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Burma
• Myanmar
• cyclone
• death
• International
• aid
• global
• action
• public
• service
• announcements
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• grassroots
• outreach

[ChrisHoward1978]

The first organization into Burma, besides the red cross, was World Children's Fund. They came across in trucks from the china borders... everyone else had to fly in, which unfortunately took alot more time. You can search for a video called "myanmar destruction..." good stuff

[ehunter2]

Once again..its not the UN..its the US Navy thats performing the job. That right the great big war mongering US military that everyone hates until it comes time to really need help.

[AGoldenFleece]

i have given my donation.its high time the human rights watch got off thier azz along with the UN and many other governing bodys and did the job they themselfs were given instead of running around like headless chickens. i have had much contact with all of those support groups and thier all talk no action. its action the people want not only money.

[ericjon652004]

Oh... and by the way.. Saudi Arabia is the ONLY country that can claim to come close to exporting 100 times more than Myanmar.

[ericjon652004]

Myanmar is Asia's fastest-growing petroleum exporter; China is the world's fastest-growing importer. In May, Myanmar awarded China long-term access to its two largest offshore natural gas fields.

China returned the favor by blocking a U.N. resolution seeking an embargo against Myanmar.

If you think Myanmars natural resources aren't a factor in our frantic need to get in to thier country to "help" them out then you might want to look a little deeper.

[mar504]

Hate to break it to you, but that's not very much. Some countries make a hundred times that

[HolySausage]

myoldname, you obvioulsy don't know what "good guys" mean.

You become a "good guy" by helping the poor and starving, like the cyclone victims in Burma.

[Myoldnamesdontwork]

exactly...is there what other reason is there for the US to help another country? WE are the good guys!

[ericjon652004]

The only reason we (the USA) are so interested in "helping" Myanmar is to get in and get our hooks into the country for thier oil.

Myanmar Oil and Gas topped export earnings with $2.16 billion from gas last year....and they've recently discovered some very lucrative offshore oil fields.

Myanmar has held off the rest of the world for long enough.. We aren't going to take it anymore.... .LET US IN!!!!

[ZFroggirl]

Hey there, I really really really WISH i could donate to this cause, but I cant. However, thank you SO much for making this video, it was informative and clear, and its a beautiful thing when people stick up for their fellow human beings.

Peace

zo