A ghastly disaster strikes, and the world tries to help

London – This week tens of thousands of people in Myanmar (Burma) were killed by a cyclone and its chaotic aftermath. Aid agencies say staggering numbers of people desperately need assistance, yet the country’s military government is restricting their efforts at every turn.

The government has denied visas for many foreign aid experts and seized U.N. food aid at the airport. In one of the most closed and anti-democratic countries in the world, the Burmese people have already suffered many years under the current regime. The world looked on in dismay at the brutal repression of protests last year. The response to the cyclone has further exposed the character of the ruling junta.

“This is a major catastrophe that demands an immediate and robust response,” said Greg Beck, a representative of the International Rescue Committee, a humanitarian agency responding to the crisis. “But everything hinges on access. The international aid community needs to get staff and supplies into devastated communities rapidly if we’re going to avert further deaths.”

Aid agencies are in the horrible position of having to wait for permission to deploy from a regime that is partially responsible for the severity of the crisis. These sorts of difficult dilemmas are common when responding to a humanitarian emergency.

“Government red tape in providing visas is costing lives, while some donors are delaying aid in the fear that it will be siphoned off to the army,” said Benjamin Zawacki of the human rights group Amnesty International.

However, many international aid agencies are working around this problem by working with local Burmese groups to distribute assistance. They are therefore advising people to continue supporting their work. Moreover, they are standing by to ramp up efforts as soon as they can.

There are several ways you can help.

First, try to get informed. Read up on Myanmar and find out about some of the agencies responding to the crisis by looking at Web sites like ReliefWeb and AlertNet, which specialize in humanitarian crises.

Second, consider raising money for or donating to organizations working to bring assistance to the country. Remember that aid agencies usually prefer cash to in-kind donations that are costly and time-consuming to collect, quality-check and ship. You may also want to do research on the organization you wish to support to see if they have a track record in Burma and emergency response.

Finally, you may want to get involved in advocacy campaigns calling for human rights and democracy in Myanmar. Raise awareness in your community, sign petitions and write letters to the Burmese government and your own elected officials calling for urgent action.