Burma: China Should Push to Get Aid in

By blocking international relief efforts, the Burmese government is showing utter contempt for millions of its own people, said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. China and Burmas other friends should lead international efforts, including at the UN Security Council, to persuade or compel Burma to accept the international aid that cyclone survivors so badly need.  
 
Human Rights Watch called on the Burmese government to open cyclone-affected areas to a major international relief effort by immediately granting visas to aid workers; allowing United Nations and international humanitarian agencies to distribute aid directly to those in need; and allowing countries with assets nearby to deliver aid by air and sea to survivors who cannot otherwise be reached quickly. Many affected communities are only accessible by air and sea, which makes assistance by countries that are equipped to deal with humanitarian disasters essential to prevent further death and suffering.  
 
All nations with the capacity to provide assistance by air and by sea, including the United States, France, the United Kingdom, India, China, and members of ASEAN, should immediately deploy military and civilian response units preferably jointly as close as possible to Burma so that they are ready to provide relief as soon as permission is granted. Clean water, protein biscuits and other staple foods, and medical care should be pre-positioned in the region for immediate delivery.  

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