MANILA, Philippines - Saying a 15-member medical team may not achieve much, a Hong Kong-based human rights group chided President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Wednesday night for providing "meager" assistance to cyclone-hit Myanmar.

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) urged Mrs Arroyo to send a "substantial" number of rescue teams, particularly medical doctors with expertise on disaster response.

"As a country that experiences calamities and disaster, particularly dozens of tropical typhoons, your country's government agencies may have had skills and knowledge that could be shared with the government of Myanmar in responding to disasters," AHRC executive director Basil Fernando told Mrs Arroyo in an open letter.

“Unlike your country though, the disaster response under the Myanmar junta is virtually nonexistent as what has been shown in the aftermath of cyclone," Fernando said.

Fernando said that due to lack of an existing systematic, effective and adequate service on disaster response, the affected people were forced to do the cleanup operation.

"We therefore urge you to do more by sending a substantial number of rescue teams, more medical doctors with expertise on disaster response and to produce the relief assistance needed. Your country's experience on how to deal with natural disasters would also be a tremendous help should it be passed on to the Myanmar government. These are amongst the much needed assistance the people there require," Fernando added.

Fernando said that while AHRC welcomes the Philippines' intervention for the people of Myanmar, it is saddened by how meager the assistance the Philippine government provided.

He said there is a huge disparity between what is urgently and practically needed there and the assistance Mrs Arroyo had ordered so far.

Considering that the number of reported deaths had topped 22,000, he said what a 15-member medical team can do is "obviously trivial."

"It may have been born out of concern but unless the Philippine government and its concerned agencies would do more, this would have little meaning in addressing the extent of suffering that requires adequate relief. The people of Myanmar need more than a medical team and medicines by now," Fernando said.

Fernando also said the skills especially needed include proper identification and burial.

On the other hand, he asked the Philippines to send water, noting there has not been adequate supply of water for drinking and bathing in Myanmar.

There have been reports of profiteering where fire brigades sell water for a huge cost deepening the suffering of the people even further.

He also said the Philippines could also help by ensuring that the Burmese government would allow the assistance and relief to reach the needy.

"We are deeply concerned over the delays in the delivery of assistance, as it has been reported, over the tightening of control in the process of delivering the relief by the junta. The rescue of human lives must not be hampered by this," he said.

"The Philippine government must also consider accumulating necessary relief and goods required by seeking the assistance of its concerned agencies, particularly the member agencies of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC). The Philippines may have limited resources to offer for the Burmese people; however, it bears a moral obligation in helping people in Asian countries in need," he added. - GMANews.TV

8 May 2008
Link: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/93975/Hong-Kong-group-chides-Arroyo-for-meager-assistance-to-Myanmar