AUSTRALIA 
Australian aid to Burma increased
Sunday, 11 May, 2008
Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has announced an increase to the amount of aid Australia is sending to Burma after Cyclone Nargis (AAP)
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Australia will boost its aid commitment to Burma to $25 million in the wake of cyclone Nargis, says Foreign Minister Stephen Smith.
Mr Smith told reporters in Perth today that this would include the initial $3 million that the Australian government pledged on May 7.
The $25 million would be evenly split between the UN flash appeal and Australian non-government organisations.
'Human tragedy'
"It's become clear ... that we are dealing with a human tragedy on a mammoth scale," Mr Smith says.
"It is beyond the capacity of any one nation state to deal with."
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About 100,000 people are feared to have been killed and at least 1.5 million people left homeless when south Burma was devastated by cyclone Nargis, but Burma's military authorities are refusing to accept international help.
Mr Smith says it was essential that the Burmese junta started to cooperate with the international community and international aid agencies.
"The single biggest important thing now is for the government of Burma to be persuaded that international assistance and international on the ground assistance through the UN agencies and the NGOs (non-government organisations) is now paramount," he says.
ASEAN intervention sought
Mr Smith says Australia had been speaking with the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other countries, asking them to press the point with the Burmese government.
Burma is a member of ASEAN.
Mr Smith says the Australian assistance would be in the form of food, water, water purification, sanitation, health kits and tarpaulins.
"It's now quite clear, unless there's urgent assistance on the ground, that there's the danger that a lack of clean water would lead to the spread of diseases," Mr Smith says.
"So we won't just have the initial terrible impact of the cyclone ..."
Mr Smith says diplomatic efforts had included dialogue with Thailand, Singapore, Japan and the United Kingdom.
Polls shut
A referendum on a draft constitution went ahead yesterday in Burma without incident, Mr Smith says.
The poll should have been put off completely, rather than just being deferred until May 24 in the worst affected areas, Mr Smith says.
"Australia regards the referendum system as nothing more, nothing less than a sham," he said.
Mr Smith says Australia and Burma's political differences paled into insignificance with the pressing need to help the cyclone victims.
Source: AAP
Mr Smith told reporters in Perth today that this would include the initial $3 million that the Australian government pledged on May 7.
The $25 million would be evenly split between the UN flash appeal and Australian non-government organisations.
'Human tragedy'
"It's become clear ... that we are dealing with a human tragedy on a mammoth scale," Mr Smith says.
"It is beyond the capacity of any one nation state to deal with."
Special feature: All the latest from Burma
Junta says 'massive turnout' for Burma poll
Video: Junta signals cooperation
Interview: Care Australia's Brian Agland
About 100,000 people are feared to have been killed and at least 1.5 million people left homeless when south Burma was devastated by cyclone Nargis, but Burma's military authorities are refusing to accept international help.
Mr Smith says it was essential that the Burmese junta started to cooperate with the international community and international aid agencies.
"The single biggest important thing now is for the government of Burma to be persuaded that international assistance and international on the ground assistance through the UN agencies and the NGOs (non-government organisations) is now paramount," he says.
ASEAN intervention sought
Mr Smith says Australia had been speaking with the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other countries, asking them to press the point with the Burmese government.
Burma is a member of ASEAN.
Mr Smith says the Australian assistance would be in the form of food, water, water purification, sanitation, health kits and tarpaulins.
"It's now quite clear, unless there's urgent assistance on the ground, that there's the danger that a lack of clean water would lead to the spread of diseases," Mr Smith says.
"So we won't just have the initial terrible impact of the cyclone ..."
Mr Smith says diplomatic efforts had included dialogue with Thailand, Singapore, Japan and the United Kingdom.
Polls shut
A referendum on a draft constitution went ahead yesterday in Burma without incident, Mr Smith says.
The poll should have been put off completely, rather than just being deferred until May 24 in the worst affected areas, Mr Smith says.
"Australia regards the referendum system as nothing more, nothing less than a sham," he said.
Mr Smith says Australia and Burma's political differences paled into insignificance with the pressing need to help the cyclone victims.
Source: AAP