UN World Food Program Suspends Aid to Myanmar
Published Date: 05-09-2008 01:23 PM CT
In world news:The U.N. World Food Program is suspending aid to Myanmar because its government has confiscated supplies flown into the country.The organization says it has no choice but to suspend the shipments until the matter is resolved.As CBS News Correspondent Drew Levinson reports: U.S. military aircraft packed with emergency aid are standing by in neighboring Thailand, frustrated at not being cleared to go in.Aid to Myanmar has been suspended by the World Food Program (organization.) They say military leaders are stealing the food and equipment. ..including 38 tons of high energy biscuits. Enough to feed 95,000 people.Even with tens of thousands of hungry and dehydrated survivors facing death...the hard-line government continues to refuse any * U-S * aid and wont' allow ANY foreign aid workers into the country.If and when UN aid does get in it won't be easy to distribute without proper oversight.Anthony Banbury/World Food Program says, ''THERE WILL BE RIOTS. WE ALREADY HAVE REPORTS OF SOME RIOTS.''More than 62,000 are dead or missing...while more than a million are homeless.To say that U-N officials and diplomats are frustrated with the situation is an understatement. Offers of aid are coming from around the world...including 10 million from Japan.But right now everything is on hold.Zalmay Khalilzad/U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations says, ''WE ARE OUTRAGED BY THE SLOWNESS OF THE RESPONSE OF THE GOVERNMENT.''Out at sea...the U-S is moving aircraft, ship and marines closer to Mynamar....waiting for the chance to move in and help. Drew Levinson, CBS News, the United Nations.While aid to Myanmar will remain suspended today: CBS News has just learned the United Nations will resume aid tomorrow.
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