TFXO01: (1/5) UN REPORTS BURMA WAS "SPARED"

UNCLAS RANGOON 000022 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV, CA TASK FORCE, OPS CENTER BANGKOK FOR USAID, FAS USPACOM FOR FPA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AEMR CASC PREL PINR PGOV AMGT KFLO BM SUBJECT: TFXO01: (1/5) UN REPORTS BURMA WAS "SPARED" REF: A. RANGOON 9 AND PREVIOUS ¶B. 04 RANGOON 959 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Contravening recent press reports questioning the low number of reported dead and missing in Burma, the UN issued a report on January 5th stressing that it appears Burma was largely "spared." According to the report UN, Red Cross, and NGO missions in the affected areas have not found widespread death and destruction but estimated that more than 10,000 people need emergency and medium-term assistance. There have still been no reports of American Citizen casualties or verified cases of missing Americans in Burma. End summary. UN Report: Initial Assessments Complete ¶2. (SBU) The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Burma released a report on January 5th compiling results from various field missions in tsunami-impacted regions of Burma. UN agencies, alongside the Red Cross and international NGOs, have conducted and are conducting a number of assessments in the Irrawaddy River delta (southwest of Rangoon),Tanintharyi Division (in the far southeast, north of Ranong, Thailand), and Rakhine Division (on the Bay of Bengal west and northwest of Rangoon). Initially the missions sought to collect figures on casualties and damage but are now beginning to focus more on determining "immediate to medium term needs." ¶3. (SBU) There was no update to the International Federation of the Red Cross's (IFRC) December 30th assessment of casualties (ref A). However, according to the UN report the earthquake and tsunamis affected 10,000 people in the Irrawaddy River delta and "several thousand more" in Tanintharyi Division. These people are in "immediate need of food, water, basic health assistance and shelter." Two hundred more villages along Burma's southern coast may require aid to repair some "economic impact" of the tsunamis. Additionally, the report noted, the deaths of "hundreds" of Burmese fishermen in Thai waters will have negative economic consequences for their families in Burma. ¶4. (SBU) The UN analysis was clear that with the information available to date, it appears that Burma was "spared." It suggested that the Andaman Islands and Burma's own sparsely populated barrier Myeik Archipelago absorbed the brunt of the waves before they came ashore on the mainland. The UN Resident Coordinator in Burma, in an attached letter, urged readers of the report to resist "misreporting" and exaggerating the extent of the damage lest the GOB, "very sensitive to how events in Myanmar are portrayed by the international community," stops cooperating with the UN on this and other humanitarian operations around the country. Though the GOB is downplaying the affects of the tsunamis, it has been much more transparent during this crisis (issuing regular updates on casualties) than it was during massive flooding in July 2004 when it made no public announcements and arrested people for filming the devastation (ref B). Assistance is Needed ¶5. (SBU) For now, the IFRC will continue to coordinate the international community's response. Assessment missions are continuing in the impacted areas and UNCT members have begun to re-allocate existing country resources for use in the tsunami-impacted parts of the country. These efforts will SIPDIS focus on water and sanitation, food support, emergency shelter, healthcare, and economic and psychological support. Though the GOB has still not made any request for international aid, the UN agencies will seek additional resources through "their respective regional appeal mechanisms." ¶6. (U) Embassy Rangoon's Consular Section continues to work through about 50 welfare/whereabouts inquiries. There have still been no reports of American Citizen casualties or verified cases of missing Americans. McMullen