Cyclone Nargis

Burma is facing an enormous humanitarian crisis that will continue. While millions of people are suffering as a result of Cyclone Nargis, the military junta has concentrated on legalizing military rule in Burma forever through a sham constitutional referendum.

On Friday May 2, 2008 a colossal cyclone devastated major parts of Burma, including damaging the country’s largest city Rangoon the Irrawaddy Delta region, Bago (Pegu) Division, Karen State and Mon State. The death toll is reported to have reached over 200,000, and further millions of people are at risk of epidemics and starvation, parts of the country are still underwater, hundreds of thousands of people are camped in the open without food or clean water. Victims are in desperate need of rescue from this unfolding tragedy—without proper and unrestricted aid, many more lives will be lost.

Survivors and aid workers emerge from Burma's devastated Irrawaddy delta with stories of families wiped out, bodies floating in rice paddies and starving and mentally-disturbed victims begging by the roadside. With their homes washed away and large tracts of land under water, some 2 million survivors — mostly poor rice farmers — are living in abject misery, facing disease and starvation. Thousands are seeking refuge in Buddhist Monasteries, Hindu temples, and schools but there are often threats by soldiers that refugees will be forced to move back to their villages.

The military regime has placed disastrous restrictions on humanitarian and local volunteer organizations operating inside Burma, forcing some to stop their operations. Delivery of assistance must be immediate and unfettered by the authorities.

The International Burmese Monks Organization (IBMO) is deeply concerned about the growing humanitarian crisis and continues to relay this urgent message to world leaders and the international community to help save lives and rebuild homes.

In many of the worst hit areas, the monasteries are the only source of shelter and food for Burma's poorest people. Burmese monks have been trying to deliver aid and protection since the storm struck. As monks we have the moral responsibility to help alleviate the dreadful living conditions that the survivors are facing. We ask for your help in bringing help to where it is urgently needed the most.