Los Angeles Based Operation USA Appeals for Funds to Aid in Myanmar (Burmese) Cyclone Disaster (Updated)
May 10th, 2008 | by admin |LOS ANGELES, May 9 /PRNewswire/ — Los Angeles based Operation USA hasdeployed staff already stationed in Asia to assess the needs of what is nowan estimated 7 million people affected by the recent cyclone whichdestroyed or devastated wide swaths of Myanmar (aka Burma), especially inor near Yangon (formerly the capital Rangoon) and throughout its vast ricegrowing delta. The cyclone generated winds of over 120 miles per hour andstruck communities living largely in housing made of bamboo and unable towithstand winds of such magnitude.
Temporary shelter, water purification chemicals, food, tools andmedical supplies are among the most urgently needed items. Funds collectedwill be spent on these and other priority supplies.
Richard Walden, President of Operation USA, expressed a widely heldconcern among relief groups that the current military government of Burmahas not readily facilitated foreign relief agencies’ access to impactzones, especially those from the U.S. “We expected that this unusuallytragic event would have softened the Burmese Government’s attitude towardsinternational relief and that they would have allowed relief agencies fullaccess to victims of this tragedy. So far, hundreds of seasoned reliefworkers are stranded in neighboring countries awaiting visas to enterMyanmar and begin saving lives.”
Operation USA has worked with Burmese refugees for over 15 years alongthe Burma-Thailand border through local partners.
The Lincy Foundation of Los Angeles provided initial disaster funds toOperation USA for just such contingencies requiring an immediate response.The Audrey & Sydney Irmas Charitable Foundation also contributedsubstantial funding for this effort. A Myanmar cyclone fund raising t-shirtwas created by Von Dutch (http://www.vondutch.com) to raise funds as well.
HOW TO HELP: To assist Operation USA in delivering aid to Myanmar,donate onliSOURCE Operation USACopyright©2008 PR Newswire.All rights reserved
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