International sea convoy awaits mediation by Asian bloc to deliver Myanmar aid
BANGKOK, Thailand: Almost within sight range of Myanmar's cyclone-devastated shore are the USS Essex, USS Juneau, USS Harpers Ferry and USS Mustin. They hold 14 helicopters, two landing craft vessels, two high-tech amphibious hovercraft and about 1,000 U.S. Marines.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/20/asia/AS-GEN-Myanmar-Lost-at-Sea.php
The Associated PressPublished: May 20, 2008
But nothing is moving.
"We are currently not providing any aid from the ships," said Lt. Denver Applehans, a public affairs officer aboard the Essex, an aircraft carrier-like ship which for the past week has been waiting in international waters just 60 miles (100 kilometers) from the Myanmar coast.
An odd deal may be in the works, however, to allow the U.S. flotilla — and French and British ships in the same situation — to finally join in the relief effort after Cyclone Nargis.
Though extremely reluctant to allow foreign militaries access into the devastated Irrawaddy Delta, Myanmar's ruling junta appears to be considering a proposal that would put Asian intermediaries in charge of ferrying the aid from the ships to the shore.
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At an emergency meeting in Singapore on Monday, Southeast Asia's regional bloc ASEAN announced it will set up a task force to handle distribution of foreign aid for the cyclone victims.
Suggestions that foreign ships carrying aid make a forced entry into Myanmar were rejected, however.
"That will create unnecessary complication. It will only lead to more suffering for Myanmar people," said Singapore's Foreign Minister George Yeo.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said over the weekend that the disaster caused by the cyclone is fast being surpassed by what he called a "man-made catastrophe" and warned that Britain would consider circumventing the junta if it continued to deny its people much-needed help.
He did not give details — though the possibility of air drops or direct landings ashore has been raised.
"We rule nothing out, and the reason we rule nothing out, is that we want to get the aid directly to the people," he said.
Britain is currently the chair of the UN Security Council, but resolutions to approve direct intervention in the delta were unlikely because China, Myanmar's biggest ally, has veto power and in the past has supported the junta against international pressure.
The Bush Administration, meanwhile, has been highly critical of the junta's handling of the disaster, but has tried to couple its outrage with more reserved diplomatic efforts out of concern that too much pressure could prompt the junta to become even more defensive and shut off what little aid it is already allowing in.
In the meantime, the flotilla waits.
The US ships can produce approximately 70,000 gallons (265,000 liters) of drinking water per day and the Marines carry equipment capable of producing 5,000 gallons (19,000 liters) of potable water per hour ashore. Just itching to go are more than 120 Navy medics, 12 doctors and three dentists.
Britain's Ministry of Defense said it had dispatched a Royal Navy frigate, the HMS Westminster, to the area "as a contingency."
Britain's Department for International Development said the ship is stationed 12 miles (about 19 kilometers) off Myanmar's coast "and will remain there as part of the UK's humanitarian contingency plans."
The spokesman said the ship carried a crew of 98 and was equipped with a communications facility, a Merlin helicopter, two sea boats, a doctor and a paramedic. The spokesman added that the crew are all trained in disaster relief.
France, meanwhile, has an amphibious assault ship, Mistral, nearby.
French Defense Minister Herve Morin said French officials were still negotiating with Myanmar on delivering Mistral's cargo. French officials have said they are prepared to wait for days or even weeks until they get the green light.