Caritas Laments Loss of Precious Time in Getting Aid to Burma

(08 May 08 - RV) Aid has begun to trickle into Burma, with UN flights carrying emergency food supplies and water purification tablets having reached the country in the last 12 hours.

Even so, aid in far greater amounts is needed to stave off mass death and disease.

Head of Communications for Caritas Internationalis, Patrick Nicholson says his organization is working with local partners, though having difficulty in attaining entry visas for their regional experts:

Meanwhile, the Catholic Church in Myanmar is preparing its contributions to help the victims of Cyclone Nargis, which has killed more than 100,000 people in the south of the country.

Speaking to Asia News agency the Archbishop of Yangon, Charles Bo, stated that urgent needs are food, water and shelter, while thousands of people are still in need of urgent medical help.

The archbishop explains that the Church intends to buy and distribute basic necessities, using diocesan funds.