Myanmar Disaster Relief

I think everyone is aware of the disaster in Myanmar and the difficulty in getting aid to the people who need it most. As I indicated in my last post, things like food and medical assistance are human rights and governments need to do what they can to assist, rather than hinder, people's abilities to obtain these basic necessities. Unfortunately, Myanmar's government has intentionally made it difficult for relief workers to reach the millions of people who need help.

Amnesty has launched a campaign to encourage ASEAN (Association of South Eastern Asian Nations) to put pressure on the Myanmar government to allow humanitarian aid into their country. Doctors without Borders has called for an "unobstructed escalation of Myanmar relief operations." I'd also like to take an opportunity to point out that you can make donations to Myanmar relief through UMCOR, the United Methodist Committee on Relief. What makes them different is that 100% of your gift goes to relief because the United Methodist Churches around the country pay for its operating costs. They coordinate with all the major relief organizations, so your money can be put to the best use and is not put toward religious efforts. Their Myanmar Emergency page has a link for donations (disclosure: I am a member of a United Methodist Church but am otherwise not affiliated with the organization).