With The Attention Off UK Govt. Screws Burmese

The Burma Campaign UK today expressed its shock and disappointment at the Department for International Development’s response to an inquiry into UK aid to Burma by the International Development Committee. DFID has not taken action on any of the key recommendations made by the Committee.

“DFID’s response is disgraceful and inexplicable,” said Mark Farmaner, Acting Director of the Burma Campaign UK. “They have not changed their position on any key issues, no commitment on increasing aid, no cross-border aid, and no funding for pro-democracy work. They are ignoring the democratic process in the UK, and refusing to fund pro-democracy work for Burma.”

Despite already knowing what its budget for the next three years will be, following the Comprehensive Spending Review earlier this year, DFID has made no commitment to quadruple aid, as MPs requested. It has only said it is ‘considering’ increasing aid.

The regime will not let the UN or other aid agencies deliver aid to large parts of Burma, mainly ethnic areas in the east and north of the country. The people in these areas are among the poorest and most vulnerable in the country. Millions of people could be reached by cross-border aid from neighbouring countries, but DFID refuses to fund this kind of aid. 

Nu-Labour ignoring parliament? But…what…they…oh shock horror, not. This needs to be dragged into the open and slammed up against Gordon Brown’s rhetoric, god forbid he looks like a big stinky hypocrite.