Cyclone Disaster Presents Massive Challenges to Aid Organizations

Aid groups are beginning to respond to the devastation wrought by the cyclone that hit Mynamar three days ago. Approximately 22,500 people are believed to have been killed and another 44,000 are still missing, but charities say they are fearful that the death toll could climb much higher.

“This is going to require an enormous effort to avoid a second wave of death from the lack of clean water, shelter, and basic sanitation and health facilities,” said Mike Kiernan, a spokesman for Save the Children, in Westport, Conn., which has worked in the country for 13 years.

Writing on World Vision’s Web site, James Tumbuan, the group’s national director for Myanmar who is based in the city of Yangon, described an apocalyptic scene: “Yangon totally collapsed. All the roads were blocked with fallen trees. Getting drinking water is a real problem.”

As they prepare to mount relief operations in the country, many nonprofit groups are beginning fund-raising campaigns. Save the Children plans to announce a $10-million appeal later this week, while World Vision is asking donors for $3-million.

Other groups with smaller presences in Myanmar are also soliciting donations. The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, a New York charity that provides financial assistance to a handful of Jews living in the country, issued an emergency appeal to provide nonsectarian assistance to the cyclone’s victims. GlobalGiving, a Web site that matches donors with projects in the developing world, set up a disaster-relief fund for the crisis.

But many aid organizations’ say their ability to respond to the humanitarian crisis has been hampered by the political context. Myanmar’s military regime limits nonprofit access to the country, and while Save the Children and World Vision have large numbers of employees in the country, most groups don’t. They operate by working with local groups on the Thai border, if they operate in the region at all.

Following the cyclone, the Myanmar government indicated a willingness to accept international aid for victims. But according to the United Nations, it has so far restricted that help to bilateral aid, meaning that assistance would be channeled through government relief groups.

Many nonprofit groups said they were still assessing how that arrangement might affect their ability to provide aid. Brett Williams, emergency-response coordinator with Direct Relief International, said his charity didn’t feel comfortable channeling money and supplies through the Myanmar government. Instead, he was in talks with local organizations along the Thai border that his group has existing relationships with, in hopes of being able provide aid as directly as it can.

“People are really having to scrounge around to come up with ways to respond to this,” he said. “It’s not your typical response where a country freely accepts aid. We’re trying to be as sensitive to all the issues as we can.”

Staff members with Direct Relief International also said the Myanmar government’s lack of openness was complicating their ability to raise money.

Many donors have called the charity’s offices over the last few days, offering money and volunteer assistance. But the group isn’t ready to send out an appeal, in large part because of the uncertainty surrounding how much aid it will be able to deliver. “We’re uncomfortable accepting large donations because of the possibility that we wouldn’t be able to fulfill our promise,” said Mr. Williams.

While the charity would typically create a fund specifically for the cyclone, its staff members are instead considering a fund to benefit disasters across Asia. That way, it could benefit from donors’ desire to give right away in response to the news coverage of the cyclone, while ensuring it could honor donor intent for how the money would be used.

“We’re in a tough position,” said Jim Prosser, a spokesman for the group. “We want to help, but the dynamics of the situation are so complex.”