Refugees need long-term support to recover from cyclone.

But agencies have to work together with the government and related parties in order to reach cyclone victims.

There are concerns about aid money reaching in the hands of cronies of the regime.

So, is it right to politicised cyclone aid for Burma? Or should the donors give money as requested by the aid agencies?

How should the donors do?

The followings reflect the balance of opinions received so far...

This is not a question to ask! Whatever it is, the most important thing is to reach aid to cyclone victims as soon as possible. Victims need not only food in short term, but also help in long term. We need to think wisely and carefully to use aids in the most efficient way. Just giving money or food for short term will not solve the problem. We need to have a proper committee together with Myanmar regime and real donors to help these victims for long term. We still need to put Myanmar regime as they are holding power right now. This is not time for us to be stubborn as many more people are going to die if we are stubborn and wasting time arguing with them. Just do what we can do within limit.
Atta Girl

If the political situation in Burma were not this bad, the victims of cyclone Nargis would not go through like this. The victims deserve better care and attention from the government. Therefore, we have every right to politicize cyclone aid, as SPDC did not do enough for the victims. When Than Shwe did not act like a father to all citizens of Burma, he better abandons power to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who can do a much better job in taking care of our country and her citizens. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi can be our mother figure to all of us. That is the difference between Than Shwe and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. If Daw Aung San Suu Kyi were in-charge, we might not need to go through these sufferings. Therefore, cyclone aid problem has a lot to do with politics.
Salai Liandang, USA

To ensure all donated money reach the victims is practically difficult no matter what measure we take unless Myanmar administrative bodies cooperate and coordinate effectively and of course honestly.   Htaw, Australia

Unlimited resources will indulge corruptions. Are we assuming aid agencies as holy people organizations? There should be precise proposal and finished project report to the donors. If there is no clear report of finished aid projects, the questions that will come out near in the future will create negative results for good intentions. If someone's intention is limited resources for aid and then donors have to hand over 11 billion dollars as Burmese Military requested. People around the world need to see what help have been done, what is short-term plan and long-term plan. So far, there is no precise news of these.
Tom Tun, Calgary, Canada

Post-Nargis effects have left three categories of people - victims with irreparable trauma, SPDC generals & international community. For victims, even when materially recovered due aid donors- life will not be the same anyway, as they will find hard to heal their wounds. For generals, exploit Nargis to their advantage - ensure no foreign aid donor-victim contact, blow up cost of material losses for more UN grants (then misuse), rig votes (referendum) during national calamity & march on as victors out of Nargis, let alone victims die of starvation or sadness; that will be none of their business for generals - as long as they can keep their power. In addition, the dilemma for international community is that there is not so much choice left for the big hearts.
Aung M. O, Singapore

We have seen enough what happened in Burma. The whole world witnessed what happened in Burma too. We do not politicize but it is the truth. General Than Shwe is really really a sick man. He lives without heart.
Zam Mang, USA

We need to have a proper committee together with Myanmar regime and real donors to help these victims for long term.   Atta Girl

All are interrelated to each other's. Corruption and abuse of any kind is notoriously prevalent in Myanmar for decades. To ensure all donated money reach the victims is practically difficult no matter what measure we take unless Myanmar administrative bodies cooperate and coordinate effectively and of course honestly. So again, at this stage, it is very unpractical to have a well-organized efficient team to run this rescue and rehab projects in Myanmar. So what, then? To politicize cyclone aid for Myanmar is mandatory. Yes, it is.
Htaw, Australia

Both the opposition party and SPDC politicised the aid. There is no right or wrong, it is a matter of taking advantage. I do not think the public is going to be fooled by this. So far, the SPDC has been portrayed as a bad guy and the western as a good guy coming into the rescue. It seems like a Rambo movie. I think the donors should give money to the aid organization that does not associate with politics.
Kyaw Naing, USA

Nargis victims have been suffering beyond the original extents of it because of the regime attempt to take advantages on international aids and intentional negligence on people's lives. The regime wants the people restless on their own problems and always uses social and economic issues as weapons. Inevitably, cyclone aid has been politicised. Donors and Aid agencies should support only domestic aid groups who are working on the ground. The regime is scared of the continuing growth of domestic aid groups. If domestic aid groups can be organised and transform their activities to social political movements, positive changes can be seen in the near future. Please help materially and spiritually our domestic heroes to speed up their momentum rather than compromising with the devil regime.
Paut Kyine, Auckland, New Zealand