The Australian ministry of foreign affairs announced that Canberra will provide Australian dollars (AUD) 10.5 million for theMocha affected Rakhine region.
Foreign minister Senator Penny Wong recently revealed that their government will extend an additional AUD10.5 million to meet the urgenthumanitarian needs in Myanmar following cyclone Mocha, bringing Australia’s additional support to dateto AUD 11 million.
The Australian government has also provided AUD 10.5 million for the Rakhine region affected byMocha, and 2 million for Bangladesh.
The Australian foreign ministry announced on 25 June that a total of AUD 12.5 million will beprovided.
The statement said that aid for the Rakhine region will be distributed through UN organizationsand humanitarian aid partners so that it does not fall into the military hands.
Last 14 May, due to the strong cyclone, 148 people died in Rakhine State. It also destroyed hundreds ofthousands of buildings and snatchedaway tens of thousands of cattle.
Many irrigation dams were broken and salt water entered into many acres of farmland, which has damagedthe crops.
The neighboring nation Bangladesh was also affected by the cyclonic storm.
After the disaster, Thailand, China, India, Bangladesh and ASEAN countries donated humanitarian aidsincluding food, household items, cash,etc for the cyclone affected Rakhine people through the military council.
However, because of poor management of the military council, those supplies are yet to reach thestorm-affected areas.
Even in Sittwe city, where the Rakhine State military council is headquartered and where more than 10federal ministries are temporarilylocated, there are many families who have not received such reliefs till date.
On the other hand, the military council has banned international organizations, including the UN, fromproviding aid & assistance to thestorm-ravaged Rakhine region since 8 June.
On 10 June, State attorney general U Hla Thein, who is authorized to speak at the State military council,informed that international organizations, including the UN, will not be prohibited if they inform the military council about their visitto the Rakhine region.
However, the international organizations (including the UN) are still prohibited from providing travelsupport to local organizations.