Day: September 26, 2005

BURMA: WFP says that government of Burma blocking food distribution

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BURMA: WFP says that government of Burma blocking food distribution

According to a September 23 report in The Irrawaddy online news service, the head of the World Food Programme in Burma, Bhim Udas, has said that in recent months the government authorities have delayed granting of permits for distribution of food in areas where the WFP has been working for over a decade. Udas reportedly said that the WFP had to wait for three months to get permits to Maungdaw, Buthidaung and Rathedaung townships, where it is distributing food for around 300,000 people. He also said that the government was deliberately restricting supply of food to the region. Read more about BURMA: WFP says that government of Burma blocking food distribution …

UPDATE (India): Starvation deaths continue in Varanasi

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UPDATE (India): Starvation deaths continue in Varanasi

The AHRC earlier reported how Vishambhar’s wife and two of his five children died of starvation and hunger-related illness in April and May 2005 after he lost his job due to a long-term downturn in the weaving market. Despite the changed economic situation destroying entire communities like the village of Sankarpur, state government agencies have failed to give social security and food assistance as required by law. In Vishambhar’s case he was not given the card for government rations to which he was entitled. Only after several media reports on the deaths of his wife and children did the administration give him a pitiful handout, consisting of 50kg of wheat and 20kg of rice. Meanwhile, his surviving children were taken to a nearby social welfare facility run by a non-government group. Read more about UPDATE (India): Starvation deaths continue in Varanasi …