Zagreb, (IKA) – Tens of thousands of people have lost their lives or were injured and hundreds of thousands are without drinking water and roofs over their heads due to the destruction wrecked by Cyclone Nagris, which struck the Irrawaddy Delta in Myanmar (Burma) on May 3. Some of the areas of the country are still cut off from the world and it is not possible to ascertain the actual dimensions of the catastrophe. Therefore, Croatian Caritas, as in numerous international solidarity campaigns with people in distress throughout the world, urges all the citizens of Croatia, all people of good will and compassionate hearts, to demonstrate their willingness to help people in distress, even in such a distant country, and provide assistance through monetary donations. Through its network, Croatian Caritas will concretely and efficiently transform the funds collected into the most suitable form of assistance for the suffering inhabitants of Myanmar, and inform the Croatian public about the activities undertaken, as it has in past fund raising campaigns. Contributions to the victims in Myanmar can be made sent to the giro account of Croatian Caritas at PBZ 2340009-1100080340, Ref. No. 658; brought to all the Catholic parishes, with the notation: for the victims in Myanmar; or made by calling the donation telephone of Croatian Caritas 060 9010 (the price of a call is 6.10 kunas).

Winds reaching velocities of nearly 200 kilometers per hour caused severe damage to the buildings and infrastructure of the capital city of Yangon (Rangoon), with a population of five million people. Despite the facts that the country is politically closed, with a military government that has been in power since 1958, which for years has prevented the establishment of a democratic government, especially since 1990, resulting in the introduction of economic sanctions in 2003, all making Myanamar one of the poorest countries in the world – the extent of the destruction and the needs of the population indicate the readiness of the authorities to open the country to receive foreign aid. “There is an urgent need for access to aid workers to the affected areas so that we can assess the damage, start to provide food, shelter, clean water, and medical assistance, especially to children and the elderly,” said Dolores Halpin-Bachmann, Caritas Internationalis Emergency Response Team Leader, which is coordinating the relief efforts of its 162 national members throughout the world. “Caritas knows from experience that the first few days are crucial to saving lives. Following the Asia Tsunami in 2004, hundreds of thousands of lives were saved because of the rapid and effective response of the humanitarian community in the early phase of the emergency. The government must do all it can to help aid workers respond.”