Letter submitted by Lisa Smeaton
As an individual interested in the situation
in Burma I would like to make the following comments on the above
inquiry.
1. I do not believe DFID provides sufficient
aid to Burma. There is an ongoing humanitarian crisis in Burma
but this is not reflected by the level of aid provided by DFID.
Burma is a country where less than 60p per person a day is spent
on health and education combined. Health and education statistics
put the standard of living for Burmese people on a equal footing
to some of the poorest countries in Africa. The World Health Organisation
ranks Burma as 190th out of 191 countries for health care provision.
One in ten children die before reaching their fifth birthday and
one in three children under five are malnourished. These are a
shocking statistics and I would like to see DFID fund aid to Burma
at similar per capita levels as other African countries with comparable
health and education standards.
2. At present, DFID funds very little pro-democracy
projects in Burma and does not support any projects which are
solely related to pro-democracy activity. Without supporting pro-democracy
activity, the root cause of Burma's problems will never be addressed
and all other funding is a "band-aid" approach. The
State Peace and Development Council is responsible for human right
abuses and there are thousands of political prisoners in Burma
enduring torture. Rape and forced labour is also commonplace.
Aung San Suu Kyi has now spent 10 years under house arrest—the
only living Nobel Peace Prize winner to be denied their freedom.
I strongly urge DFID to provide funding to Burma to support dedicated
pro-democracy activity. I am aware that DFID provides funding
for pro-democracy work in other countries, including some with
more democratic structures than Burma and therefore cannot see
any justification for DFID not to be more proactive in its support
for pro-democracy activity.
3. Currently, DFID supports little cross
border aid to thousands of internally displaced persons. Poverty
is probably most serious in the border areas of Burma and without
well funded projects in this area DFID is failing in its mandate.
These border areas are often physically and politically inaccessible
for those working within Burma who are under SPDC "direction".
Supporting cross border aid is the only way to reach these people
many of whom have had to flee from their homes due to SPDC activity
aimed at ethnic cleansing and have no shelter, food or medical
provision. Diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB are commonplace.
The people affected include many children and elderly people.
Whilst it is essential that DFID continue to work within Burma,
it is equally important that DFID puts similar efforts and funding
in cross border projects.
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