U.N. Head Surveys Burma Damage

Posted on May 22, 2008

AP photo / Stan Honda, pool

Surveying the scene: U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visits Mawgyon, Burma, on Thursday.

After putting pressure on Burma’s ruling military junta, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has traveled to Burma, where he is taking stock of the devastation left by Cyclone Nargis on May 2. Ban also met with Prime Minister Thein Sein, who told him that the storm-ravaged country is out of the relief phase and into reconstruction.

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BBC:

“I am so sorry, but don’t lose your hope,” Mr Ban told a woman at the Kyonday relief camp in the Irrawaddy Delta.

A UN official privately called it a “show camp”, says the BBC’s Laura Trevelyan, in Burma with the secretary general.

“The United Nations is here to help you. The whole world is trying to save Myanmar [Burma],” Mr Ban said, looking into her blue tent.

Mr Ban told reporters he was “very upset” by the devastation he had seen.

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