VZCZCXRO0543
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH RUEHTRO
DE RUEHGO #0408/01 1430619
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 220619Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY RANGOON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7649
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1219
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 4763
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 8307
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 5869
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3746
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1657
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000408
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR USAID/OFDA, EAP/MLS, S/ES-O-CMS, DS/CC AND
DS/IP/EAP; PACOM FOR LTC JAMIE MCADEN; BANGKOK FOR RSO
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: CYCLONE NARGIS SITREP NO.13
REF: RANGOON 404 AND PREVIOUS
SUMMARY
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1. (SBU) EMBASSY OPERATIONS: Embassy Rangoon operated on
city power and had full diesel fuel tanks. Consular
operations have returned to normal. No criminal incidents
involving American staff were reported.
2. (SBU) U.S. RELIEF FLIGHTS: Five C-130 flights carrying
relief supplies were cleared and scheduled to arrive in
Rangoon on May 22. Three of them have been consigned to
NGOs. We have requested clearance for five more flights
tomorrow, May 23, including two consignment shipments.
3. (SBU) SITUATION ON THE GROUND: UNSYG Ban Ki Moon arrived
in Rangoon on May 22. He will be here through May 23 ad
return again for the UN/ASEAN donor conference on May 25. As
a result of his visit, security has been heightened around
Rangoon, particularly near his hotel. OFDA/DART team leader
Bill Berger arrived in Rangoon on the afternoon of May 21.
He plans to attend the diplomatic briefing and tour of
cyclone affected areas today and on May 23. Fuel prices have
nearly reached pre-cyclone levels and food prices continue to
drop, although they remain higher than normal.
EMBASSY OPERATIONS
------------------
4. (SBU) STAFFING AND OPERATIONS: Embassy Rangoon operated
on its normal 0800-1630 schedule subject to a liberal leave
policy. Other than those on regularly scheduled leave, a
full complement of local employees reported for work.
5. (SBU) CONSULAR: Consular continued regular services on
May 22. Consular has received no new welfare and whereabouts
cases. Inquiries with international organizations regarding
Amcit John (no other details) who was reportedly swept away
in the storm have yielded no further information.
6. (SBU) AUTHORIZED DEPARTURE: One EFM plans to depart post
on May 23 to join the 10 currently in Bangkok. On May 22,
the EAC recommended that authorized departure status continue
until June 3.
7. (SBU) FUEL AND POWER: The Embassy operated on city power
and had full diesel storage tanks.
8. (SBU) WATER: The Embassy continued to have adequate water
supplies and purification capacity on hand.
9. (SBU) SECURITY: No criminal incidents involving American
staff were reported.
U.S. RELIEF FLIGHTS
-------------------
10. (SBU) Five C-130 flights carrying relief supplies were
cleared and scheduled to arrive in Rangoon on May 22. Three
of them carry consignment shipments for NGOs. We have
requested clearance for flights on May 23, including two
consignment flights.
SITUATION ON THE GROUND
-----------------------
11. (SBU) CONDITIONS, CASUALTIES AND DAMAGE: UNSYG Ban Ki
Moon arrived in Rangoon on May 22 for meetings in advance of
the May 25 donors' conference. He will stay through May 23
and then return again on May 25. As a result of his visit,
there is a heightened military and police presence throughout
the city, particularly near his hotel. The All Burma Monks
Alliance issued a statement on May 16 that calls for monks to
prepare for an uprising in response to the government's lack
of action to assist cyclone victims.
RANGOON 00000408 002 OF 002
12. (SBU) RECOVERY AND RELIEF: Bill Berger, the OFDA/DART
team leader, arrived in Rangoon on the afternoon of May 21.
He planned to attend a meeting with the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and attend the diplomatic tour of cyclone-affected
areas on May 23.
13. (SBU) FUEL: Fuel prices in Rangoon nearly returned to
pre-cyclone levels.
14. (SBU) FOOD AND WATER: Food prices in Rangoon continued
to drop but most were still higher than before the cyclone.
Shortages in the delta continued.
15. (SBU) ELECTRICITY: The GOB continued to restore power
to parts of Rangoon.
16. (SBU) LAW AND ORDER: We received no reports of looting
or public disturbances in or around Rangoon.
VILLAROSA