Burmese leaders 'turning a deaf ear' to cyclone victims

THE most senior members of Burma's military government were today accused of turning a "deaf ear" to the plight of hundreds of thousands of victims of Cyclone Nargis.

Foreign Office minister Lord Malloch-Brown said the chairman of Burma's ruling junta, General Than Shwe, seemed not to be heeding warnings about the seriousness of the crisis.

The United Nations says disease, hunger and thirst could cause a "second catastrophe" on a greater scale than the storm itself.

Some 23 aid flights have arrived in Burma so far since Nargis struck almost two weeks ago – about the number which must get through every day if the estimated 1.5 million survivors of the storm are to receive the help they need – said Lord Malloch-Brown.

The Asia minister is in Burma's neighbour Thailand for talks on the crisis and was to speak to Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej today, who has been in direct contact with the junta's leading figures.

Lord Malloch-Brown said: "From the top level of government there is a sense that there is a complete deaf ear, that Than Shwe is not hearing the seriousness of the crisis and the regime has set its back against the need to accept outside help."