Assistance Programs Constrained in Burma

Burma is one of the world’s most impoverished and isolated countries. 1
With a per capita national income level below those of neighboring
Bangladesh and Laos, Burma suffers from high infant and maternal
mortality rates, epidemic-level HIV/AIDS infections, and widespread
production of illegal drugs. Burma’s isolation is largely the result of
policies pursued by a succession of authoritarian military regimes that
have ruled the country since 1962. According to the U.S. government,
these regimes are responsible for Burma’s mismanaged economy, human
rights abuses, use of forced labor, human trafficking, and military
campaigns against ethnic minority groups. During Burma’s last election in
1990, Burmese citizens voted to oust the regime in favor of the National
League for Democracy, led by Aung San Suu Kyi. 2 However, the regime
confined her and many other League members, and continued to rule
despite international condemnation of its actions. The regime’s repressive
policies have prompted the United States and other Western nations to
end their foreign aid programs to Burma and enact a range of sanctions.
In 2006, the Burmese regime announced new restrictions on international
organizations operating in Burma. These organizations have become
important sources of outside assistance to Burma’s approximately 54
million people as Burma has become increasingly isolated. 3 They include


the United Nations (UN), the International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC), and various international nongovernmental organizations. The
regime’s actions have raised concerns regarding the extent to which these
organizations will be able to continue their assistance efforts.
In this report, we (1) identify the principal efforts of the UN and other
international organizations to address Burma’s problems and (2) describe
the impact of the regime’s recent actions on the activities of these
international organizations. To address these issues, we examined
documents relating to programs conducted in Burma by the UN Country
Team (which includes 10 UN entities located in that country) and the
restrictions imposed on them by the Burmese regime. 4 In New York and
Washington, D.C., we met with officials of the U.S. Departments of State
(State) and the Treasury, the United Nations, the World Bank, and the
International Monetary Fund. We also met with the Burmese UN mission
in New York. In Rangoon, Burma, we met with officials of UN entities,
ICRC, and several international nongovernmental organizations who asked
that we not identify their organizations in this report. In addition, we met
with officials of the U.S. embassy and of the leading democratic
organization in Burma. In and near Rangoon and Bassein, Burma, we met
with recipients of UN assistance. We also traveled to Nay Pyi Taw
(Burma’s newly built capital) to meet with officials from the Burmese
Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development and the
Ministry of Health. In Bangkok, Thailand, we met with officials from three
additional UN entities that operate programs in Burma from Thailand, 5 as
well as with representatives of other donor nations.
We conducted our work from May 2006 through February 2007 in
accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. More
details on our scope and methodology can be found in appendix I