Government bows to pressure to boost aid for Burma

from the Guardian

Tania Branigan, political correspondent

The government has promised to double the amount it gives in aid to Burma after coming under pressure from MPs, but will still provide only half the funding the Tories have pledged.

Douglas Alexander, the international development secretary, announced Britain's support for health, education and humanitarian support schemes would rise from £9m this year to £18m by 2010.

But the Conservatives immediately attacked the "disappointing" increase and pledged to raise aid four-fold if they won the next election, in line with the recommendation of a recent Commons report.

Andrew Mitchell, the shadow development secretary, said he was disappointed by the government's failure to act on the international development committee's advice and promised the Tories would quadruple funding by 2013.

He said: "Cambodia is receiving £12m; Vietnam, a country that is storming out of poverty, is receiving £52m from the British taxpayer; and China, which had a trade surplus last month of $24bn, is receiving £40m this year and, I think, next year. We do not think that that set of priorities is correct."

The GDP per capita is only $1,027 in Burma and 15 million of its 52 million citizens are believed to live on less than $1 a day.

All aid is delivered through the United Nations or non-governmental organisations rather than via the military regime, which last month suppressed peaceful protests by monks and pro-democracy demonstrators.

But the Conservatives point out that Department for International Development figures show Burma gets one of the lowest levels of international assistance. In 2002, it received £1 per person in 2002, 10 times less than EU aid to Zimbabwe.

Zoya Phan, an exiled Burmese human rights campaigner who works with the Burma Campaign UK, said he hoped the Tory commitment would "ramp up the pressure on Gordon Brown to do the right thing". Ministers argue that increasing funding must be done with care because of the problems in delivering aid when it cannot be channeled through the regime.

Mr Alexander said yesterday: "Doubling UK aid for Burma will allow us to help more children go to school, treat more people suffering from malaria, tuberculosis and HIV, and tackle humanitarian needs. We will also continue to support civil society groups addressing the development needs of Burma. All our work is monitored carefully to ensure it reaches those most in need.

"The military regime must take this opportunity to embrace national reconciliation. If they are willing to undertake the fundamental reforms sought by their people, then the international community will consider further financial and political support."

That would be likely to include a significant increase in international aid, debt write-offs and support for trade and investment as well as backing for political reform.

This year's funding includes a one-off contribution of £1m to deal with humanitarian problems arising from the human rights protests.