The UN announced on Friday that it has suspended all aid shipments to Burma, following the junta’s seizure of all food and equipment of the World Food Program (WFP).

WFP officials said they have “no choice” but to suspend their aid efforts following the unprecedented seizure by the secretive military government.

The flag of World Food Program (WFP) is seen at the Asia Emergency Response Facility of its warehouse in Phnom Penh May 9. The Asia Emergency Response Facility of WFP Cambodia offers mobile houses, engine power and other various emergency equipments to WFP in Rangoon. (Reuters)

As a humanitarian disaster grows in the Irrawaddy delta, the junta has drawn worldwide criticism for its foot-dragging in allowing humanitarian aid to reach the survivors of the cyclone that wracked the country last week.

Well-dressed Burmese army officers and soldiers were doing photo-ops on state media on Friday, shown delivering some basic relief items such as food and water to cyclone victims in a superior, condescending manner.

Meanwhile, perhaps as many as 1.5 million people in the affected areas are hopeless and helpless. 

The junta and the UN have been in a standoff for the past several days with the UN and other groups wanting quick access and the junta adamant that it wanted relief but no foreign aid workers on Burmese soil.

A man looks at the damage in hard-hit Twantay township, southern Burma on Friday May 9. The UN blasted Burma's military government Friday, saying its refusal to let in foreign aid workers to help victims of a devastating cyclone was 'unprecedented' in the history of humanitarian work. (Photo: AP)

In the wake of  devastating Cyclone Nargis, the humanitarian situation in Burma is growing and there’s a real danger that an even worse humanitarian tragedy might unfold if urgently needed water, food and medicine isn’t distributed quickly, the United Nations in a press release on Friday.

The junta’s mouthpiece, The New Light of Myanmar, said on Friday that it will accept relief supplies, but no foreign aid workers or rescue teams.

The top generals in Naypyidaw have accepted aid mainly from countries that are not critical of the regime.

The junta first accepted aid from Thailand, India and China. They also accepted aid from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan. Observers said that the distribution system by the junta is poorly managed and largely ineffective.

While Snr-Gen Than Shwe and the top generals selectively pick and choose what aid to accept from foreign nations, they are stalling on issuing visas to the UN and other international aid workers.

The UN said the junta’s refusal to allow foreign aid workers into the country was "unprecedented" in the history of humanitarian work, even as survivors of a devastating cyclone waited for food, shelter and medicine.

Observers said  Than Shwe is making all the major decisions about foreign aid workers.
Eric John, the US ambassador to Thailand, said that if the junta delays visa application to aid workers one more day, more people will die.

“There are humanitarian workers. They are ready to go in to help. They are not going in to overthrow the government. They are not going in to spy,” said the US ambassador.

“They have specific skills for immediately responding to disaster. They are the people we want to send in to Burma.”

Meanwhile, the Burmese embassy in Bangkok where aid workers have been waiting to get visas was closed on Friday for a public holiday in Thailand. 

The visa process will be delayed until Monday.

Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, said on Wednesday, “It [visas] should be a simple matter. It's not a matter of politics. It's a matter of a humanitarian crisis.”

Meanwhile, the regime’s TVs is spending large amounst of time broadcast vote “yes” propaganda on the constitutional referendum on Saturday.