UN says much of Myanmar cyclone aid is lost

By MICHAEL CASEY Associated Press Writer BANGKOK, Thailand — As much as 25 percent of cyclone relief aid in Myanmar is being lost because of the military government's foreign exchange system, a United Nations official said Friday. Dan Baker, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Myanmar, said he is concerned that the losses could upset donors who have already shown a reluctance to fund the relief effort following the May 2-3 cyclone that killed 84,537 people, according to the government. "This is a big issue. This is a big concern," Baker said. "The donors aren't going to give us money if they know they will (lose) a percentage of that. This is not an issue we can let go by." Myanmar requires that foreign aid money be converted first into Foreign Exchange Certificates at a set price and then into the country's national... [read full story]