Burma is 'inhuman' over aid, says Brown

Gordon Brown condemned Burma's military rulers yesterday for their 'inhuman' treatment of cyclone victims.

The Prime Minister, who said he had not ruled out forced air drops of supplies, urged the junta to stop blocking international aid.

Amid reports that many survivors are still without food, water and shelter, Mr Brown said: "We have an intolerable situation, created by a natural disaster.

"It is being made into a man-made catastrophe by the negligence, the neglect and the inhuman treatment of the Burmese people by a regime that is failing to act and to allow the international community to do what it wants to do.

"The responsibility lies with the Burmese regime and they must be held accountable."

Asked if he believed it was time for forced air drops of aid, Mr Brown said it remained an option.

"We rule nothing out and the reason we rule nothing out is that we want to get the aid directly to the people," he added.

The Prime Minister joined the growing international clamour for a resolution to the crisis as France described Burma as being on the verge of committing a crime against humanity.

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France and the United States both have ships with aid waiting off the Burmese coast. But so far the government has refused to allow such relief arriving by sea to go directly to worst-hit areas.

The junta puts the death toll from the cyclone, which struck two weeks ago, at 78,000. Aid agencies say the true figure could be as high as 128,000.

Burma's rulers have demanded they take control of the distribution of aid pouring in from around the world.

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But much remains stockpiled. Meanwhile foreign aid workers have been prevented from entering the worst-affected areas.

The United Nations has said 2.5million people are still without the appropriate help, which could lead to a "second catastrophe".