Report: Myanmar junta diverting aid

YANGON, Myanmar, May 14 (UPI) -- The Myanmar government is diverting aid for Cyclone Nargis victims to the army while some supplies are being stolen, relief organization officials say.

The New York Times reported Wednesday that "several" foreign relief organizations in Myanmar said the country's military is stealing or warehousing aid. The aid groups also said it is impossible to track the shipments because the country's rulers won't allow foreign aid workers to enter the devastated areas.

The newspaper said the foreign aid officials refused to be quoted directly on their concerns because they didn't want to anger the government and put their operations at risk. However, Marcel Wagner of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency confirmed that aid was being diverted by the army, adding that Wagner predicted theft would "become an increasing problem."

International poured into Yangon Wednesday, where it was left at staging areas. But because the government has barred all foreigners from entering the country, the supplies' fate from there is largely unknown.