The European Union says it has set aside 20.2 million dollars in humanitarian aid for Burma.
The head of the EU's Humanitarian Aid Department Louis Michel said the funds will be used to help refugees on the Burma-Thailand border and for some one million others suffering food shortages in Burma. The official said that many groups in Burma are living in extremely vulnerable conditions.
Aid from the EU will be used to help support basic health care, emergency food assistance, and provide water and sanitation programs to remote areas of the military-ruled country.
The funds will also be used to help support the International Committee of the Red Cross, and make sure that it is protected as authorities and armed opposition groups continue to fight one another in areas of the country.
Burma has been ruled by the military since 1962. The EU estimates that the ongoing conflict between the government and ethnic minority groups has led to an influx of over 150,000 refugees to Thailand and displaced an estimated 500,000 internally.
Information for this report is provided by AP.
