VZCZCXRO5009
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHGO #1139/01 3300713
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 260713Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY RANGOON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6890
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0731
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1625
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 4687
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 4281
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 7822
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 5382
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 1272
RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 1257
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 0141
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3406
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1182
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 001139 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, F, PRM 
STATE FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA KY LUU, ROBERT THAYER, TOM ROGERS 
STATE FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA DAA GREG GOTTLIEB 
BANGKOK FOR OFDA SENIOR REGIONAL ADVISOR TOM DOLAN 
KATHMANDU FOR OFDA REGIONAL ADVISOR WILLIAM BERGER 
GENEVA FOR USAID NANCY KYLOH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PHUM PGOV ECON BM
SUBJECT: WORKING TO FEED BURMA,S HUNGRY 
 
REF: A. RANGOON 952 
     ¶B. RANGOON 874 
 
RANGOON 00001139  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary.  According to international NGOs, 
malnutrition rates are increasing in Northern Rakhine State 
(NRS).  In the past year, humanitarian organizations have 
seen a 380 percent increase in severely malnourished patients 
seeking treatment due to drought, flood, and inflation. 
Action Contre La Faim (ACF), an NGO that runs several 
therapeutic feeding centers in NRS, reported that an average 
of 53 people a day sought treatment at the Sittwe feeding 
center during the first 10 months of 2007.  ACF, which has 
secured funding from ECHO through January 2008, has submitted 
a proposal for additional funding.  Post strongly supports 
ACF's work in Burma and recommends the Department fund the 
proposal.  End Summary. 
 
Rising Rates of Malnutrition 
---------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Francois Olive-Keravec, Action Contre La Faim 
(ACF) Head of Mission, told us that malnutrition continues to 
be a problem in Northern Rakhine State.  In August, 
Olive-Keravec explained that humanitarian organizations 
working in NRS saw a sudden upswing in severe malnutrition 
(Ref B).  Between June and August 2007, ACF, which runs 
several therapeutic feeding centers in NRS, saw a 380 percent 
increase of severely malnourished patients at their clinics. 
The ACF clinic in Sittwe, the largest city in Rakhine State, 
reported that an average of 53 people per day sought 
treatment for malnutrition during the first 10 months of 
¶2007. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Although ACF treated fewer patients in September 
and October, Olive-Keravec explained that the situation in 
NRS was not improving.  The lower than expected rainfall 
during the 2007 rainy season severely affected the people of 
Northern Rakhine State, who depend on agriculture and fishing 
for their livelihoods.  The droughts damaged food stocks and 
led to a decrease in overall food production.  Olive-Keravec 
also noted that Sittwe Township, which does not produce 
enough rice to feed its people, depends on rice imports from 
lower Burma.  The GOB's unannounced fuel price hike in August 
also played a role in increasing malnutrition, as rice prices 
in Rakhine State rose 20 percent.  A majority of Burmese, who 
live hand-to-mouth, spend more than 70 percent of their 
salaries on food; the unavailability of food and the higher 
prices of rice in the NRS have increased malnutrition rates. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Olive-Keravec also highlighted that thirty-one 
percent of malnourished children admitted into ACF's feeding 
clinics had associated diseases.  These children first 
contracted infections, such as diarrhea or malaria, which 
left them weak and unable to eat.  Malnutrition does not 
always occur because of lack of food.  Lack of access to 
health services and the inability to treat diseases make the 
people of NRS more susceptible to disease. 
 
Why Rakhine State? 
------------------ 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Rakhine State is one of the more underdeveloped 
places in Burma.  For years, the GOB has neglected parts of 
Rakhine State, particularly the NRS, by minimizing 
investments in health and education.  Northern Rakhine State 
is home to Burma's Muslim Rohingya population.  The GOB 
 
RANGOON 00001139  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
refuses to grant them citizenship, and severely limits their 
ability to earn a living by tightly restricting their freedom 
of movement.  Olive-Keravec explained that 95 percent of 
ACF's therapeutic feeding centers beneficiaries are Muslim. 
ACF and other humanitarian organizations provide this 
marginalized population with medical care, fulfilling one of 
the Rohingya's basic needs. 
 
Proposal 
-------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Olive-Keravec submitted a proposal to us, 
requesting funding for ACF's programs in Sittwe in 2008.  ACF 
received funding this year from ECHO, which runs out in 
January 2008.  The program has three specific objectives: to 
treat severe acute malnutrition through therapeutic feeding; 
to treat moderate acute malnutrition through a supplementary 
feeding program; and to prevent malnutrition and improve 
mother/child care practices.  The total requested was 
$820,000, which would fund ACF's clinic from February 
2008-January 2009.  Olive-Keravec explained that if that 
amount was not available, ACF could prioritize its program 
and focus on the first and third objectives.  This would 
bring their total budgetary needs to $525,000.  Although ACF 
only requested funding for one year, Olive-Keravec stated 
that ACF plans to continue the program as long as it is 
needed.  Embassy Rangoon will forward the complete proposal 
and budget breakdown via email to EAP, F, and PRM for review. 
 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Most Burmese are poor, subsisting on $1 a day or 
less.  The Rohingyas, Burma's poorest and arguably most 
oppressed people, would not survive were it not for the work 
of humanitarian organizations such as ACF.  By supporting 
feeding programs, like ACF's, we directly thwart the Than 
Shwe regime's efforts to eliminate the most vulnerable 
people.  We recommend USG support for these humanitarian 
programs. 
 
VILLAROSA