By Roberto Tofani

[M]ore foreign funds are being funneled directly into Myanmar. In a report published at the beginning of the year, Refugees International wrote that: "In recent years, the UK, EU, and Australia have significantly increased assistance inside [Myanmar]. However, the majority of the US government's $38.5 million contribution to [Myanmar] goes to organizations based in Thailand."

The report noted that "the USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) has spent only $100,000 in [Myanmar] since its response to Cyclone Nargis," referring to the 2008 natural disaster that adversely affected over two million Myanmar citizens. But as reported in the State Department and USAID Congressional Budget Justification, "the [fiscal year] 2012 request for [Myanmar] is $35.1m" including "recovery programs to [Myanmar] refugees and internally displaced persons along the border." It's unclear how much of that allocation is earmarked specifically for activities inside Myanmar.

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