Forget politics. Get aid to Burma!

Some aid organizations are worried that outside groups or governments may use Burma's appeal for emergency assistance as leverage to force change on the country's military led government.

The fact that Burma's military leaders have said they will accept external help reflects the scale of the disaster. Hundreds of thousands of people are without food, clean water, medical supplies and shelter. People are dying and in need of immediate assistance. This is no time for a political message -- it's time for humanitarian relief.

The devastating cyclone has killed over 22,464 people and left more than one million people homeless, and I expect those numbers will only climb in the coming days.

It's amazing that the military regime could bring tens of thousands of troops onto the streets to crack down last fall on peacefully demonstrating Buddhist monks, but when there's a legitimate disaster, they're nowhere to be found.

The international community has criticized the junta's response to the cyclone as an example of the military led government's failure to meet its people's basic needs. While that may be true, now is not the time to make political statements. Now is the time to reach out and help a country and people in need of humanitarian aid.

How you can help

InterAction, the largest coalition of U.S.-based international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) focused on the world’s poor and most vulnerable people, member organizations are responding to the crisis through a variety of mechanisms, including but not limited to: emergency medical assistance, transitional shelter, provision of non-food items, and debris clearing.

InterAction member organizations are accepting contributions for assistance and have agreed to a set of standards to ensure accountability, professional competence and quality of service. Please consider making a donation to one of the InterAction organizations listed here.