The UN announced on Friday that it has suspended all aid shipments to Burma, following the junta’s seizure of all food and equipment of the World Food Program (WFP).

WFP officials said they have “no choice” but to suspend their aid efforts following the unprecedented seizure by the secretive military government.

As a humanitarian disaster grows in the Irrawaddy delta, the junta has drawn worldwide criticism for its foot-dragging in allowing humanitarian aid to reach the survivors of the cyclone that wracked the country last week.

Well-dressed Burmese army officers and soldiers were doing photo-ops on state media on Friday, shown delivering some basic relief items such as food and water to cyclone victims in a superior, condescending manner.

Meanwhile, perhaps as many as 1.5 million people in the affected areas are hopeless and helpless.

The junta and the UN have been in a standoff for the past several days with the UN and other groups wanting quick access and the junta adamant that it wanted relief but no foreign aid workers on Burmese soil.

In the wake of devastating Cyclone Nargis, the humanitarian situation in Burma is growing and there’s a real danger that an even worse humanitarian tragedy might unfold if urgently needed water, food and medicine isn’t distributed quickly, the United Nations in a press release on Friday.

The junta’s mouthpiece, The New Light of Myanmar, said on Friday that it will accept relief supplies, but no foreign aid workers or rescue teams.

The top generals in Naypyidaw have accepted aid mainly from countries that are not critical of the regime.

The junta first accepted aid from Thailand, India and China. They also accepted aid from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan. Observers said that the distribution system by the junta is poorly managed and largely ineffective.

While Snr-Gen Than Shwe and the top generals selectively pick and choose what aid to accept from foreign nations, they are stalling on issuing visas to the UN and other international aid workers.

The UN said the junta’s refusal to allow foreign aid workers into the country was “unprecedented” in the history of humanitarian work, even as survivors of a devastating cyclone waited for food, shelter and medicine.

Observers said Than Shwe is making all the major decisions about foreign aid workers.

Eric John, the US ambassador to Thailand, said that if the junta delays visa application to aid workers one more day, more people will die.

“There are humanitarian workers. They are ready to go in to help. They are not going in to overthrow the government. They are not going in to spy,” said the US ambassador.

“They have specific skills for immediately responding to disaster. They are the people we want to send in to Burma.”

Meanwhile, the Burmese embassy in Bangkok where aid workers have been waiting to get visas was closed on Friday for a public holiday in Thailand.

The visa process will be delayed until Monday.

Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, said on Wednesday, “It [visas] should be a simple matter. It’s not a matter of politics. It’s a matter of a humanitarian crisis.”

Meanwhile, the regime’s TVs is spending large amounst of time broadcast vote “yes” propaganda on the constitutional referendum on Saturday. Well-known singers and actors were shown in one spot dancing and singing while urging people to vote “yes.”

A survivor from Bogalay Township in Irrawaddy delta, one of the worst hit areas by Nargis, said that many survivors have seen no relief goods or aid workers in the area.

“People are waiting to die,” he said. “We need aid such as food, water, medicines and shelter, not just video clips for show.”

San Aung of the National Coalition Government of Union of Burma charged the regime of playing a double standard on aid policy.

“Aid must go into the hands of the survivors and victims of the cyclone as soon as possible. The military regime must allow in international aid and relief workers,” he said.

Nyan Win, a spokesperson of the National League for Democracy, said delaying aid is unacceptable.

“The military regime must allow international aid and aid workers in the country freely.

 

If not, the decision to deny aid to victims is committing murder,” he said. The NLD just formed an emergency relief committee.

 

“The current situation is a real concern to all Burmese and all humankind. This is national affair and humanitarian crisis. People are dying,” he said.

 

Meanwhile,Burmese officials have denied entry to a disaster rescue team from Qatar as well as medical nurses and doctors from Indonesia, who sent arrived in Burma with an aid package on Friday.

 

Moe Thee Zun, a former student leader who is living in exile, said his friends in Burma told him the situation in the Irrawaddy delta is now out of control.

 

“If the junta doesn’t allow international aid workers, it is a kind of genocide. So why is the world waiting while people are dying hour by hour? It must save people.”

 

According to press reports on Friday, the Pentagon had ordered four US Navy ships now in Thailand to deliver aid to victims in delta region if approval is given by the regime.

 

The US is also considering an air drop aid to the delta region. The news of US Navy ships near Burmese water have been widely shared among Burmese who learned the news from radio news and colleagues.

 

“There are a lot of rumors that US is coming to deliver aid,” said a Rangoon journalist.

“Some people even went and waited at the (Rangoon) port.”

He added, “And people in the delta area keep looking at the sky.”