The obduracy of the Burmese military junta is inexplicable. On Thursday it sent back an aircraft from Qatar carrying relief material for cyclone hit victims. The aircraft was sent back from Rangoon’s Mingalardon airport.

The military aircraft from Qatar carried a team of 62 people along with relief material including medicines and landed at the Mingalardon airport, a source working in the airport said.

“They were sent away after officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs met them at about 9:15 a.m.,” the source said.

In a statement issued from Naypyitaw, the junta’s Foreign Ministry said the government refused to allow the rescue and information team which came in the aircraft, therefore the government has ordered the aircraft to return.

“Myanmar (Burma) had no prior knowledge of the rescue, search and information team which came along with relief supplies. The government was only aware that the aircraft would come to hand over relief supplies,” the statement said.

“We are not yet ready to receive such emergency rescue, search and information teams from foreign countries for the time being,” the statement added.