*Don't Forget Burma* Myanmar faces fresh cyclone threat

Originally posted by acegotflows
I don't blame the junta for not letting the aid workers in. That's how spies and dissent get introduced.

You really mean THAT!!

Let me tell you that even Nazi-Germany allowed IRC in to bring aid to the KZ prisoners, in the last year they furthermore where allowed to evacuate some groups to bring them out of Germany ...for humanitarian reasons.

Only a moral low as the junta's can state such.

[edit on 16/5/2008 by khunmoon]

you know the history behind burma? Read about it. It's strategic location is more so why america is interested, not because of helping. Last week the first lady called their government "inept". But we want to help. Umm, it reeks of extending the capatilist fist before closing it. That's all I'm saying. From a government standpoint, they junta is correct. Them being humanitarian on the other hand I'd beg to differ...

I know more than most about Burma, my wife was born there.

so then you know that the US hasn't cared until now. So...

reply to post by khunmoon


i agre with you ..kuhnmoon... but it's obvious that the government wants to does as little as possible. unfortunately these people are just throw-away pieces of meat to the leadership of that country. non-productive and poor, a burden to the elite. sad, so sad, hopefully we in america will not be treated like that in the future by our own government. however, katrina did not give me alot of confidence.

The US don't care at all because their corporate masters have told them to bug off. Burma is the most profitable field with it's special conditions, like free slave labor and military protection for ANY corporate venture.

You would had known that if you had read the OP.

Originally posted by acegotflows
From a government standpoint, they junta is correct. Them being humanitarian on the other hand I'd beg to differ...

The two should be one and the same, i believe.

After all, the Government does preside over the People who allow them to Govern.

Naturally, if the Government does not allow others to help the people who allow them to Govern, doesn't that kinda sink a hole in your "From a Government standpoint" theory?

Quite frankly, i don't think anyone gives a damn about "strategic this" or "Insurgency that" - we want to see help getting to where it's needed.

Traditionally it is sad how disconnected and inhumane that the ones in power are when dealing with the plight of common man. Self preservation is that strong I guess...

You can't try for the "Government helping it's own people" By the way, there is no chance in hell that the Junta alone can support it's people after this kind of cataclysm.

[edit on 16-5-2008 by Anti-Tyrant]

reply to post by khunmoon


read chomsky, already know that.

Look and idiochina. Since the 40's it's been the same. I feel for the people of burma, because nobody is going to help them properly unless an ugly intervention occurs...

reply to post by acegotflows


Now we can agree. I started this thread just to do something for keeping the attention. Of course I would like a pressure on the govnmts of US, UK and EU to force them to do something --and intervention would be a cake-walk for a change-- because believe me, this breaks my heart too.

"The first phase of bringing relief to the victims of the cyclone completed"

In all its absurdity providing a climpse into a surreal world the Burmese PM said that.

Burmese Prime Minister Gen Thein Sein said on Thursday that the first phase of bringing relief to the victims of the cyclone had been completed and the second phase, reconstruction, was now beginning.

The junta have awarded lucrative contracts to its croonies to reconstruct areas flattened by cyclone Nargis.

One of the 43 construction firms alloted is this.

Asia World is the country’s biggest construction enterprise, run by Tun Myint Naing, also known as Steven Law, one of the Burmese businessmen on a US sanctions list because of his suspected links with drugs trafficking.

Another is Htoo Trading, owned by tycoon Tay Za, the son-in-law of Than Shwe, dictator par excellence. Tay Za is the richist man in Burma and tops the list of several of the alphabet agencies.

With disasters like wars, it's an excellent oportunity for making profits. Especially when the conditions are like in Burma.

Aid workers from Laputta Township allege that the Ayear Shwe Wah company is pressing cyclone survivors to work on reconstruction projects for 800 kyat (70 US Cents) a day.

A bag of rice is now up at 10,000 to 15,000 kyat.

Meanwhile the international pressure mounts and the retorics harden

France's ambassador to the UN has accused Burma's government of being on the verge of committing a crime against humanity by not accepting foreign aid.

Jean-Maurice Ripert made the comment during a General Assembly session, after Burma's UN ambassador accused France of sending a warship to region.

France says the ship is carrying 1,500 tonnes of food and medicine for survivors of Cyclone Nargis.

State TV has put the official death toll of the 2 May storm at 78,000.

Another 56,000 people are thought to be missing according to the latest official estimates, which nearly double the figures released on Thursday, raising fears the final human toll may be enormous.

...and the former capital Rangoon is left to fend for itself.

An Abandoned Capital and an Abandoned People

Rangoon ceased to be Burma’s capital in November 2005, when the country’s ruling junta suddenly and inexplicably abandoned the city for its jungle redoubt of Naypyidaw. It has proved to be a prescient move. Now, nearly two and a half years later, the generals are comfortably ensconced in their new capital, while Burma’s largest city is left largely to its own devices as it struggles to recover from the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis.

While we are waiting for the world community to take action Gordon Brown has chimed in with the critics of the regime and their handling of the disaster.

Burma 'guilty of inhuman action'

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has condemned Burma's military government for not allowing international aid to reach the victims of Cyclone Nargis.

Mr Brown told the BBC that a natural disaster had been turned into a "man-made catastrophe" because of the negligence of the ruling generals.

Get on with it Mr Brown, as former colonial master you are closest to take action against this "man-made catastrophe."


[edit on 17/5/2008 by khunmoon]

I really wish that these governments did care about the people and helping honestly. These condemnations are much like the pot calling the kettle black.

Now the will rebuild, with new contracts. More of bringing the world to the 21st century.

NO GOOD...

reply to post by acegotflows


Thank you for your kind u2u, acegotflows. No, you didn't "came off," if any, I did and I should be the one to apologize.

Thanks for your worries, but the people here in Thailand hardly give any attention to the misery in Burma; they only care for themselves.

Allow me to quote from your u2u.

The most "caring" president of late, Jimmy Carter, knows how to get aid to places, but he also knows how to use spies and red cross planes for nefarious means. That's why I was worried and felt that Burma's government took the correct stand from ruling aspects. BUT PEOPLE NEED HELP.

You're very right in your point here. Personally I have great admiration for Carter. There was an episode in the early 70s here in Thailand involving spying in connection with aid, but generally US aid always come with strings attached.

I remember during the Tsunami, the bulk of US aid wasn't flown in before after 3 weeks, because US wanted to regain full controll of the U Tapao base to deliver the aid. Not before Wolfowitch had been to Bangkok it was negociated to the satisfaction of US.

About this whole Ban-Ki-Moon show, I'm afraid it is nothing but a show. The generals have realized they got to play the game to beable to pocket on the relief. There's no doubt that long-term strategy of US government is to gain control of Burma, but at the moment several factors prevent them taking advantages of the situation. There are still concessions to be made in the gas fields, and believe they don't get them more favourable than under the present regimeof hoodlums.

"THEY" being the corporate masters, the ones who decide in the end.

Horrendous! After less than three weeks in the relief camps that finally were set up by the junta, they have started evicting the survivers "out of concern the 'tented villages' might become permanent."

They are given 20 bamboo poles and some tarpaulins to help rebuild their lives in the Irrawaddy delta. Understandable the evicted are annoyed to say the least. Here's your life: 20 bamboo poles.

They feel betrayed, because they were promised 30 bamboo poles. Also the promise they would be supported with rice for the first few month regaining their lives have been unkept.

I'm speechless.


Myanmar starts mass evictions from cyclone camps

Four weeks after the disaster, the United Nations says fewer than one in two of the 2.4 million people affected by the cyclone have received any form of help from either the government, or international or local aid groups.

Rumours are flying around the international aid community in Yangon that the evictions are occurring in state-run refugee centres across the delta.

The U.N., which has local and foreign aid workers in the delta, said it did not know if that was the case.

"We certainly don't endorse premature return to where there are no services, and any forced or coerced movement is completely unacceptable," U.N. spokeswoman Amanda Pitt said in Bangkok.

The evictions come a day after official media in the former Burma lashed out at offers of foreign aid, criticising donors' demands for access to the delta and saying cyclone victims could "stand by themselves".

However this comment from state-run Kyemon newspaper says it all.

"The people from Irrawaddy can survive on self-reliance without chocolate bars donated by foreign countries," the Kyemon newspaper said in a Burmese-language editorial.

The media is tightly