Myanmar’s Military Junta, Cyclone Nargis, and The Desecration of Its People
Written on Sunday, May 11th, 2008 at 2:16 pm | by Nick
As Cyclone Nargis ravaged Myanmar (Burma), as thousands have perished, and as millions have been affected, the response by Myamar’s (Burma) military junta has been nothing short of barbaric. It has declared economic sanctions on itself, denied aid relief, and instead of focusing on helping its people, masterminded a referendum on a new constitution in order to solidify its rule — An under the radar political move, in a time of great crisis.
Tropical Cyclone Nargis — the worst Asian cyclone since 1991 — lashed the country on 3 May 2008. Estimates indicate that the cyclone may have killed more than 100,000 people. In the low-lying Irawaddy delta, Myanmar’s major rice-producing region, around 5,000 square kilometers are under water.
In the slum areas and surrounding villages of the capital city of Yangon, between 80 and 95 per cent of homes have been razed to the ground. In total, UN representatives estimate that 1.5 million people have been left homeless while 24 million are left without power or water.
The United Nation itself has temporarily ceased relief operations after two deliveries at Yangon Airport were overtaken by The Military Junta, apparently in order to distribute supplies on its own. But the Military Junta of Myanmar (Burma) has gone even further and has focused on propaganda instead of aid for its people with aid boxes being branded with the names of the generals of the military junta.
And so, even with more than $50 million in aid ready for the people of Myanmar, and The United Nations seeking $187 million in total aid money from donor nations, it is worthless as the military junta of Myanmar puts its own survival over the survival of its own people.
This horrific tragedy is by far worse than what Americans saw during Hurricane Katrina. At least in New Orleans, we had a solid infrastructure, what about Myanmar where cement houses, and even hardwood houses are hard to come by.
Even now, as you read, there are “countless” bodies floating into the delta area of Myanmar.
As the aid relief continues to be thwarted by this despicable regime, the worry of sickness will be overwhelming, and will continue to claim even more lives. Food, clean water, and medical attention are just some of the basic needs that are being deprived of the victims of Cyclone Nargis.
If The Military Junta’s goal is to further cement its rule, in the end, they just might have thousands more dead people on its hands. The desecration of The Burmese people is being exacted by one of the most evil regimes we know of today.
The actions of this regime is truly one for the record books. Not only has it stymied the relief effort for its own people, it has the audacity to keep a great portion of the influx of aid money flowing towards its political treasury chest.
Tags: cyclone Nargis, military junta, myanmar crisis- China’s Selfish Government, Myanmar’s Gain
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[…] piece was posted originally on The Nutbox. I’m re-posting it here in response to Nick’s Myanmar’s Junta, Cyclone Nargis And The Desecration of Its People and to generate support for Burma among Filipino […]
@ Nick and J,
Myanmar’s ruling generals are now like cornered tigers. Pressure must be applied not only to Myanmar but to the countries which, in one way or another, coddled the regime. Russia, China, and to some extent, ASEAN Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand). But what do you expect, these states are also guilty of violations of human rights.
This we cannot deny PGMA: she has consistently called for more democratic space in Myanmar at the expense of alienating the more conservative leaders in ASEAN.
With almost 50,000 casualties, now more than ever, the rest of humanity shoul feel remorse. We owe this to the Myanmar people.
jakcast: If ASEAN’s vision is to be a juridical entity (with this new charter) and to be a real counterforce in the Asian balance of power, there must be a STRONGER political solidarity. Myanmar is becoming a political liability to this end and sooner or later, the ASEAN would have to intervene. If the ASEAN would not face the Myanmar question squarely, then the group can forget about being a major regional power in Asia.
On GMA’s hypocritical rethoric against Myanmar, we still don’t know if she can sustain that policy. GMA wants Burmese democratization before she ratifies the ASEAN Charter. ASEAN powers, including Malaysia, want this charter ratified. It remains to be seen whether GMA can defy these ASEAN powers: Malaysia has leverage on Mindanao, Vietnam and Thailand have leverage on rice supply.
More on GMA’s Burma stance and why it is feeble: http://thenutbox.i.ph/blogs/thenutbox/2007/11/25/reasons-why-myanmar-and-everyone-else-is-ignoring-manila/