Myanmar mess

[JBHawkEye]

CNN reporter escapes from Myanmar. Good story.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080510/D90II6G80.html

 

[deskslave]

The domestic coverage of this has been a disaster. Are they even covering it?

Reason No. 91,863 I listen to the Beeb on XM.

What little is being mentioned here is more than they're getting in the country itself. Reports from people on the ground said state-run TV was showing an opera instead of anything mentioning the cyclone.

And just to back up Birdscribe's last point:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/may/10/cyclonenargis.burma

The junta to the rest of the world: Thanks for the aid ... now GTFO.

Yup, they're taking the aid and distributing it themselves and taking the credit. Latest from AP:

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) _ Myanmar's military regime distributed international aid Saturday but plastered the boxes with the names of top generals in an apparent effort to turn the relief effort for last week's devastating cyclone into a propaganda exercise.

The United Nations sent in three more planes and several trucks loaded with aid, though the junta took over its first two shipments. The government agreed to let a U.S. cargo plane bring in supplies Monday, but foreign disaster experts still were being barred entry.

Despite international appeals to postpone a referendum on a controversial proposed constitution, voting began Saturday in all but the hardest hit parts of the country. With voters going to the polls, state-run television continuously ran images of top generals including junta leader, Senior Gen. Than Shwe, handing out boxes of aid at elaborate ceremonies.

If that was all they were doing wrong, and it's not, I wouldn't have a problem with it. I doubt the people give a damn who says they provided it. Of course, it's not just an isolated thing.

 

[OnTheRiver]

CNN reporter escapes from Myanmar. Good story.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080510/D90II6G80.html

Nice. People dying and that pack of assholes is busy chasing a reporter.

****' em all. Hope every member of the junta gets a scorching case of herpes.

 

[TrooperBari]

CNN reporter escapes from Myanmar. Good story.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080510/D90II6G80.html

Nice. People dying and that pack of assholes is busy chasing a reporter.

****' em all. Hope every member of the junta gets a scorching case of herpes.

Too good for 'em. In the immortal words of Starman, "death, death, death."

More reading:
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080509/D90IE0RO1.html

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Is this thing still going on? :D

 

[NoOneLikesUs]

And out of left field, this thing dips into the presidential race

 

[Herbert Anchovy]

Wow, is this clown a genius or what.

 

[alleyallen]

Wonderful that all O_T and Hondo have to offer here is an accusation that we would blame Bush for this. Not sure ANYONE with half a brain is doing that, but if you didn't have your strawman argument, what else would you have?

 

[NoOneLikesUs]

The China quake is only going to further divert aid resources in Asia.

This is not going to end well for Myanmar.

 

[alleyallen]

The China quake is only going to further divert aid resources in Asia.

This is not going to end well for Myanmar.

I have to admit that my sympathy for the people is there, but my sympathy for the "institution" of Myanmar ... the government, military, etc. ... is pretty much non-existent. They could allow help for their own people, but won't.

And I'm not sure the China quake will really have an impact on Myanmar, since it's not like the aid is exactly flowing in there as we speak.

 

[OnTheRiver]

At some point, do we just start flying C-130s over the delta and air-dropping food, water and mosquito nets over places where we know people are hurting, junta be damned?

 

[alleyallen]

At some point, do we just start flying C-130s over the delta and air-dropping food, water and mosquito nets over places where we know people are hurting, junta be damned?

If we did, I wonder what the international reaction would be like. And someone mentioned it earlier. All it takes is one kid, or one house, to be smushed by a supply drop to incite an absolute frenzy.

 

[spnited]

First US aid shipment has landed, two more scheduled for tomorrow:

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5i9VX5UbHKIARRjTvMzWIuDmob0_A

 

[TrooperBari]

At some point, do we just start flying C-130s over the delta and air-dropping food, water and mosquito nets over places where we know people are hurting, junta be damned?

I'm not sure that's such a hot idea.

First off, with minimal people on the ground and so little knowledge as to the full extent of the damage and where the refugees are now, how do we know where to drop the supplies? Also, there's no guarantee the junta won't commandeer that aid, too, and redistribute it to loyal party supporters and/or those voting for the constitutional referendum that would legitimize this tyranny.

 

[TrooperBari]

Burmese people are suffering, tens of thousands are already dead and foreign governments and aid agencies are lining up to help. The junta? They'll "consider" the offer.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/may/13/cyclonenargis.burma

The team that accompanied the first US flight loaded with emergency supplies met cabinet ministers from the ruling junta to offer relief, disaster management expertise and a muscular military capability to deliver aid to the hardest hit areas. But the Burmese delegation merely said it would consider the offer, even as aid agencies warned that only 10% of the logistical staff needed to cope with the estimated 1.9 million homeless had arrived in the country 10 days after Cyclone Nargis struck.

Dispatches from a British aid worker already on the scene:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/may/13/burma.diary1

 

[alleyallen]

Burmese people are suffering, tens of thousands are already dead and foreign governments and aid agencies are lining up to help. The junta? They'll "consider" the offer.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/may/13/cyclonenargis.burma

The team that accompanied the first US flight loaded with emergency supplies met cabinet ministers from the ruling junta to offer relief, disaster management expertise and a muscular military capability to deliver aid to the hardest hit areas. But the Burmese delegation merely said it would consider the offer, even as aid agencies warned that only 10% of the logistical staff needed to cope with the estimated 1.9 million homeless had arrived in the country 10 days after Cyclone Nargis struck.

Dispatches from a British aid worker already on the scene:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/may/13/burma.diary1

Makes you want to scream at the apparent futility of it.

 

[NoOneLikesUs]

Vietnam, South Africa, China and Russia have blood on their hands. They are no worse than the junta in enabling this disaster.

 

[jgmacg]

Vietnam, South Africa, China and Russia have blood on their hands. They are no worse than the junta in enabling this disaster.

How so?

 

[NoOneLikesUs]

Vietnam, South Africa, China and Russia have blood on their hands. They are no worse than the junta in enabling this disaster.

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=510966
How so?

 

[NoOneLikesUs]

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/JE14Ae01.html

Great article examining the extent of the damage.