Be Excellent To Each Other

Pretty shocking information coming out, most of it sadly unsurprising. Aside from not letting aid workers or UN inspection teams in the Burmese government are...

1: Taking credit for the efforts of individuals and private organisations by either covering existing relief efforts with their flags or actually forcefully taking the supplies off the private agencies in the act of handing it out and redistributing it themselves.

2: Impounding UN food aid in warehouses.

3: Selling food at extortinate prices to survivors.

4: Not only failed to give adequate warning of the cylone, but downplayed its lethal potentiality leading to more deaths:


"Cyclone Nargis: What went wrong in Burma?
Htet Aung Kyaw

May 7, 2008 (DVB)-Many people, including this correspondent, were shocked to hear the Burmese state media announcing that the death toll of Cyclone Nargis had reached 4000 on Sunday.


As I work for daily news media, I had not been surprised when they announced 351 deaths in Saturday, as DVB had aired an interview with an official from Burma's meteorology department on 30 April forecasting a cyclone with wind speeds of 40 miles per hour to hit delta, coastal and Rangoon regions on Friday.

If the speed had been 40 miles as the authorities said, there could not have been as much damage as we are seeing today, with over 25,000 deaths, and 40,000 missing.

So what went wrong? Was the meteorology department hiding the real information or was the lack of modern equipment to blame for not predicting the deadly cyclone?

Having worked in the media for over a decade, I know well the junta's notorious censorship, especially of political news. But I didn't think they would hide information on impending disasters, especially not after the reality of the 2004 tsunami which killed 93 in Burma. So I suspected that lack of modern equipment rather than suppression of information was to blame.

But my optimism was to prove misguided when I read an AFP news article in which Indian Meteorological Department spokesman B.P. Yadav said his department had warned the Burmese authorities of the coming cyclone.

"Forty-eight hours before Nargis struck, we indicated its point of crossing [landfall], its severity and all related issues to Myanmarese agencies," Yadav told the French news agency on Tuesday, after the US first lady alleged that the military junta failed to warn its citizens of the impending storm.

The allegation has come not only from the US but also from survivors in the delta region.

"I also heard what you did, that the wind would hit us at 40 miles per hour, from Myanmar Athan. That's why we weren't too worried and were unprepared" says Dr Aye Kyu from Laputta city, where he says about 100,000 people are dead and missing."

Not feeling the love for the Burmese junta, then.

Unless a radical turn-around is done in the next day then in the coming week the death toll is certainly going to top the hundred thousand and probably reach quite a lot higher. It has been six days since the cyclone hit and the troops still haven't made a determined effort to push into the affected areas, and the junta are dithering due to their paranoia and control-freakery.

Nothing new there, then. Probably not up for the BETEO Award in the field of 'Excellence-to-Others'.

The question is - knowing this, do we donate?

They didn't support the citizen's of Tewkesbury when that was flooded, so they can fuck off.

Slightly different, but then again I'm sure you know that.

Apparently donations via the Red Cross are the safest route, should you wish to give, as they can funnel aid through the Myanmar Red Cross and aren't being treated as dirty furriners.

I love the way the US has suddenly gone all moral and said "We would not consider going in and dropping aid directly without permission."

Yeah, that only applies to wars with oil and terryists. Damn those aid needed people what's in it for us?

They did. They flew in a big transport plane of pork pies. Have you noted the lardified size of your councillors, lately? They stole them. In front of the shocked faces of the UN. And the bread and butter wagon also.

Glad someone started a thread on this, I've been reading the news on this all day in silent disbelief. A goverment that would rather see its people die than get aid to them from abroad. Madness.

Fixed that for you.

Did anybody send us aid? Or does aid only go to countries governed by facist dictators? At least London will be ok now...

This is to protect the aid workers already there Sheepeh, though I totally see your point.

Speaking of morality, other folks - Burma is one of the poorest countries in the world.

There was a tandoori in Stroud called Nargis (pronounced Nar-Gees). You had to wait ages for your food.

One interesting suggestion of all this is that the Burmese Government don't want foreign aid workers because they want to effectively re-brand the aid effort, and make it appear to the public that they are the ones doing the rescuing. Given the state controlled media, this could be quite effective.

More depressing and dangerous nonsense:



It's amazing that they've been ruled by these cunts for forty-five years. I really, really hope that they get overthrown, somehow. Will Burma try a civilian revolt? I doubt if they did it would be bloodshed free. There'd probably end up being something on the scale of the Tiamanen square. It's frustrating that the international community can't do anything about it either, as it is propped up by China. Grr.

Update.

The army is repackaging aid in boxes with the General's names on, and distributing them to easily access areas that don't need them.

Also, depressingly, widespread confusion is reported amongst the 'electorate' who don't know how to actually vote, and are too scared to vote No. Reports have also leaked that if it is a negative result - or one the army isn't quite happy with, they have a pre-fixed result of 86.4% that they will release.

State media is making little mention of the cyclone, and has almost entirely been filled with upbeat pop-songs on how - and what - to vote for, and footage of generals handing out aid in elaborate ceremonies.

Dimrill, you need to make an angrier super angry Dimlie. This isn't enough -

(Yes, I ruin your weekends with depressing news. Because I have to work. Ha! Although it is a bit quiet at the moment. Erm.)

So why are we cross with Burma for being a dictatorship, when we quite happily rub soulders with Pakistan, Oman, and Saudi Arabia.

Hmm. My grandfather fought in Burma during WWII as part of the Forgotten Army. I have his Burma Star medal somewhere.

Simply because those three countries aren't as bad. They'd at least welcome offers of aid without rejection through stupid paranoia and pride. Also, despite being significantly less than democratic, they do have a substantial civillian administration.

Burma is run by the military, for the military. And the current going sentence is three years in jail for voicing a negative comment about them.

BBC:



Grrrr.



Double Grrrr.



Explosive grrrr!

Do you think Burma will ever be free of completely fucking evil cunts running the place?

True, but do they give 200 lashes to women caught unsupervised with a man they're not related to?

In the Top Trumps of Evil Countries, there's a few I'd rank above the current state of "Myanmar", as horrible as the place is.

Yes, but Burma doesn't have the excuse of stupid religious interpretations to fall back on.

("That's a bit feeble," - ed.)

And at least such intolerant and intolerable places at least try when it comes to relief efforts and try to keep their people fed.

("A bit better," - ed.)