Myanmar junta hands out aid boxes with generals' names
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 two 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.
"We have already seen regional commanders putting their names on the side of aid shipments from Asia, saying this was a gift from them and then distributing it in their region," said Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK, which campaigns for human rights and democracy in the country.
"It is not going to areas where it is most in need," he said in London.
State media say 23,335 people died and 37,019 are missing from Cyclone Nargis, which submerged entire villages in the Irrawaddy delta. International aid organizations say the death toll could climb to more than 100,000 as conditions worsen.
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Member Comments
Posted By: nyeinc @ 05/08/2008 12:04:59 PM
Comment: Is it possible for US to send its aid in civilian aircraft instead of military ones? France attempted to invoke UN???s responsibility-to-protect clause, which more or less mean invasion. I am sure that the Burmese government leaders want help and relief materials from anyone, even U.S. However, it appears that the Burmese government certainly doesn???t want any foreign military units (be it carrying relief supplies) into the country. So, given the three factors ??? its historical stand of no foreign military units in the country, the France???s attempt to invoke UN???s responsibility-to-protect clause and the US???s regime change strategy, the Burmese military is not going to allow American military aircrafts, be it, carrying relief supplies into the country. Is it possible for US to send its aid in civilian aircraft instead of military ones?
Posted By: nyeinc @ 05/08/2008 11:54:25 AM
Comment: According to the official accounts -- as of 2:30 New York Time, May 6, 2008 ??? 22, 464 people died and 41, 054 people are missing. Why is the death toll so high? The storm water surged over 12 feet. The houses in the delta region of my country are used to flooding and are constructed to cope with, say, 5-6 feet but not 12 feet. The bamboo and wooden houses can cope with 120 mile per hour wind, certainly NOT.
Posted By: powin @ 05/07/2008 6:17:59 PM
Comment: It would be a boon if the Bush Administration provided aid to the United Nations knowing that our money is going to a reputable agency. In short, I can't understand why India's meteorological warning wasn't heeded. The Burmese would have had two days to reach higher land. NASA, NOAA and the NRO could also have given adequate warning and provided information about response to the cyclone. In time, this will pass, but I pause to ponder why? This is tragic.