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Zachary · #7 (**permalink**) 12-May-2008, 11:16 PM

Ok, for those who have been living under a rock for a few weeks, a cyclone devastated large swathes of Burma (or Myanmar, I'll stick with Burma for now) killing over 20,000 and the projected death toll is over 100,000. This is largely because of the appalling response of the Burmese government to the disaster.

Because of their human rights record (earlier this year there were pro-democracy protests, and the junta just ordered their troops to fire into the crowds, hundreds died) they are terrified of letting in western (or just foreign) people into the country to see the scale of their repression. As a result they are denying access to pretty much all aid workers and experts who could manage a disaster of this immense scale.

They are also refusing to let in the majority of aid into the country. Huge stockpiles are building up on the border with Thailand, they have turned planes carrying aid back and most of what little has made it through has been impounded by the Burmese authorities.

I'm trying to remain impartial here, but the fact is that the ruling junta doesn't give a peseta about their people are dying in their thousands because of the junta's prejudices and political foibles. The United Nations has a duty of care towards victims of natural disasters and there are suggestions that if the Burmese government fails to provide for its people in such a time of need, and even worse deliberately obstructs others trying to help, then more lives may be saved by kicking the junta out so aid workers can go about their business unobstructed.

The problem is that China has a policy of non-interference in their backyard and will inevitably veto such a suggestion. Also no nation really has the spine to stump up significant military force to enable a UN military operation, and even if the UN got it all together by the time troops were in the country it would already be too late.

A more realistic suggestion is to air drop aid by parachute, but due to the unpredictability and cost of such an operation it is questionable as to whether it would be more effective than the paltry amounts of aid getting through as it is.

Either way the situation is a terrible mess because of the actions of the Burmese government, and I can't see how any so called civilized society can stand idly by without making those monsters pay dearly for what they've done. This disaster was caused by natural causes, but the genocide that will ensue will have been created entirely by human neglect.