Myanmar FINALLY Agrees To Assistance

Well, Finally the Myanmar military junta is going to allow aid workers in to assist the survivors, but it should be noted that thousands may have died because of their refusal to allow aid workers in right away. So while this is a positive step, "they" deserve nothing but disdain for their attitudes and behaviors over the last two weeks.

The story at Yahoo News reads:

Myanmar's junta agreed on Friday to admit cyclone aid workers "regardless of nationalities" to the hardest-hit Irrawaddy Delta, a breakthrough for delivering help to survivors, U.N. officials said.

Western disaster experts, largely kept out of the delta and restricted to the former capital Yangon, welcomed the news but wanted more details on the deal struck by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and junta supremo Than Shwe.

"The general said he saw no reason why that should not happen ... as long as they were genuine humanitarian workers and it was clear what they were going to be doing," a U.N. official with Ban said. The U.N. chief and his aides, on a mission to help 2.4 million left destitute by the storm that struck three weeks ago, met Senior General Than Shwe for more than two hours in the remote new capital of Naypyidaw.

LINK TO FULL STORY

Myanmar Government Remains Intransigent

Everyday I keep hoping something will happen and we will be able to assist the Myanmar cyclone victims, and each day that hope is dashed when I read the news. When will we take a stand and work with the world to recitfy the situation there. The story this morning at Yahoo News is of another rebuff of United Nations assistance by the Myanmar thugs-in-power, with the slightest hint that they may relent with continued pressure.

A senior U.N. envoy went to Myanmar Sunday to urge its military junta to accept more international aid for cyclone survivors, as a British minister suggested the isolationist regime may be relenting.


John Holmes, the U.N. undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs, was greeted by Deputy Foreign Minister Kyaw Thu at the start of a three-day trip that will include a tour of the Irrawaddy delta, the area most severely hit by Cyclone Nargis on May 2-3.Holmes also will meet with high government leaders, said Daniel Baker, a senior U.N. official.

He did not elaborate but other officials have said Holmes' mission is to assess the needs of survivors and urge the isolationist junta to open its doors to more international aid before people begin dying from starvation and diseases.

LINK TO FULL STORY

We MUST Act In Myanmar NOW

In a story I was just reading at Yahoo News, the tragedy of Myanmar continues to grow, and the need to do something to assist these people is imperative. I do not understand why we continue to "negotiate" with this regime, that obviously does not care for its' own citizens. We have done the good and proper diplomatic things, now we need to do the essential "save" the citizens of Myanmar, and to hell with the military junta.

There is absolutely no need to "overthrow" these idiots! Let us work with the British on their "plan" to force aid on Myanmar, by way of a massive air drop. This would assist many, and would have little if any impact on "destroying" or in any other way of taking control of this nation. It might also clear the way for further aid, as the junta "sees" that we are not there to "change" their government, but just trying to help!! We MUST act before the death toll doubles, or triples again; what with more rain, disease, starvation, this is a very real possibility, and We have the ability to stop it~~NOW!!

The story begins:

Torrential rain lashed victims of Cyclone Nargis on Friday as Myanmar's junta admitted more than 130,000 people were dead or missing, putting the disaster on a par with a 1991 cyclone that killed 143,000 in neighboring Bangladesh.


In a shock update to a death toll that had consistently lagged behind international aid agency estimates, state television in the army-ruled former Burma said 77,738 people were dead and another 55,917 missing.

The May 2 storm has left another 2.5 million people clinging to survival in the delta, where thousands of destitute victims are lining roadsides, begging for help in the absence of large-scale government or foreign relief operations.

LINK TO FULL TRAGIC STORY

Time To Force Aid On Myanmar

Happy Week is over and we can get back to the news of the day. There have been several weather related disasters around the world, including the cyclone in Myanmar, the deadly tornadoes in Oklahoma, Missouri, Georgia, and the earthquake in China this morning.

The largest tragedy still seems to be the situation in Myanmar, with the military junta finally allowing only one U.S. aid shipment in. If we are "our brother's keeper", we need to do something more to assist these dying people. We have gotten into two wars over "American interests", and if we want to be the "policeman" of the world, let's throw some of our weight around to help people in need. We should let the junta, "know" through China, that they Will allow All aid in to their country by Wednesday or they will no longer be in "charge". We have three aircraft carriers waiting and within a day we could take control of that country. Perhaps the threat alone would be enough, but we seem to abrogate our supposed "reponsibility" when it comes to people in need who do not have anything of "value" to us. I for one wish that we had used our power in Darfur as well, but we have let that fall to other's and they continue to suffer and die as well. If we do not want to be in the "helping" business that would be fine as well, but as long as we are, let's go full out to make it happen. People are dying by the minute do to the inaction of the junta, and we must help now!

This story was at Yahoo News this morning:

The United States delivered its first relief supplies to Myanmar on Monday, as the U.N. urged the reclusive nation to open its doors to foreign experts who can help up to 2 million cyclone victims facing disease and starvation.

Myanmar reported that the official death toll from Cyclone Nargis had risen by nearly 3,500 to 31,938. Nearly 30,000 others remain missing, and the U.N. and others have said the death toll could reach 100,000 or higher. Britain's opposition leader called for air-dropping aid if Myanmar's military government remains adamant.

The U.S. military C-130 cargo plane, packed with 14 tons of supplies, flew out of the Thai air force base of Utapao and landed in Yangon, capping prolonged negotiations to persuade Myanmar's military government to accept U.S. help.


LINK TO FULL STORY

Sad End In Myanmar

It looks like only bad things are coming from the protests by Buddhist monks and their supporters in Myanmar.

Soldiers and police took control of the streets Friday, firing warning shots and tear gas to scatter the few pro-democracy protesters who ventured out as Myanmar's military junta sealed off Buddhist monasteries and cut public Internet access. On the third day of a harsh government crackdown, the streets were empty of the mass gatherings that had peacefully challenged the regime daily for nearly two weeks, leaving only small groups of activists to be chased around by security forces.

We hope that the United Nations and the United States will be able to assist the poor innocents in Myanmar, as they strive to regain their "democracy', from the military that has again Killed their own citizens to stay in power!



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U.N. Should Step In On Myanmar Crisis

The other day as President Bush addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations, he actually made comments about his situation and nearly "pleaded" with the Assembly to take action on events occurring in Myanmar (formerly Burma). He got it right and this is just the type of thing that the United Nations should step in and handle. It should have moved sooner in Darfur, Ethiopia, and many other places where innocents are being attacked by "terrorist" government oppression. I would actualy support the United Nations in a limited way, if it actually did something "good" in a nation like Myanmar.

Soldiers with automatic rifles fired into crowds of anti-government demonstrators Thursday, killing at least nine people in the bloodiest day in more than a month of protests demanding an end to military rule. On the second day of a brutal crackdown, truckloads of troops in riot gear also raided Buddhist monasteries on the outskirts of Yangon, beating and arresting dozens of monks, witnesses and Western diplomats said. Japan protested the killing of a Japanese photographer.

May the press keep the images coming, and may we as a people make sure that we want to have the United States in conjunction with the United Nations to resolve this terrible repression on monks and other innocents! Call your congressman, senators, and the White House and give them your thoughts on keeping up the pressure on the Myanmar government! Thanks!



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