The world is aware of the catastrophic event that has taken place in Myanmar… here are the facts:
Myanmar a.k.a. Burma…
One of the poorest countries of the world…
Cyclone Nargis hit the Irrawaddy Delta of Myanmar in the middle of the night on May 3rd…
The tidal wave over 12 feet high and winds over 190 kph destroyed numerous villages and towns…
More than 22900 killed (100,000 feared dead)…
42000 still missing…
Thousands injured…
1 million homeless…
Survivors now short of food and water…
Food prices shot up overnight…
All power lines destroyed…
Growing fear of Disease…
International aid restricted by junta government…
How much worse can it get?
The worst thing for me sitting here in India, is knowing that Myanmar is just over the border and the Indian Government has so far had nothing to say or do about this huge disaster that has affected millions of people… The first country to rush to Myanmar’s aid was Thailand, not India… A country as far as the US is desperately trying to get aid across to the victims of the cyclone, but the junta government won’t approve their entry… and here we are just a few hundred kilometers away from the despairing victims, doing nothing!!! WHY???
Even the Indian news media has downplayed the whole disaster so far. Watch any news channel and you’ll get more about the Indian Premier League than Cyclone Nargis! Have we become so selfish and self centered that we choose to turn a deaf ear to the pleas of the cyclone victims? Or is political agenda more important than lending a helping hand to our fellow humans in need?
All that news reports say about India with regard to Cyclone so far is this: The Meteorological Department in India warned Myanmar of the impending cyclone in advance, but no efforts were taken to warn the Burmese population. Are we playing a game of “I told you so, but you didn’t listen… now face the consequences!” here???
And to think that Chennai could have been hit by the cyclone instead of Myanmar… Shame on India!
Ok, I just found this one news article on Reuters that says that India had rushed to aid Myanmar…
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/DEL190767.htm
But my question is, if this is true, then why haven’t we heard anything about it on TV? Is the Indian media playing up? Are they the ones to blame?
Perhaps the indian government has a military alliance with the burma regime? Perhaps the indian government already has large challenges to deal with because of a large population of poor people?
Saddam invited the noose because he was a predator for his own people. Burmese generals have so far escaped the same noose despite their hunting down of her own people. It is a mystery.
India can help Afghanistan. It helps Burma also. But it is bit slow.
Katrina relief work started after three days. If it takes a week in case Nargis why such hue and cry.
There is some reason behind every thing!
Here’s news of Indian medics in Myanmar… I suppose it is the selfish generals in power who are to blame, really… weeks after the cyclone hit they are allowing the first international medical aid into the country! What are they wanting? To make the Burmese extinct?!?!?
Second foreign medics allowed in cyclone-hit Myanmar
(http://www.indoburmanews.net/archives-1/2008/may-2008/second-foreign-medics-allowed-in-cyclone-hit-myanmar/)
by indoadmin — last modified 2008-05-17 13:01
May 17, 2008: (Xinhua) YANGON: A 47-member medical team from India arrived at Yangon International Airport Saturday afternoon to render direct emergency medical aid to the country’s cyclone victims.
Led by Dr.Prafull Mohan, the Indian aid medics was the second foreign medical aid team to have access to the country’s victims. The Indian team brought along 15 tons of medicines.
Earlier in the afternoon, a 30-member medical team of Thailand comprising 18 doctors and 12 nurses, had arrived as the first batch of foreign medical staff allowed by the Myanmar government to carry out relief work in the country’s cyclone-devastated regions a fortnight after the disaster.
The Thai medics brought along 230,000 U.S. dollars’ medicine, weighing 10.45 tons.
Deadly tropical cyclone Nargis, which occurred over the Bay of Bengal, hit five divisions and states — Ayeyawaddy, Yangon, Bago,Mon and Kayin on May 2-3, of which Ayeyawaddy and Yangon inflicted the heaviest casualties and infrastructural damage.
According to a latest official death toll released on Friday evening, as many as 77,738 people have been killed in the disaster with altogether 55,917 still missing and 19,359 injured.
In regards to this tragedy I have been dumfounded by the Burmese reaction to international aid. I hadn’t really thought of the reaction of the neighbouring countries. From across the ocean it is easier to throw your hands up and say what can we do – living next door to so many people needing help must just break your heart!