Cyclone: 50,000 Feared Dead

[the iron horse]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article3879492.ece

 

[Harry Vest]

What started out at 350 people is now at 50,000!!!!!!!!
What the fuck???

 

[JCOSTER]

This is soooo heart breaking. Let's see how much China will help these poor people.

 

[Liesje]

When I heard on the news that the USA was offering $250K in aid, I spat my drink, and I wasn't even drinking! I know couples that have paid more than $250K just for their education....that's ALL we could come up with?!?!?!

 

[JCOSTER]

I truly think China should come to the rescue, after all they want to run the country their way don't they?

 

[last unicorn]

That's so horrible, the numbers are constantly rising. It's always the poorest regions in the world that are affected by such catastrophes. And the military regime doesn't want to let too many foreign aid workers into the countries. The way they are controlling foreign aid makes me doubt that there will be any kind of effective help for the victims.

 

[Purplereign]

I heard that some of the foreign aid offered has actually been knocked back - pretty poor effort if its true

Absolutely heartbreaking story - hope the rest of the world rallies as they did with the tsunamis a few years back.
ray: for the survivors that they receive the help they so desperately need

 

[Pearl]

Breaking News:

WASHINGTON - The top U.S. diplomat in Myanmar says 100,000 may have died in the cyclone and that 95 percent of buildings in the affected area are demolished.

Shari Villarosa heads the U.S. embassy in the capital Rangoon. She says food and water are running short in the Myanmar delta area inundated by the storm. She called the situation in that area "increasingly horrendous."

Villaros told reporters Wednesday: "There is a very real risk of disease outbreaks as long as this continues."

She said that almost all the deaths are in the delta area. In the capital, some 600-700 people may have died. Villarosa also said she does not think the military rulers in Myanmar are blocking U.S. assistance because of the Bush administration's past strong criticism of the junta.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080507/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_myanmar

 

[vaz02]

I find it hard to care about those been left homeless in the wake of the cyclone when those caught up in the floods in britain last year are still living in caravans. The elderly cant afford to keep themselves warm in the winter. People living in dire accomodation, fit not even for animals. The list really is endless. How about putting the needs of your own people first Mr Brown ?

 

[Pearl]

I had no idea that people were still suffering from the floods. The media never reports on it

 

[U2Fanatic4ever]

let met tell you I am so outraged at the situation there I am at a complete loss for words right now.. What is this f'd up gov't doing? They are killing their own people... The numbers could reach as much as 500,000 people dead here soon..

They just seized a HUGE AMOUNT of supplies from the UN...

here's the article:

UN halts aid to Myanmar after junta seizes supplies 14 minutes ago



YANGON, Myanmar - Myanmar's junta seized U.N. aid shipments Friday meant for a multitude of hungry and homeless survivors of last week's devastating cyclone, forcing the world body to suspend further help.


The aid included 38 tons of high-energy biscuits and arrived in Myanmar on Friday on two flights from Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates.

"All of the food aid and equipment that we managed to get in has been confiscated," U.N. World Food Program spokesman Risley said.

"For the time being, we have no choice but to end further efforts to bring critical needed food aid into Myanmar at this time," he said.

At least 62,000 people are dead or missing in Myanmar, entire villages are submerged in the Irrawaddy delta and aid groups warned that the area is on the verge of a medical disaster.

The U.N. has grown increasingly critical of Myanmar's military rulers' refusal to let foreign aid workers into the country while the junta appeared overwhelmed and more than 1 million homeless people waited for food, medicine and shelter.

"The frustration caused by what appears to be a paperwork delay is unprecedented in modern humanitarian relief efforts," Risley said. "It's astonishing."

The junta said in a statement Friday it was grateful to the international community for its assistance — which has included 11 chartered planes loaded with aid supplies — but the best way to help was just to send in material rather than personnel.

Nearly a week after the storm, survivors are now having to contend with rotting corpses of people and animals as they wait for food, clean water and medicine.

"Many are not buried and lie in the water. They have started rotting and the stench is beyond words," Anders Ladekarl, head of the Danish Red Cross.

About 20,000 body bags were being sent so volunteers from the Myanmar chapter of the Red Cross can start collecting bodies, he said.

The U.N. was putting together an urgent appeal to fund aid efforts over the next six months. Spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs told reporters that the exact amount of the appeal would be specified later Friday.

The International Organization for Migration says it is asking for $8 million as part of the appeal. The U.N. refugee agency says it needs $6 million to fund the immediate shelter and household needs of 250,000 people.

 

[vaz02]

Wasnt the country supposed to hold some sort of referendum this week ? could the government be stalling aid attempts to kill off voters.

 

[Vincent Vega]

I guess the plan rather is to seize the aid and then give them to the public themselves, thus carrying the picture that they are helping their own people so generously. This will ensure much more voters than if the UN and other nations came to provide the public with those necessities.
It would also be a more effective strategy than to try to kill your voters off.

 

[sue4u2]

let met tell you I am so outraged at the situation there I am at a complete loss for words right now.. What is this f'd up gov't doing? They are killing their own people... The numbers could reach as much as 500,000 people dead here soon..

They just seized a HUGE AMOUNT of supplies from the UN...

here's the article:

UN halts aid to Myanmar after junta seizes supplies 14 minutes ago



YANGON, Myanmar - Myanmar's junta seized U.N. aid shipments Friday meant for a multitude of hungry and homeless survivors of last week's devastating cyclone, forcing the world body to suspend further help.


The aid included 38 tons of high-energy biscuits and arrived in Myanmar on Friday on two flights from Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates.

"All of the food aid and equipment that we managed to get in has been confiscated," U.N. World Food Program spokesman Risley said.

"For the time being, we have no choice but to end further efforts to bring critical needed food aid into Myanmar at this time," he said.

At least 62,000 people are dead or missing in Myanmar, entire villages are submerged in the Irrawaddy delta and aid groups warned that the area is on the verge of a medical disaster.

The U.N. has grown increasingly critical of Myanmar's military rulers' refusal to let foreign aid workers into the country while the junta appeared overwhelmed and more than 1 million homeless people waited for food, medicine and shelter.

"The frustration caused by what appears to be a paperwork delay is unprecedented in modern humanitarian relief efforts," Risley said. "It's astonishing."

The junta said in a statement Friday it was grateful to the international community for its assistance — which has included 11 chartered planes loaded with aid supplies — but the best way to help was just to send in material rather than personnel.

Nearly a week after the storm, survivors are now having to contend with rotting corpses of people and animals as they wait for food, clean water and medicine.

"Many are not buried and lie in the water. They have started rotting and the stench is beyond words," Anders Ladekarl, head of the Danish Red Cross.

About 20,000 body bags were being sent so volunteers from the Myanmar chapter of the Red Cross can start collecting bodies, he said.

The U.N. was putting together an urgent appeal to fund aid efforts over the next six months. Spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs told reporters that the exact amount of the appeal would be specified later Friday.

The International Organization for Migration says it is asking for $8 million as part of the appeal. The U.N. refugee agency says it needs $6 million to fund the immediate shelter and household needs of 250,000 people.

This was a good article I just finished reading

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/JE10Ae01.html

ack... can't do this with my phone ringing off the hook

 

[sue4u2]

I guess the plan rather is to seize the aid and then give them to the public themselves, thus carrying the picture that they are helping their own people so generously. This will ensure much more voters than if the UN and other nations came to provide the public with those necessities.
It would also be a more effective strategy than to try to kill your voters off.

What kind of referendum?

I can't see how in the world they are going to be able to pull off any type of voting. My God - so many people dead, no electricity,
no food. too many people cant vote due to not being able to get around in the destruction.

ETS: never mind on the referendum question:

Myanmar places votes before relief
By Larry Jagan

BANGKOK - Disregarding the disaster caused by Cyclone Nargis, Myanmar's military rulers are bent on holding a constitutional referendum on Saturday, said to be designed to enhance the junta's grip over the country.

Yeah, why let a national disaster get in the way of politics.
geez

 

[Vincent Vega]

It's a dictatorship. They don't care one iota about their own people. They haven't since they've taken over the country.

 

[sue4u2]

It's a dictatorship. They don't care one iota about their own people. They haven't since they've taken over the country.

Yeah, that's true... but I think,. hope - they've just signed their own death warrant of power.
This is different -and the world won't stand for it.
Wait - there's Darfur..
nevermind -

 

[Butterscotch]

You know how when somebody doesn't feed their kid or take care of them the welfare comes and takes them away? Can we take these people away from their gov't?

 

[vaz02]

You know how when somebody doesn't feed their kid or take care of them the welfare comes and takes them away? Can we take these people away from their gov't?

Their people are not in our jurisdiction so i guess that would be abduction on a grand scale.

 

[sue4u2]

I was watching a reporter this morning on CNN having to sneak out of the hotel, for fear of being followed. The military finally caught up with him and he convinced them that he should just leave.
He also said that the refugees he met in a camp from the hardest hit area, the delta, clammed up and wouldn't talk to him when he started talking about what the government of Myanmar was doing to help them.
They said that camp would be closed due to no food and they were nearly out of water. The government said they could go back where they came from.
Yeah, there was so much there, that's why they left.

 

[butter7]

Is It Time to Invade Burma?



http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1739053,00.html?cnn=yes

I personally really like the title of this article. And I think the following quote is a "Yes" to this question right?

You know how when somebody doesn't feed their kid or take care of them the welfare comes and takes them away? Can we take these people away from their gov't?

It's amazing that some western people can be so easily fooled. And they have already forgot the pain even their Iraq wounds are still bleeding.

Tell me, when can I see CNN report for "the mass destruction weapon found in Burma"? Don't have to wait too long, I guess.

 

[sue4u2]

Tell me, when can I see CNN report for "the mass destruction weapon found in Burma"? Don't have to wait too long, I guess.

Burma's military regime IS! the weapon of mass destruction.
Does that count?

 

[Butterscotch]

They also remind me of my aunt whose house is so messy she'd rather leave her stuff broken than to have anyone come in to fix it and see what all is wrong inside. Guess they have a lot to hide too!

Whatever happened to that "Walk On" lady can't she help somehow?

 

[butter7]

They also remind me of my aunt whose house is so messy she'd rather leave her stuff broken than to have anyone come in to fix it and see what all is wrong inside. Guess they have a lot to hide too!

Whatever happened to that "Walk On" lady can't she help somehow?

You also remind me of the old lady that living in the neighbourhood of my old place. When she saw young boys and girls walking on the street hand in hand, or share a kiss in the nearby bus stop while waiting, she would just stand up and try to fix their behaviour by standing in the middle of the two.

Get a life, I say!

 

[kafrun]

Whatever happened to that "Walk On" lady can't she help somehow?

Aung San Suu Kyi. She's currently on house arrest.

 

[melon]

It's amazing that some western people can be so easily fooled. And they have already forgot the pain even their Iraq wounds are still bleeding.

Tell me, when can I see CNN report for "the mass destruction weapon found in Burma"? Don't have to wait too long, I guess.

Iraq was the first thing that came to my mind too. I just wasn't in the mood to pick a fight.

Nonetheless, while I'm a bit aghast at how flippantly you're taking this crisis, I think it does highlight a long-running dilemma within Western political philosophy; that is, there's little principle or consistency left in it. It is still far preferable to dictatorship, mind you, but it is an issue that should be addressed philosophically.

When is it okay to "liberate" one nation (Burma/Myanmar) and not okay to liberate another (Iraq)? Is the difference solely based on which political ideology issues the calls for liberation? Or is it 20/20 hindsight; that is, if we did invade Myanmar, would the left then decry it as another callous display of American cultural imperialism, and, if we don't, would we then decry it as how America is too selfish and only cares about itself?

Of course, if China would responsibly manage its sphere of influence, rather than going on its destructive rampage towards modernization and propping up morally reprehensible nations like North Korea and Myanmar, then the West wouldn't ever have to feel the need to get involved.

 

[vaz02]

Maybe the west should stop interfering imo. If they need our help thats fine but let them ask for it.

If anyone needed liberation its the west. We dont live in a free and fair society and when it comes to a vote the options are few on the ground.

 

[melon]

Maybe the west should stop interfering imo. If they need our help thats fine but let them ask for it.

If anyone needed liberation its the west. We dont live in a free and fair society and when it comes to a vote the options are few on the ground.

So what's your opinion on Darfur then?

 

[vaz02]

So what's your opinion on Darfur then?

Its an issue for the African community really, they wanted independence so they could govern themselves and the responsibilities that follow. If the west wade in with sharpend steel it would be seen by many African leaders as colonization, when the region is stable and they need assistance in aid then thats when we can help.

 

[yolland]

The Dangers of the Deltas

By ANDREW C. REVKIN
New York Times, May 11

Deltas are disaster zones in waiting. From the Mekong to the Mississippi, the rich soils and strategic positions of river mouths have long lured farmers, fishers and traders. But the same geography also guarantees they will be periodically inundated.

A case in point was Cyclone Nargis last weekend. As it roared over the sprawling, crowded delta of the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar, the sea surged up to seven miles inland like a slow-motion tsunami, as up to two feet of rain fell. Tens of thousands of people died. Still, many experts say it is not nature that largely determines the amount of death and destruction in such circumstances, but investment, governance and policy (or the lack of it). Governments that do not prepare adequately—either through political inertia and underinvestment as in New Orleans, or willful disregard, as critics of the Myanmar junta charge—will continue to see tragic losses.

There is a long list of reasons for countries with low-lying population centers, particularly around rivers, to do more to gird for the worst. Deltas are evanescent landscapes, formed and occasionally violently rearranged by water. They are implicitly lowlands, built of sediment settling where rivers meet the sea. Most are sinking naturally, as recently deposited silt compresses over time. In many cases, the subsidence is accelerated by human activities, including the extraction of groundwater and construction of upriver dams, levees and channels, which cut off the renewing flow of silt. In addition, destruction of coastal vegetation leaves exposed soil open to erosion.

Vulnerability will keep rising as populations in poor countries crest in the next few decades, with much of the increase crowding into coastal cities. Simultaneously, such regions face a faster retreat of coastlines from the rise in sea levels, as climate and oceans warm under the influence of accumulating greenhouse gases, scientists warn. But human vulnerability can be reduced, as shown in Bangladesh. Though hammered regularly by cyclone-driven floods, it has seen declining death counts since it began investing in warning systems, shelters, coastal housing standards and evacuation plans. Cyclones in its deltas killed something like half a million people in 1970, and 140,000 in 1991. Last November, aid organizations estimate, the toll from Cyclone Sidr was about 4000; in that case, more than two million people had taken shelter when the storm struck.

Cyclone Nargis and its aftermath, on the other hand, provide a vivid study in how poverty and insufficient government investment can turn a natural disaster into an outsize human tragedy, said Debarati Guha-Sapir, the director of the World Health Organization’s Collaborating Center for Research on Disaster Epidemiology, in Brussels. “The villages are in such levels of desperation—housing quality, nutritional status, roads, bridges, dams—that losses were more determined by their condition rather than the force of the cyclone,” she said.