Burma Deliberately Blocked Cyclone Aid: John Hopkins Report

Guardian.co.uk:

International aid for cyclone victims in Burma was deliberately blocked by the military regime, the first independent report into the disaster has found.

Read the whole story: Guardian.co.uk

Comments

[FogBelter]

At the time of the cyclone a Burmese friend of mine told me this was going on. Also that the army was selling the international aid they received and blackmailed people in the stricken areas to support the referendum in return for recieving aid. It was a grim situation, I'm happy it finally came out in the press.

[Palemoon]

Why must people insist on "Burma" instead of "Myanmar"? Just because it was once a British colony doesn't mean we still have to act like imperialists and call it by it's imperial colony name.

[Serfie]

Before mouthing off, you should actually find out where the word Myanmar comes from. I guess when a military dictatorship decides to change the name of a country, we should just all goosestep behind them, right?

[Palemoon]

Yes, the name comes from their native language, I knew that before I posted. So why should we force English names down everyone's throats? What's wrong with me referring to Brasil as Brasil? That's how they spell it, it's misspelled if you spell it as Brazil. Course, Finland is another good example, being Suomi on their maps and language. But then, that's their choice how they want it to be recognized by the world.

By the way, Pakistan is still effectively run by a military junta. Libya still run by a military junta and are our friends again. We installed a military junta in Iraq and supported it until 1990 when the military dictator in charge snubbed Pres GHW Bush. Peru was run throughtout the 1990's by a military junta who was headed up by a foreign national. They were so hated by the citizens that they wore masks most of the time.

You know, I could be waving the hypocrisy flag all over the place. And dare I mention the world's most famous military junta in the middle east whose flag is blue/white?

[canuck lefty]

Because the name of the country was changed by a military junta that took over the country by means of force. Many countries in the world (including Canada) have refused to recognize the name change because they do not recognize the legitimacy of the military junta government. And rightly so.

[FogBelter]

Well, when Aung San Suu Kyi is released from house arrest and allowed to assume her elected office as Prime Minister ... and when she calls for a referendum on renaming Burma so the Burmese people can choose democratically their nation's name ... then I will respect the people of Burma's decision.

On the other hand, only a fool would hop to it and accept the renaming of a nation on the authority of a bunch of superstitious gangsters in military costumes ... as is the case in ... BURMA.

[StringOfLights]

Johns Hopkins...­?

[InfinteShibumi]

Johns Hopkins has great doctors and researchers at its hospital in Baltimore, MD; but also brilliant internationalists and researchers at its School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington, DC.

[Alvarask]

There are some countries in the world where the UN would do well to just invade. When the US invaded Iraq it was a travesty, but the UN invading countries like Burma, Zimbabwe, Congo....t­hat I would support, as long as enough investment was offered by the world to help those populations get on their feet and live in peace.

[rockyersocksoff]

John Hopkins is a great hospital, and Elton Johns is a great singer.

[balickistan]

we need to work with china and the ASEAN nations to put a stop to this. crimes against humanity need to be stopped. the generals like than shwe need to be brought up on charges at the hague.

when will we have the backbone to say "Never Again," and mean it.