US: Myanmar's storm response appalling

Source: AP

By FOSTER KLUG, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 48 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - A senior U.S. diplomat said Tuesday that Myanmar's military-led government will be responsible for a second catastrophe if thousands of desperate cyclone survivors die because the junta continues to bar foreign aid and disaster workers.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Scot Marciel told lawmakers that the generals running Myanmar, also known as Burma, cannot manage the distribution of aid needed to help people facing disease, malnutrition and exposure to the elements.

"The situation is increasingly desperate," Marciel said. He called the government's response to Cyclone Nargis appalling and blamed its failure to give foreign aid workers greater access to victims for putting hundreds of thousands of lives at risk.

"Let me be clear: if assistance is not allowed in, and thousands of Burmese perish, the responsibility for this catastrophe will fall squarely on the shoulders of Senior Gen. Than Shwe," the head of the country's ruling junta, and other leaders, Marciel said in testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia. "Every day that goes by and more people suffer, increasingly the blame falls on the government."

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080520/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_myanmar

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Doesn't the sheer hypocrisy of this just make you want to :puke: ?

I've never heard of anyone turning down genuinely free aid. Nor have I ever heard of the Bushista junta ever offering genuinely free aid without any strings attached. If Burma's turning down aid from the Bushista junta, it really makes me wonder what's in the fine print of that "aid" offer. Burma has to let Halliburton plunder their economy in exchange for the aid, perhaps?

bad enough to put them into the same category with Dubya and FEMA after Katrina.

Don't let the Administration hypocrisy blind you to the facts -- just figure that it took one to know one. ;-)

Bush would run out and say they did a huckuva job.

http://benfrank.net/blog/katrina_lack_of_response_archive

A "floatilla of aid" TURNED BACK from New Orleans
A group of approximately 1,000 citizens pulling 500 boats left the Acadiana Mall in Lafayette this morning (Weds.) and headed to New Orleans with a police escort from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Department. The "flotillia" of trucks pulling boats stretched over five miles. This citizen rescue group was organized by La. State Senator, Gautreaux from Vermilion Parish. The group was comprised of experienced boaters, licensed fishermen and hunters, people who have spent their entire adult life and teenage years on the waterways of Louisiana.

Fearing riots, Guard rejects food airdrops
Authorities are avoiding airdropping provisions into New Orleans — the traditional way of supplying disaster victims — out of fear of sparking riots, a state official said.

Homeland Security won't let Red Cross deliver food
"The Homeland Security Department has requested and continues to request that the American Red Cross not come back into New Orleans," said Renita Hosler, spokeswoman for the Red Cross.

US won't let Canada help Katrina victims
Planes are ready to load with food and medical supplies and a system called "DART" which can provide fresh water and medical supplies is standing by. Department of Homeland Security as well as other U.S. agencies were contacted by the Canadian government requesting permission to provide help. Despite this contact, Canada has not been allowed to fly supplies and personnel to the areas hit by Katrina.

Much, much more at link. May not be suitable for dialup users.

Appalling, indeed. :grr: :banghead:

How dare we criticize after our atrocious response to Katrina?! How DARE WE?!

Unfuckingbelievable.

WAKE UP!

Grow a spine for god's sake.

We invented the appalling response.

to a thread I posted in GD yesterday with info on how to send help that will actually get to the victims:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3313492&mesg_id=3313492

Their shame is bigger than ours! Yippie!



:cry:

Make sure this gets plenty of forwarding, with appropriate commentary. I am sure Bob Herbert will weigh in this week.