Archive for May 16, 2008


How Not to Run a Government

People are dying by the thousands in Burma and all the government can think of is protecting itself from a hostile people demanding change.

I am praying for that very uprising to take place and this self-serving junta military government gets sent packing. I am sure these rulers are getting three squares a day and then some.

clipped from www.csmonitor.com

Officials move refugees out of monasteries to stem monks’ influence.

The longstanding tensions between the two largest organizations in Burma (Myanmar) – the military and the Buddhist clergy
– are finding new outlets as both groups confront the devastating aftermath of cyclone Nargis.

The monks have temples sheltering victims in the delta – and have begun to organize funding and supplies for victims, which
they hope to deliver via an underground network of sympathetic citizens and exiles worldwide and in Thai border areas such
as Mae Sot.

But nearly two weeks since the storm struck, the military, unquestionably, has the upper hand, with guns, helicopters, and
relief supplies. And now, it is starting to force cyclone victims out of monasteries into tent camps, prompted by concern
that the monks could help spur protests.

clipped from www.pbs.org
Survivors of Cyclone Nargis reach for used clothes
The death toll continues to rise in Burma, also known as Myanmar. As of this writing at least 32,000 people have died and that number is expected to rise significantly in the days ahead. Most of us have seen the photos, watched the video footage, and read reports of the cities and villages devastated by the cyclone — bloated corpses clogging the rivers, starving villagers huddled in monasteries, and the rising tide of water-borne disease. Meanwhile, the Burmese government is blocking or slowing aid flights and visas for hundreds of aid workers from around the world, insisting that all aid be delivered to and distributed by Burma’s military.
Burma’s generals are forcing the world’s citizens to stand by and watch their people die. We have the legal doctrine to authorize action, but actually saving lives in Burma now requires both political will and practical tools.
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