Towns and villages are being swamped by huge numbers of cyclone refugees and are unable to cope. -- PHOTO: APYANGON - MYANMAR tightened access to the cyclone disaster zone Wednesday, turning back foreigners and ignoring pleas to accept the outside experts who could save countless lives before time runs out.
International aid groups held an urgent meeting in neighbouring Thailand, frustrated by a defiant regime that has held up visas for emergency workers to deliver food, water, medicine and shelter for up to two million people.
They said they were working on unconventional relief plans in the face of the restrictions, as hope faded that the secretive generals who have long distrusted the outside world would make an exception in the face of disaster.
The last time I've already mentioned in my previous blog that Myanmar is one of the poorest country in Asean. One of the main reason is political leadership. Now with the cyclone disaster, the military is making it worse by not allowing experts from international organisations to come into Myanmar to help. The government claimed that international organisations can just give them food and medical supplies and they will handle the rest. Who knows where these supplies will go, for they may never reach the people who need it but rest in some warehouses for the government officials. Good governance is so important to a country development. We must count our blessings. Next week, our Sec 3 pupils are doing newspaper collections and the money collected was meant for our school needy pupils. However, looking at the plight of Myanmar, our school has decided to donate the proceeds to Myanmar to help the poor people. It will be given to Singapore Red Cross Society. Please support our school CIP activity.
1 comment:
Hi Rachel,
I think you ask very good poignant questions. Why did the government did all those things? Well, I guess for selfish reasons. When a country is poor, people find every opportunity to get rich. By being in the government is one way. That is why in many of the developing countries, the government officers will accept bribery at every level, and it's their own way of earning extra pocket money.
Do all government behave this way? No.. Most of the developed countries are quite mature and well-governed. You study Social Studies, I think our government is quite transparent and so far our lives are quite ok too. Of course, there are times we're dissatisfied with the government but there are proper ways to give feedback.
Poverty is terrible. It pushes people to do all kinds of evil. When you're in power, you cannot let it go. I think the Myanmar government is obsessed with themselves and they have forgotten about the people.
Why they didn't want to let the UN experts go in? They were afraid that the foreigners will begin to make demands on them to change or they were afraid that they will be exposed. Their inadequacy and poor governance. Usually an insecure government will have reservations in accepting foreign aid.
I hope I've answered your questions. Keep asking questions. It's a good way to learn about the world. :-)
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