UN Says Myanmar Junta Stealing Aid
"UN Halts Aid to Myanmar After Junta Seizes Supplies," at http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D90I3ORG0&show_article=1
Why would they do that?
When there is a major disaster in a poor country, the major obstacle in getting aid in is usually that country's government. Very often, it steals the aid supplies and sells them for its own profit. If somewhat democratic, it is simply corrupt. If a dictatorship, the corruption is worse.
Such governments use the plight of their people to extract aid from the rest of the world. They hold their own suffering people hostage. They drag their feet in allowing aid to enter. The anguish of a watching world grows. Countries become more frantic to deliver aid. They become more willing to pay bribes and allow considerable theft, just to get at least some aid to the suffering. It is a common form of blackmail.
This is what is happening in Myanmar. The dictatorship is one of the most closed in the world. It keeps Myanmar an almost-closed country, to keep it tightly controlled.
The AP reports this morning:
The UN already had voiced concerns that the junta wanted supplies, but would not allow aid workers to come in with it. Aid givers will not give supplies without its own workers, to make sure the supplies go to those suffering and are not simply confiscated and sold by corrupt governments. See http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24514879/page/2/.
Mealwhile, salt water still stands in much of the delta, which supplies most of Myanmar's rice. This harvest was lost. There will not be enough rice this year. The land cannot be planted again until the salt has leached out.
Bodies are everwhere - people and animals. The government will not allow them to be collected and burnt, apparently in the hope that the size of the death count will not be known. Some aid agencies estimate that the death toll could reach 500,000 if disease takes hold.
Available water is not only too contaminated to drink, but too salty. Food is disappearing. Mass disease looms.
The U.S. navy waits offshore, with its huge capacity to produce fresh water. Aid supplies are standing on tarmacs of all surrounding countries, with air transport ready. The U.S., the largest provider of air support in the world, is waiting nearby, but forbidden to enter. All but the U.N. and a few private agencies are kept out.
Now, after seeing all its aid stolen by the government, even the UN is halting its aid.
The tragedy grows.
Why would they do that?
When there is a major disaster in a poor country, the major obstacle in getting aid in is usually that country's government. Very often, it steals the aid supplies and sells them for its own profit. If somewhat democratic, it is simply corrupt. If a dictatorship, the corruption is worse.
Such governments use the plight of their people to extract aid from the rest of the world. They hold their own suffering people hostage. They drag their feet in allowing aid to enter. The anguish of a watching world grows. Countries become more frantic to deliver aid. They become more willing to pay bribes and allow considerable theft, just to get at least some aid to the suffering. It is a common form of blackmail.
This is what is happening in Myanmar. The dictatorship is one of the most closed in the world. It keeps Myanmar an almost-closed country, to keep it tightly controlled.
The AP reports this morning:
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - A U.N. official says the World Food Program is suspending cyclone aid to Myanmar because its government seized supplies flown into the country.
He says the WFP has no choice but to suspend the shipments until the matter is resolved.
WFP spokesman Paul Risley said Friday that all "the food aid and equipment that we managed to get in has been confiscated." The shipment included 38 tons of high-energy biscuits.
The UN already had voiced concerns that the junta wanted supplies, but would not allow aid workers to come in with it. Aid givers will not give supplies without its own workers, to make sure the supplies go to those suffering and are not simply confiscated and sold by corrupt governments. See http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24514879/page/2/.
Mealwhile, salt water still stands in much of the delta, which supplies most of Myanmar's rice. This harvest was lost. There will not be enough rice this year. The land cannot be planted again until the salt has leached out.
Bodies are everwhere - people and animals. The government will not allow them to be collected and burnt, apparently in the hope that the size of the death count will not be known. Some aid agencies estimate that the death toll could reach 500,000 if disease takes hold.
Available water is not only too contaminated to drink, but too salty. Food is disappearing. Mass disease looms.
The U.S. navy waits offshore, with its huge capacity to produce fresh water. Aid supplies are standing on tarmacs of all surrounding countries, with air transport ready. The U.S., the largest provider of air support in the world, is waiting nearby, but forbidden to enter. All but the U.N. and a few private agencies are kept out.
Now, after seeing all its aid stolen by the government, even the UN is halting its aid.
The tragedy grows.
posted by Old Neocon at 1:20 PM
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