Hi Friends,
Can anyone other than the 20-30 generals who constantly surround the despotic Senior General Than Shwe really understand what is going on?
Nargis had come and gone and left tens of thousands dead in its trail and now hundreds of thousands of folks throughout the Burmese country-side are in dire need of food, water and shelter. If they do not get these, disease and neglect will finish off what the cyclone did not.
The whole world had responded to the junta’s initial desperate call for help and scores of countries and NGO’s had mobilised their resources and are now just waiting at airports, seaports and at Burma’s borders for the go-ahead to pour in the aid where it is most needed.
Yet, the junta is continuing to do what it does best- confounding the whole world with its intransigence!
"Senior General Than Shwe, you intend to finish off what Nargis and its aftermath could not? Where is your humanity? Have you no conscience?"
Realistically what can we do? Just watch and hope .. and curse old despotic dictators!
Here are some other responses…
1. World Food Programme has halted aid shipments to Burma after the contents of its first delivery were impounded…
2. Myanmar nationals plan to help agencies deliver humanitarian aid
…because “As we are Myanmar nationals, we don't need visas, so we can go in fast to distribute the aid”
3.ASEAN chief says Myanmar must open up 'before it's too late'
The typical ASEAN response: Talk, talk and more talk.
4. Go in like Rambo…US mulls dropping food and aid into Myanmar
I really tried to be level-headed and apolitical about the whole issue but I now admit that it is not possible to be neutral about the Burmese junta. You either hate them or abhor them! No two ways about it!
Dr.Huang Shoou Chyuan
PS: But I am an optimist- I have already donated and hope that my measly contribution will help someone.
Can anyone other than the 20-30 generals who constantly surround the despotic Senior General Than Shwe really understand what is going on?
Nargis had come and gone and left tens of thousands dead in its trail and now hundreds of thousands of folks throughout the Burmese country-side are in dire need of food, water and shelter. If they do not get these, disease and neglect will finish off what the cyclone did not.
The whole world had responded to the junta’s initial desperate call for help and scores of countries and NGO’s had mobilised their resources and are now just waiting at airports, seaports and at Burma’s borders for the go-ahead to pour in the aid where it is most needed.
Yet, the junta is continuing to do what it does best- confounding the whole world with its intransigence!
"Senior General Than Shwe, you intend to finish off what Nargis and its aftermath could not? Where is your humanity? Have you no conscience?"
Realistically what can we do? Just watch and hope .. and curse old despotic dictators!
Here are some other responses…
1. World Food Programme has halted aid shipments to Burma after the contents of its first delivery were impounded…
2. Myanmar nationals plan to help agencies deliver humanitarian aid
…because “As we are Myanmar nationals, we don't need visas, so we can go in fast to distribute the aid”
3.ASEAN chief says Myanmar must open up 'before it's too late'
The typical ASEAN response: Talk, talk and more talk.
4. Go in like Rambo…US mulls dropping food and aid into Myanmar
I really tried to be level-headed and apolitical about the whole issue but I now admit that it is not possible to be neutral about the Burmese junta. You either hate them or abhor them! No two ways about it!
Dr.Huang Shoou Chyuan
PS: But I am an optimist- I have already donated and hope that my measly contribution will help someone.
12 comments:
Dear Dr. Huang,
I enjoys reading your articles.Keep on writing.
Totally agreed with you, it is our joy and blessings to give to the unfortunate Burmese as they are hit by Cyclone disaster.
Keep on praying for them, both their people & their leaders.
Thanks, John
What would Singapore do in a similar situation? If we get hit by a Tsunami, (or Tsunami of Inflation, poor wages, etc)
Let me guess -
Singapore Govt approach would be a targetted help. All the people would have to row their boats and queue up to see their MPs.
Only those who earn less than $1500 will be entitled to aid.
Meantime, you need to row your boat to CPF and deposit a minimum of $100 to get a pack of rice.
NTUC will also help. Please pair $9 per month to be a fairprice member first. You will get vouchers which entitle you to a 5% discount for every one hundred dollar you spent. Yes yes, we need to prevent a crutch mentality from slipping in. We cannot simply spend the GIC reserves on the people.
With inflation now and the kind of help we are giving to the poorest 20 percent of Singaporeans(easier entry of China menial workers who washes untensil for $1000 per month, 14 hour work day, 2 days off per month) we all know very well how PAP govt will help!!
On Myanmar, I agree with some people, for the sake of 'humanity' is it time for some big powers to come in and dismantle the power of the rulers?? What are the 'heavens' doing? Why this suffering?
Hi:
Dear John ( I always wanted to write a "Dear John" letter), Thanks. It is my pleasure to share my thoughts although most of the time I think no one gives a damn about anything. Yes pray for the leaders and also pray for heavenly intervention ( for the leaders)
Anon (7.41):
Yes, now that you brought it up, I think how our own xenophonic leaders would act in any emergency might also cause a lot of cursing and swearing.
In such times, I am sure some NGO’s will be on their non-invite list including Amnesty Int/Reporters without borders/FEER etc
Those allowed in:
i.Cannot give speeches (unless it is to praise the PAP)
ii. Cannot have lunch or dinner with the Chees
Aid to the locals may have all your aforementioned conditions including:
i.RC/PA/ “grassroot” leaders first in queue and get the first seats out of the country (or world- in end of world scenario)
ii.Singaporeans with NS liabilities cannot leave (unless finished reservist liabilities)- someone must do "Saikang"-shitwork. Foreigners can carry on as per their original plan ie leave for green pasture at first opportunity.
iii. Ministers and sr civil servants salaries remain the same until some future time when the data from IRAS show the benchmark (MR?) has shifted etc
iv. Those with no proof of work ( casual or part-time workers) officially are economically unproductive ( and hence do not contribute to our GDP) so will last in the queue. To prevent free-loading.
Other conditions will be added at the absolute discretion of the government at anytime in the future and any conditions can be changed at anytime ( even without govt gazette).
Yes sometimes I wish the Big powers will just ignore UN charter and do the morally right thing!
Dr Huang,
I share your disgust. I really do. But you have to admit this is entirely in character for the junta.
Their only concern is their own survival and benefit. To heck with their suffering people. Their brutality and failed economic policies have over the past 46 years have probably killed way more than 100,000 people, so these cyclone deaths are probably a drop in an ocean for their blood-stained hands.
They know the consequence of opening up to aid, especially from the US and Europe. Once you open up, it's hard to shut it completely after.
Amidst all the terrible suffering caused by the cyclone, I hope that this will be a turning point in the history of this troubled country.
The clearest indication that the Myanmarese people have had enough with the junta would be a 'No' vote at this weekend's Constitutional referendum. That is, of course, if those who are suffering are even able to vote. Aung San Suu Kyi has called for the vote to be postponed, but it fell on deaf ears.
Time to go in like Rambo and take the heads of those dastardly monkeys called generals and their big brother. Their past crimes were already unspeakable and now this?
I'm so sick of them. So sick. Ugh!
" Yes yes, we need to prevent a crutch mentality from slipping in. We cannot simply spend the GIC reserves on the people."
Ah no, the reserve totally cannot be touched because all the money already spend on investment oversea and helping frailing banks which takes 30 years to mature. Of course, by then, LKY, Ah Loong already meet its maker, but who cares nobody going to be responsible for reserve anyway today as tomorrow. The coffers are just using the reserves to feed themselves anyway.
Oh, Ah Loong will take one month of silence before he start responding. Selamat's case take 10 days to respond, serious case take 1 month to a year to respond, and of course his famous reply is also very encouraging to citizen,
"It's the Tsunami. What to do ? It's happened".
Again, LKY blame on Singaporean's complacency of depending on government for help and admonish Singaporean for relying too much on government, citing they should rely on God's help for natural disaster, the money only reserve for investment and frailing bank, not for frailing citizen. Suddenly when money ask from him, LKY is no more god, but when he ask money from citizen, he think he is god.
And finally, no one responsible, not even god of nature. GCT & Ah Loong say "Let's close rank and move on".
Opps, few weeks later, another official price hike to help the disaster victim again with more ERP gantries setup.
Singapore government is so predictable and apathetic that everyone can come out similar storyline that so close to reality.
Continue from last post,
What more, the ShittyTimes will display everyday in full force of how increase GST & price hike can help the victim in the disaster even though the victim has no money already. But don't worry, the government says that the family's next generation can pay for it. ShittyTimes also highlight why it is unwise to touch the reserve even though Singapore is in jeopardy.
In the meantime, all the ministers suddenly quit as minister and retire in other countries quoting that it is time to pass their responsibility to young generation of PAP. Oh... the ministers did't exactly quit, they are promote to senior advisor of Singapore though they already migrate oversea because they need constant feed of money to feed them even though they are irrelevant.
Well tactlessly several big powers had on a prior occassion ignored the UN recommendation and went ahead to conquer 1 country and disposed a dictator. However, rem that country is still in chaos. The only locations in the country which are safe are the oil fields and such.
If the big powers want to really intervene, sure they can. However, would they start another war without any renumerations or because it is the end phases of elections in those countries that is preventing the actions of human aid?
1 thing for sure, most countries care only for their own needs and resources. the last great aid for a natural disaster was the tsunami of 2005. however, bear in mind, it was due to the fact that lots of other nationalities lost their lives which prompted the actions.
If cambodia had many oil fields and such, actions will be even faster....
just my 2 cents worth.
shimure,
What has Cambodia got to do with anything? And I disagree that aid for the tsunami was based solely on self-interest. Most tourists were killed in Thailand, but the US was the single biggest provider of airlifts of supplies into Aceh. Also, the vast majority of donations from the West were made by private donors, not by governments. I don't see what possible 'self-interest' private donors like you and I could have in helping tsunami victims.
Hi anon 3.57:
I think shimure was making a fair comment that most of the donor countries perhaps felt a greater need to contribute to Tsunami 2005 as their own nationals were victims of this disaster too.
Perhaps shimure was alluding to the Killing fields of Cambodia where very little was done for the millions ( or at least hundreds of thousands) who were slaugtered by the Cambodians themselves.
Does it mean that so long as a nation is only bullying ( or killing) its own nationals, it is their own business and that the rest of the world should stand idly by? If not, where do we draw the line to prevent big brothers from intervening and imposing their values on everybody else?
I think this issue will not easily be settled.
Dear Dr H,
Lo and behold, a day after i made my comment on the cambodian situation, another natural disater happened in China.
It is remarkly different in the way the chinese government handled their situation than that of cambodia.
Both countries are communitistic to some extent. However the chinese government and the national spirit is stronger as compared to that of the cambodian government. And yes the chinese government is richer. However, chinese government at least in the light of the 2008 olympics show care for those victims. whereas the warlords of cambodia does not.
In addition remember yes the killing fields. no one tend to bother about it. first, US had just failed in Vietnam and would not be bogged in another war.
But the country which was attacked and the dictator removed which i mentioned in my prior comment is Iraq. Bush, wanting the control of the oil there launched the assault on that nation without UN recommendation and at the cost of thousands of american soldier's lives.
To step into the affairs of another nation is not easy, it is politics and economics.
my 2 cents worth
Funny that foreign minister George Yeo,has chosen at this time to defence the murderous Generals of Myanmar.
In the Sunday Times,Minister George YEO has urged the global community to respect the AUTONOMY of the murderous Generals of Myanmar and accept the fact the they(aka the murderous Generals of Myanmar)know the local situations better than foreign people ever can!
Strange indeed,why?why?why?
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