Myanmar Junta Turns International Aid Into Form of Propaganda

[TheSarge]

YANGON, Myanmar  —  Myanmar's military regime distributed international aid Saturday but plastered the boxes with names of top generals in an apparent effort to turn the relief effort for last week's devastating cyclone into a propaganda exercise.

The United Nations sent in three more planes and several trucks loaded with aid even though the junta took over its first two shipments. The government agreed to let a U.S. cargo plane bring in supplies on Monday, but foreign disaster experts were still being barred entry.

State-run television continuously ran images of top generals — including the junta leader, Senior Gen. Than Shwe — handing out boxes of aid to survivors at elaborate ceremonies.

One box bore the name of Lt. Gen. Myint Swe, a rising star in the government hierarchy, in bold letters that overshadowed a smaller label reading: "Aid from the Kingdom of Thailand."

"We have already seen regional commanders putting their names on the side of aid shipments from Asia, saying this was gift from them and then distributing it in their region," said Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK, which campaigns for human rights and democracy in the country.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,354857,00.html

[Lauri]

what a sham... they dont want their own people to know the world is helping them.

i saw a headline somewhere this morning that said there is a possible military intervention to force more aid in.

any military guys here want to ponder how this work?

[Miss Mia]

The disease outbreak will be the second part of this disaster. 

[Lauri]

The disease outbreak will be the second part of this disaster. 

im wondering if the 'leaders' are just so overwhelmed that they arent sure what to do first? surely decomposing bodies will spur them into action?

the problem now is, they are being so secretive that other govts may not know what it is that they truly need. you dont want a world wide plague of some nasty disease cause some astrologist didnt want to let go of their power.

holy shit... *sigh* ..

[Miss Mia]

The disease outbreak will be the second part of this disaster. 

im wondering if the 'leaders' are just so overwhelmed that they arent sure what to do first? surely decomposing bodies will spur them into action?

the problem now is, they are being so secretive that other govts may not know what it is that they truly need. you dont want a world wide plague of some nasty disease cause some astrologist didnt want to let go of their power.

holy shit... *sigh* ..

No, I think it's a horrible military dictatorship that doesn't care if thousands of people are dead or that millions of survivors will soon start getting sick and dying.  They'd rather keep and iron fist of control of their "people" than dare let any help come in like that's needed.  The government would rather let the people suffer than dare see that other countries are out there that do care about them. 

Now, if China wanted to really improved their PR before the Olympics, they'd got right in with tons and tons to help to restore Myanmar (since they approve of the government there anyways).

It's a very sad situtation overall.  I pray for those poor people that aren't getting the help they deserved.

[Dixie*Darling]

Anybody else sick of helping third world shit holes? 

Live Aid '85 anyone? 

While my heart aches for the poor and suffering, it seems a waste to aid governments like this that abuse the aid. 

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

Anybody else sick of helping third world shit holes? 

Live Aid '85 anyone? 

While my heart aches for the poor and suffering, it seems a waste to aid governments like this that abuse the aid. 

I dunno but the liberal MSM finally found a non-threathening, pre-emptive war to support:

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1739053,00.html

[TheSarge]

The Generals and local commanders are using the aid as political chits because there is an election going on.

CNN's reporter on scene escaped with his life on Friday.

The ruling despots don't want people to see what they are doing.

[Tess Anderson]

Anybody else sick of helping third world shit holes? 

Live Aid '85 anyone? 

While my heart aches for the poor and suffering, it seems a waste to aid governments like this that abuse the aid. 

I sure am, Dixie. In Myanmar, it looks as though the government there is actually going to "let" the UN help now:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/05/09/myanmar/index.html

They use humanitarian relief aid as a political football as well.