Re: cyclone catastrophe in Burma
Dr. Kyaw Htyte (President)
Dear members, friends, Burmese people and kind international leaders and community, First lady Laura Bush and President Bush,
Allow me to express my gratitude for your sympathy and your kind offerings to aid the Burmese people who were victims of Cyclone Nargis that hit Burma on May 3rd, 2008.
So far, the limited information that we have received due to the lack of freedom of press and communication system in our country has resulted in our inability to know exactly how many people have died or of any news of our loved ones. However, as the world watches and what has already been reported, the numbers of death have been estimated to reach astounding heights in the 100,000 mark with many more who are missing and displaced and have lost their homes. There is much suffering caused by this disaster in a country where its people were already under suffrage from a different kind of torture, its illegitimate government. This is really a great tragedy in our history, in the history of the world, and in humanity.
There is much to consider in the aftermath of the catastrophe. The number of lives lost can be expected to rise due to shortage of food, shelter, and from illnesses that will inevitably follow. We foresee major health risks where the many homeless people with no shelter will be subjected to cold harsh living conditions that will have attached to them serious health problems such as pneumonia and respiratory related issues. In addition to this, the lack of food will result in poor nutrition. And with no clean drinking water there is the concern of possible serious cases of infection related gastroenteritis with fatal complications. This is a major public health danger along with other possible infections, thus making this a disaster that stretches far beyond the acute effects of the torrential rain and winds of the cyclone.
Therefore it is imperative that the people of Burma receive the aid that the global community is reaching out with. They need shelter, healthy housing, clothes, clean water, healthy food and medicine including immunizations and pest control with much needed urgent relief measures with careful implementation of post-crisis management.
This critical catastrophe is the main concern of the humanitarian efforts put forth by the kind international countries. I implore for further help for the victims and request everyone, national and international, to assist in any way for the victims. This comes back to the very dictators that have claimed Burma as a prison for their own people. In order for the aid to reach the people who are suffering, these tyrants must be overpowered since they have already showed rejection of help from many countries including the United States. It is important to remember that providing aid to our people will require careful supervision in order for all money, supply and efforts for relief do go to the people and just signing over a check to the country’s self imposed “rulers,” which undoubtedly will not benefit those who are suffering but will instead end up in the illegitimate government’s pockets.
It is important to also remember that in a country where outside resources and contact are much limited and people are oppressed and where media is controlled very tightly by the “rulers”, we should not trust all news that comes out from there. Please note that in all images shown on the news channels here, there are many military personnel shown in uniform helping and cleaning up and working and no other images without them are released. This should and must be taken as propaganda that has been carefully crafted to mis-inform a belief of the “government” being there for the citizens.
To the military rulers, you should show sympathy to our people who are suffering by allowing immediate and extended long term relief efforts as quick as possible by providing local assistance and letting in the global help from other countries. Blocking this aid will lead to many more people dying and will surely increase the numbers of casualties from this already astronomical loss that our country has gone through. Continuing to reject help will be the same thing as killing the citizens and should be viewed as a criminal act of cruelty.
I am stating that:
you show concern for our people
you show sympathy for our people
to save the lives of those that can be saved with timely relief
to allow international help and give it directly to the victims, our people.
At this time, I would like to ask the United Nations to stand strong as the guardian of all nations to place increased pressure on the military dictators to allow international aid and even if resisted, to overrule their opposition and provide the much need relief in Burma.
I am deeply demanding help from the military Junta by not blocking international aid!