Recently in Myanmar Category

'Bout damn time:

NAYPYITAW Myanmar - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, on a mission to open Myanmar to international disaster assistance, said the ruling junta agreed Friday to allow "all aid workers" into the country to help cyclone survivors.

Ban's comments came after a crucial two-hour meeting Friday with the junta leader, Senior Gen. Than Shwe, the country's most powerful figure. Myanmar's junta has until now refused to allow an influx of foreign aid and experts to reach survivors of the May 2-3 Cyclone Nargis.

We may never know the human cost of the ruling junta's paranoia. Hopefully, the citizens of Myanmar will one day recognize where the responsibility lies and act accordingly.

Via AP/Yahoo:

YANGON, Myanmar - The first U.S. relief airlift arrived in Myanmar on Monday after prolonged negotiations with the country's isolationist junta, which considers Washington its enemy and has restricted international aid to as many as 2 million cyclone victims.

The unarmed military C-130 cargo plane, packed with supplies, flew out of the Thai air force base of Utapao and landed in Yangon. Two more air shipments are scheduled to land Tuesday.

After the plane's arrival, the supplies were transferred to Myanmar army trucks.

Not enough, and not as fast as it needs to be.

Update: AP corrects, the flight hasn't yet landed, just launched:

YANGON, Myanmar - The U.S. launched its first relief airlift to Myanmar on Monday after prolonged negotiations with the country's isolationist junta, which considers Washington its enemy and has restricted international aid to as many as 2 million cyclone victims.

A Red Cross boat filled with enough supplies for around 1,000 people sank this morning. At least the crew of 4 survived.

One wonders if the Myanmar government would have been too busy counting votes to distribute the supplies had the boat not sunk, though. The country's rulers continued with a referendum yesterday designed only to rubber stamp their grip on power. The ruling generals claimed a massive turnout as they placed polling places in close proximity to victims waiting for relief supplies. No, I'm not kidding - while they block foreign supplies, they expend their own resources to set up voting centers. Sick.

YANGON (AFP) - Myanmar's ruling generals said Sunday there was "massive turnout" in their national referendum, held despite pleas to devote their resources to saving more than a million victims of a devastating cyclone.

Even as aid groups warned that the official toll of 60,000 dead or missing could rise unless the neediest survivors get help immediately, the regime went ahead with Saturday's vote to ratify a new constitution.

Polling stations were set up close to makeshift camps for the homeless, while much of the international community urged the generals to focus on a relief effort stalled by their refusal to allow in most foreign aid workers.

But in a story that made no mention of the cyclone tragedy, the New Light of Myanmar newspaper -- a mouthpiece for the junta -- said some places had to extend voting hours to let everyone cast their ballot.

"The referendum was held successfully ... with massive turnout of the citizens," it said.

State television on Sunday continued to show pictures of the generals casting their ballots in a vote that critics said was intended only to strengthen their 46-year grip on power.

For the moment, all the rest of the world can do is sit and watch...