Mother Talkers

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  • All this devastation in the (0 / 0)

    world is just horrendous.  I cannot imagine living through the desperation of getting little help with such tragedy as is being experienced in Burma.  I wonder how much help is available in this area of China?  Really, some of what I have been reading is too much to bear and I'm only reading it, but being able to do nothing other than feel sick that there is so much suffering is an emotional  torture.  My heart breaks for all this sadness.

    karen

    by karen m on Mon May 12, 2008 at 07:49:37 PM PDT

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    • With the Olympics.. (0 / 0)

      ..at least you know the Chinese will do everything possible to make their response look stellar. This whole year is a big PR thing for them, they'll respond fast and in force (at least where possible, and remember they have the largest military in absolute numbers of any country on the planet). But with Burma, it's just horrible. A number of EU countries have even started talking about making air drops of aid without the permission of the government there, just to get something through.

      "You're never more alone than when you're alone in a crowd."

      by Expat Briton on Tue May 13, 2008 at 09:53:59 AM PDT

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      • air drops (0 / 0)

        but who's going to be there to distribute the food drops? That's what's so infuriating. Plus, not just food, but clean water. I saw on last night's news that the Australian Red Cross has planes all loaded up with equipment that can purify 3,000 litres of water in an hour. Just sitting on the tarmac because it can't get into the country.

        I read in Slate yesterday a great column by Anne Applebaum - she pointed out that the junta is acting with perfect consistency with its goals - hold on to power at any and all costs. 100,000+ people going to die? The generals really care so long as they keep ahold of power. Unbelievable.

        I've also read that China could play a huge role in pressuring the generals to open the borders, but won't. That's also why the UN Security Council hasn't made any big statements on the subject - China has threatened a veto. Disgusting.

        by Rachel on Tue May 13, 2008 at 03:52:50 PM PDT

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        • China and Burma. (0 / 0)

          China is very busy exploiting as many of Burma's natural resources as it can.  IIRC, Burma has huge natural gas reserves, and China WANTS THEM.  Thus, they prop up the generals.  Just like in Darfur.  It disgusts me too, but they're at least consistent.

          As for the generals, according to Admiral Keating, commander of Pacific Command, the generals don't even know or acknowledge how bad it is.  (He flew in with the only plane of American supplies that's been allowed in.  I think to pressure the junta, but I'm not really sure what he expected to accomplish.)  Its a weird cult of personality, much like Mao during the Great Leap Foward on.  No one will tell them what they don't want to hear.  Because they will kill the messenger.  This is not to say that the junta would give a good goddamn if they did have all the facts, certainly not.  

          Mom to DD, 3yo, and DS, on the way (Sept 08)

          by tessajp on Tue May 13, 2008 at 08:38:52 PM PDT

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          • yeah - gas reserves (0 / 0)

            I read that as well. Sad but consistent.

            I hadn't heard that point from Adm. Keating; we get a lot of softly-softly stuff on the Australian news. The few aid agencies that are on the ground in Burma are desperately trying to be diplomatic in hopes of pursuading the junta to let them do their thing. I'm not sure if the Australian military is doing fly-ins as yet, either.

            by Rachel on Tue May 13, 2008 at 08:51:43 PM PDT

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