Catastrophe in Myanmar
I have been a little disconnected from the news over the last few days, but the horrible, seemingly inevitably increasing casualty figures that are coming out of Myanmar are proving eerily reminiscent of another terrible tragedy that struck Asia not too long ago. It seems impossible a lot of the time to escape the sense of helplessness that one feels when a disaster of this magnitude occurs. In a very base human sense, one feels unfairly lucky; lucky to be so far away from it all. I really do hope that the Rudd Government along with the rest of the world digs deep to help the country, and that the regime in Myanmar has the common sense to allow the world to play an effective role in the recovery effort. It is a horrible occasion, but perhaps the opportunity should now be taken by Myanmar’s military regime to let in some light in a socio-political sense. I am not sure that any conceivable good could make recompense for the lives that have been lost, but if the regime does consequently fall, at least some small good for the people of Burma will have been derived from this meaningless, random horror.
Now would be an excellent opportunity for the Federal Government to engage with the community and encourage a significant outlay of both private and public funds to be made. I will certainly be making a donation to play my part - I can only suggest that you think about what you can spare and do the same.
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on Tuesday, May 6th, 2008 at 10:43 pm and is filed under Asia.
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May 9th, 2008 at 2:42 am
So terribly sad.
Rudd’s announced a mere 3 million bucks to be donated via Aid agencies.
I think that’s so appallingly low considering how much money is spent on other crap. The NSW gov spending $76 million on the Pope’s visit is so utterly unacceptable. Why can’t Catholics pay for their religious leader to come visit instead of the tax-payer? I don’t remember this being done for the Dalai Lama or any other religious leader. Well, maybe it has something to do with Iemma and other NSW Gov Ministers being Catholics. hmm.
Remember this: http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2007/s1943215.htm
May 9th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
That’s a very good call. The government really does need to consider where its priorities lie. The papal visit has been planned for and likely budgeted for for ages, but this is clearly a real disaster on a scale not seen since the tsunami.
May 12th, 2008 at 5:26 am
They increased it but the question whether it would get pass their authoritarian government.
May 12th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
From what I have read the aid has not all been getting through, but hopefully the weight of world opinion will work to force a change to that.