We all know about the tragedy and natural disaster in Myanmar, with tens of thousands dead and missing after Cyclone Nargis swept through. Millions are homeless. President Bush offered relief to them, as well as calling for better human rights in Myanmar. Mrs. Bush also critized the government. And…..
(NY Times) Foreign governments and aid organizations worldwide began mobilizing a major relief operation, and some aid began flowing into the country. But President Bush, speaking in Washington, continued a campaign to press the military government to allow fuller access to international relief teams and private charity groups.
His message mixed a new offer of American help with renewed criticism of a government the United States has denounced as one of the world’s most repressive. But some international aid workers and foreign leaders said they feared that political pressure could make it more difficult to deliver aid quickly.
“Our message is to the military rulers: let the United States come help you to help the people,†Mr. Bush said Tuesday morning at a ceremony held to commemorate his signing of legislation to award a Congressional Gold Medal to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the democracy advocate who has been under house arrest in Myanmar for 12 of the last 18 years. “We want to do a lot more.â€
The thing is, they are serious. The world is reaching out to help the people of Myanmar. Perhaps the military government, which is known for their human rights abuses, could reach out and to its own people and treat them better. Especially since they are not really excepting much in the way of aid right now.
If it was President Gore, or Kerry, calling for a more open, fair, and gentle government, do you think there would be criticism like this? Possibly, but, it sure wouldn’t be part of a story at the Times or most Western world papers. It would be minimized and be put in a light that says “these people who are criticizing are idiots.”
President and Mrs. Bush’s criticizm’s are well founded. Read the NY Times article, particularly page 2, and you will see that the military junta that is running the former Burma is barely allowing any aid.
