U.N. chief says Myanmar agrees to allow all aid workers into country

Great. Too little too late. What a disgraceful regime.

unbelieveable late in the game.. probably killed another 10,20,30,000 of his own people because of his delay... am sure someone can take him out, but the next guy in line is probably worse.

Madverts, agreed

Madverts + 7

hmph..abit late for that..

At least 78,000 people were killed and another 56,000 are unaccounted for

..and I dont know where they get those estimate figures from but I think they're way off! Basically what Madvert said as well, a big disgrace!

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has achieved a breakthrough. From my observations, this is a very complicated situation, and does take the combined efforts of top diplomats to steer the aid to the appropriate targets. ASEAN is a great asset, and got backing from many powerful groups.

I am glad that help will be allowed to enter into the country. But, it disturbs me that once again, the international community has catered to a rouge regime and legitimized it. Now the junta leader, can say to his people (since he controls the media) that because of his grace and benevolence, he has negotiated help for the people, when it was there all along and everyone wanted to give, regardless of how the country was run.

One day, I hope a leader will say, I'm sorry, but if you don't want our help, then do it yourself. I know that sounds pessimistic, and innocent lives will be lost, but once the eventual war between this regime and the UN "police action" as in Korea, or either Thai or heaven forbid US/ASEAN intervention or its own internal civil war, many more "innocent victims" will die fighting for their freedom from this tyrant. It will happen sooner or later, I just hope that it does not come to that.

Where have you seen such resistance from a so-called government, profoudly resisted to save it's own people from dying by the thousands ? Gen.Than Shwe has made this humanitarian tregady into a political game. The first part of the disaster was natural disaster. But the second part is purely due to "POLITICAL DELAY" by myanmr's leaders. This situation has become complicated (because of Than Shwe's own paranoia), eventhough no country has any desire to remain there inside Myanmar after the rescue efforts. On top of the general's paranoia, xenophobia, narrow-mindedness and failure to access the realily,lack of respect on Myanmar people's lives is the ATTITUDE and ARROGANCE of this regime .

Apahaape

Myamar or Burmese people has tried to rip off this disgraceful regime thousand of times before. It is just a dream for them for becoming the reality. Myanmar ethnic minorities has been fighting civil war since 1948. They are weaker and military is stronger. Innocence will die with starvation and medical negligence. Not because of the war with the government. They are too weak to fight.

Arm Forces are united behind this corrupt government. As far as Arm Forces does not split like Philippines, Myanmar people will be never released under the boots of the military junta. Sadly this country has been isolating and xenophobic since 1962. People are suffering. Especially rural area condition likes African poor nations. Starvation & malnutrition are everywhere.

The opening for foreign aids is just a show by military. The main reason is they want to get 11 billions donation for rebuilding the devastated region. World bank said this government still have huge outstanding debt from 1998. Donation money will go to Military Generals pockets instead of poor and suffering people. I do not trust their smiles.

Finally! A ray of hope for the Burmese people.

I was afraid this would not happen. How great that it has, and how tragic it could not have happended sooner.

I absolutely agree with "Athlete". Generals are telling the world that the emergency rescue efforts is over. OVER?? while 2.5 millions are still under monsoon rain without shelters,thousands dying of thirst, lack of food and diseases but still haven't seen a shred of help from government, let alone international aid.....Myanmar's generals are calling for the next phase of reconstruction works because they can't wait to have their hands on the "CASH" donated by international community.

While Chinese leaders asking for 3.3 million tents for their earth quake victims,......Myanmar generals want CASH instead; refugees requirements do not take the first priority.

While Chinese leaders are asking for 3.3 million tents for their quake victims,....Myanmar's generals want CASH, before the basic need for the victims being fulfilled.

Athletes, thanks for the background on the Burma situation. But, it is like I said, the opposition has been fighting there for a long time, and good for them. But now, the junta will get money and supplies, and with their policy of rewarding those who favor them, I guess more of the same will continue.

If the UN had any backbone, instead of going there to make the general agree to have money sent to them so that they can stuff their pockets, they should have told them, we will deal with whoever is left standing once the junta gets tossed out. I fear that the junta saw this as a way to get more money for them, to continue their suffering on the people of Burma.

If junta wants donations for reconstruction work, it should ask mainly from it's best mates China, Russia, Thailand and India.....after all,over the last decade, these countries benefit enormously from the military regime at the cost of us, the majority Burmese.

after all,over the last decade, these countries benefit enormously from the military regime at the cost of us, the majority Burmese.

Then it is upto US to change its policies, lift sanctions and get advice from those countries as to how to reap benefits. Anyway, some posters think as if it was cyclone that brought junta in power. Myanmar govt is there for years....also, i don't think military rulers are going to admit western aid workers, because aid distribution work is proceeding smoothly and about to finish.

because aid distribution work is proceeding smoothly and about to finish?

some14some; What you said is totally criminal. Where is a shred of evidence? Why were the local jounalists from (Myanmar Times, Yangon Times, The Voice, 24/7 magazines) the independent press were arrested in delta region on 20th, by the No. 66 Batallion Colonel and there picture confisticated? Why was Ban Ki-moon not taken to hard hit areas where hundreds of thousands of victims are gathered ,as Labutta, Bogalay , Haing Gyi and Myaung Mya but to the least suffered areas like Mawlamyaing Gyun and Ma-U-bin? Why were thousands of victims forcibly taken back to the destroyed villages in remote islands, where there are no more shelters?

Obviously your sympathy lies with the junta who has been stopping the international aid for the last 3 weeks .But not with the 2.5 million Burmese victims.

China must stop it's shameful two-faced, hypocrisy on this humanitarian disaster in Myanmar. Let the international community take this regime to ICJ for "crime against humanity." China must stop paralysing the U.N.Security Council by shielding the Monk Killer, children murderer REGIME in Burma. Shame on you China, you beg for international help for your own people, but you STOP the Int'l. community from helping Burmese people and sided with the inhumane regime of Burma.

Did you know that few weeks ago, at the U.N.Security Council meeting, CHINA BLOCKED the U.N Chief of Humanitarian Aid ,Mr.John Holmes from visiting Myanmar? I wonder what China would say if someone did the same to it's earthquake victims. What is China afraid of ? Why is it against Myanmar victims getting international attention?

Part I: After Inviting the International Aid Workers In

What should we be aware of the local terrain in Burma now that the Burmese military government has accepted the international aid workers even if it did NOT accept the aid delivery from U.S., French and British warships.

We must take notice of the local political context first. Burma has held a constitutional referendum on May 10 and 24. The Burmese military government wants the draft constitution ratified and it has been ratified. Its opponents want the draft rejected. U.S, France and Western countries support the regime opponents. U.S House of Representatives went so far as taking jurisdiction over the draft constitution of another country and passing a concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 317), calling the Administration and UN to reject the referendum (process) and draft constitution (outcome).

The regime opponents might covertly plan to start the protests, politicizing the sufferings of the cyclone victims and capitalizing the presence of international aid workers. A League of Burmese Dissidents had called for a general strike today. A Burmese blogger posted an unconfirmed report that a protest of about a thousand people took place near Hle Dan Junction. A BBC correspondent in Burma reports as having “met students who are threatening strikes and protests if international help is not accepted. Some are veterans of previous protests but others have become "activists" because of the cyclone.” (Gavin Hewitt, Burma, Burmese murmurs of anger at junta, BBC News, May 23, 2008, updated at 14:14 GMT)

An AP report DOES confirm the existence of a concern from the part of Burmese government that the presence of international aid workers might create trouble and embolden their dissidents who have been trying a people’s power revolution. During the Saturday tour diplomats tried at every chance to tell the accompanying Myanmar minister that the government should provide more international aid access, [Bernard] Delpuech, [head of the European Commission Humanitarian Office in Yangon] said. He said the answer was: "Yes, they're willing, but they don't want the people who will create more problems." (Aung Hla Tun, Reuters, May 17, 2008, 8:15 a.m. New York Time, via Washington Post Website) In fact, the regime opponents took their first step by spreading the news that the public is angry at the military government and maligning the latter by accusing it of slow response.

U.S Charge d’affairs Shari Villarosa, a seemingly veteran expert of those revolutions, whose career assignments, found in the public-accessible CV, coincide with the occurrence of people’s power revolutions, the most recent being in Indonesia in 1997-8, spread the words that “the military leaders’ reluctance to admit more foreign aid and aid workers exasperated ordinary people, whose discontent over sharp inflation and political repression erupted last September in an uprising led by Buddhist monks. “Anger is still there,” Ms. Villarosa said in an interview on Sunday. “Discontent is still there. And now there is a growing discontent that there is international assistance out there that can be brought in, so why aren’t we getting it?” (A New York Times Correspondent in Yangon, Myanmar, Burmese Leader Visits Refugees, The New York Times, May 19, 2008) The presence of U. S., French and British warships, including an American aircraft carrier, near the Burmese territory encourage the regime opponents.

The regime opponents want to encourage its activists and their sympathizers with a dim prospect that, if the Burmese government crack down the protests as it did last year, that ‘Americans are coming!!! Americans are coming!!!’, coincidentally timing with the U.S, France, Britain navy warships. Gordon Lubold reports that in Mae Saout, Thailand, “thousands of Burmese exiles and refugees were excited when they saw a US helicopter flying above them on Saturday…” (Gordon Lubold, U.S. helicopters cause stir in Thai town on Burma border, Yahoo News, Washington, D.C, May 12, 2008, 4:00 a.m.; Christopher Johnson, Mae Sot, Thailand Christian Science Monitor, U.S. helicopters cause stir in Thai town on Burma border: In Mae Sot, home to many Burmese exiles and refugees, two helicopters stopped unannounced during a survey of the area, via ABC News)

The regime opponents know very well that a Burmese government has been overthrown with rumors. One of Burma’s earlier dynasties collapsed due to rumors that its enemy troops Sagaw Karens were marching to the capital.)

Part II: After Inviting the International Aid Workers In

Now that the Burmese military government invited the international relief workers into their country, what are the possible worst-case scenarios we must be aware of and prepared for, and if possible, prevent. Now, all the possible bad scenarios would depend solely on a single, unwise decision of the regime opponents: to take advantage of the presence of the international aid workers inside Burma and to attempt to remove the incumbent government in a people’s power revolution. The regime opponents would gauge that they will win either way.

If a people’s power revolution is successful, the Burmese military government will be ousted. David Montero predicts in Christian Science Monitor that “Disaster May Loosen Junta’s Grip in Burma” (May 8, 2008)

If it fails, the Burmese military government is going to face the enormous global outrage and UN Security Council’s punitive resolution.

If the regime opponents plan to take advantage of the presence of international aid workers, thinking that they will win either way, what would the Burmese military leaders do?

In the name of reason of the state, the first reaction scenario of the Burmese military government is going to order the army and police to, euphemistically speaking, maintain law and order. Legally, they can do so because the emergency law is imposed for a natural disaster and legitimately because the U.S National Guards and Police did shoot some people dead in New Orleans after Katrina. The Burmese military leaders are going to and have to take a decisive action, whatever it means, even if the international aid workers are there and if they have to face later the global condemnation and UN Security Council’s punitive resolution, falling into the trap of their opponents’ infamous but unpragmatic strategy of regime change by UN Security Council’s resolutions. In this scenario, the international aid workers are suggested to stay inside their lodgings rather than venturing out into the streets like Japanese undercovered reporter Kenji Nagai.

Another possible reaction scenario from the part of Burmese military government is to allow the Burmese public in general and the international aid workers in particular to face Hobbesian dilemma: having to make a choice between anarchy and Leviathan state. The Burmese military government might also wait for a few days and may restore law and order only later as last year in Burma or as in Tibet. Even its earlier, less decisive, attempts might FAIL. The 2nd and 3rd scenarios would inevitably result in the withdrawal of its troops from some areas, as in 1988 in Burma, leaving the population (and the international aid workers) to face the Hobbesian dilemma to choose between the anarchy and Leviathan state. In anticipation of the 2ndand 3rd scenarios, the international aid workers are advised to seek accommodation in the high-rise hotels where the helicopter rescues are possible. Yes, it will cost forty or fifty dollars more than the small, family-run, motels which cost ten or twenty dollars per night. In order to be able to rescue the international aid workers out there in the field immediately, it is necessary for them to instantaneously update their location to the local authorities or even higher authorities, including the relevant ministries.

Part III: After Inviting the International Aid Workers In

To prevent another attempt at people’s power revolution from the part of regime opponents, what can the international actors do? The Western governments in particular and the other governments and media in general, will have to sternly tell the regime opponents NOT to take advantage of the presence of aid workers and NOT to make, during the relief operations, another attempt at people’s power revolution, and so doing could harm the international aid workers. Better yet, the Western governments can sternly tell the regime opponents what the consequences would be. The regime opponents have lost a lot of ground in Burma; they are relying mostly on their state/non-state supporters and sympathetic media in the West for their cause; therefore, they will most likely take their worthy allies’ position into consideration if such position is clearly and sincerely taken. On the other hand, the regime opponents might have never intended to take advantage of the presence of the international aid workers and make another attempt at the regime change by people’s power revolution. (I am just giving them a way out without losing face, in case they miss.) Thus, on their own accord, the regime opponents will NOT make another attempt at the regime change by people’s power revolution for the sake of their fellow Burmese cyclone victims, not due to position of their Western allies.

What if the West’s warnings are not serious or taken seriously and the regime opponents would nonetheless capitalize on the presence of international aid workers and make another attempt at people’s power revolution? The Burmese government will, euphemistically speaking, restore law and order even at the presence/risk of the international aid workers and even at the face of the severe consequences later.

Nyein Chan, I've read all the above articles in "The New Lights of Myanmar", the state controlled papers. Mind you, the last uprising in Burma ,and the one before that , and the one before that , and the one before that... all happened without the presence of international aid workers. It WILL HAPPEN when the time is right.It is not a matter of "IF" but "WHEN". The generals know very well that the people will be glad to see the back of them beacuse of their brutal unfairness.Besides,it is the generals and government officials who need to practice law and order and restrain themselves from hoarding the country's resources as if there's no tomorrow..

Jyan_Bon at 06:56 AM JST - 24th May

Nyein Chan, I've read all the above articles in "The New Lights of Myanmar", the state controlled papers.

Jyan_Bon from the Junction, you LIED. You have NOT read the above articles in "The New Lights of Myanmar" because they are not there and they are NOT published in the newspapers. Jyan Bon, liar!!!

Nyein Chan: Jyan Bon is a liar because he is badly influenced by West, as such i don't take his attack seriously. He has absolutely no sympathy for the cyclone victims, he has directed/wasted all his energy accusing junta. However, i welcome his comments and wont term them as 'criminal'!

Nyeinc!!!

"the regime opponents will NOT make another attempt at the regime change by people’s power revolution for the sake of their fellow Burmese cyclone victims, not due to position of their Western allies."

It was a funny comment. Let the fellow Burmese cyclone victims wet, starve, sick and die under the rain and salty winds. It has been three weeks since Cyclone disaster. Many of them have broken skins, infections and waterborne deceases. You have to accept the fact that about 3 quarters of victims still living in open and windy space. Not a luxury palace of Nayidaw capital which military junta are living. What was a extravagances?

People are starving. The government wasted so much money for unnecessary construction projects for their luxury life style. Nayidaw has many golf course for generals who does not know how to swing the club.

In my living memory, no international relief teams and aid worker involved in the politics and throwing the government out of office. They just focused on their duty of saving lives, food and medicine distribution and supplying the temporary shelter for homeless. Including US and French ships near Irrawaddy Delta. They are not interested in politics. They are on humanitarian mission not for invasion or narrow minded interests.

Sad thing about Myanmar government is too xenophobic, superstitious and paranoid about western countries. No transparency for their incompetency, corruption and mismanagement. No wonder this country is so backward and third world stage like Africa.

People are suffering. Generals are storing the high quality supplied goods and medicine in their warehouses. High energy biscuits from US were sent to Myanmar Army warehouse. Not for the victims. Some of the supply has ended up in the black markets. How cruel and inhumane?

Whether they like it or not the people will always try to overthrow the military that hasn't got a shred of legitimacy nor the capability to good governance. The soldiers cannot and will not be made to follow their orders to shoot all the time. Nicolae Ceausescu and his powerful wife Elena would have never thought that their soldiers would turn on them ever. A time will come when the military regime, Than Shwe and his PaO wife Kyaing Kyaing have to face a similar fate. Where can anyone find such evil persons on earth? To let their own people die of a slow death by denying aid (which was at hand, ready and forthcoming from all corners of the earth)is indeed nasty, wicked and conscience shocking beyond imagination. It's worst particularly when the military regime, unlike any military, would not try to save the naval personnel and their families. Aren't they one of their own? They have done bad things throughout their rule since 1962 but their response to this natural disaster top them all. It's neither human nor civilised behaviour to regard themselves as such. If the extermination of 6 million Jews at Auschwitz-Birkenau was for Hitler and his Nazi Regime's the extent to which one's cruelty and wickedness towards fellow humans, then what the military regime in Burma did to the survivors of the victims of Cyclone Nargis was much more evil than what the world have witnessed before. They may get away with this for a time but according to the law of kamma, 'they will have to reap the evil they have sown.' The victims may not get the justice they deserved but justice shall be done in their name. Why do the scientists in Britain bother to create 'hybrid embryo' when we already have 'part animal part human' like Than Shwe and their lot amidst us? The only difficulty they may have is that Than Shwe might have more 'animal part' than anyone can imagine.

One thing I find very interesting is that the "followers "of America like Japan ,Germany,South Korea are all doing good and America, in general sense, wants them to do good ,to achieve well to become rich to make the world a better place.On the other hand I notice that the followers of China like these Burmese generals,Mugabe...are all terrible even China is doing VERY WELL (looking after earthquake victims).Why?If China is a good boss,it certainly should tell(order,command...) these generals to do the same.According to Ban Ki Moon the task of helping these victims will have to continue for at least 6 or 7 months.

Burma Junta can not trust at all. They'll just say agree and after UN went back, they'll do what they want to do. Check this out.

US must go into Burma now like US did to Iraq. US didn't listen UN, this is the time to do so.

tclh; TettoeAung; Athletes; Jyan Bon; etc.....thank you! your kind thoughts and sympathy on millions of victims in Burma is echoed by billions of us. The world is right behind you against inhumane , unjust generals of Burma.

I'll belive it when I see it; Junta can't be trusted. After 3 weeks, what have they done for the victims so far? Nothing.

Mind you, the last uprising in Burma, and the one before that, and the one before that, and the one before that..they all happened without the presence of international aid workers. It WILL HAPPEN when the time is right, it is a matter of WHEN."

With or without the presence of International aid workers, due to lack of respect on human's lives and incompetence of the regime, people's anger will finish this leadership off. It is only a matter of time.