All the world is ready to rally to the aid of devastated Myanmar, a country where United Nations and international aid workers fear hundreds of thousands were killed by a cyclone this week. There is nothing short of outrage being expressed in the world community about Myanmar’s ruling junta’s refusal to let aid workers into their country and bring humanitarian supplies and food to the 1.5 million people now at risk to die from starvation, cholera or malaria.
The Junta has historically been skeptical of NGOs operating within its borders and has been perilously slow to act to address the problems the country faces. It has dealt UN and humanitarian workers heavy-handedly, and has only let a few cargo planes-worth of food of humanitarian supplies into the country. These past few days have been critical to the survival of untold numbers of people, but in Myanmar, the government doesn’t seem too concerned.
