Re: U.N. 'furious' as Myanmar aid 'seized'

On May 9, 7:19=EF=BF=BDpm, bmo...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 wrote:
> On May 9, 3:49=EF=BF=BDpm, PaPaPeng <PaPaP...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>
> > On Fri, 9 May 2008 14:47:02 -0700 (PDT), bmo...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 wrote:
> > >What if only one grain of rice reaches the people? You're saying that
> > >no matter how shameless and horrible the junta is, we should bend
over
> > >backwards to comply with their edicts, even if it means more people
> > >will die. Sovereignty is im****tant but in so is saving lives,
arguably
> > >moreso in this case. It's too bad the junta is in charge. They don't
> > >deserve to be.
>
> > This is a human disaster not a morality play. =EF=BF=BDThere is no
place=
 for
> > good and evil battles. =EF=BF=BDDo what is possible first and that is
to=
 get
> > drinking water food and shelter, medical supplies to the disaster
> > site. =EF=BF=BDWho gets the supplies is irrelevant at this moment.
=EF=
=BF=BDThe
> > im****tant thing is to get the stuff there on the ground. =EF=BF=BDThen
a=
rgue
> > about the fairness and the morality of allocation. =EF=BF=BD
>
> OK, but if there is a way to put pressure on the junta not to behave
> as they have been behaving, and get more aid to the people and have
> more trained personnel involved, it would save lives. Having trained
> professionals involved could make a world of difference.
>
> > If the regime is stupid enough to hoard the supplies only for itself
> > then the anger of the people will have a unstoppable basis to topple
> > the regime with. By then their lives are already written off and dying
> > with a bullet is better than their families and themselves slowly
> > starving to death. =EF=BF=BDThe ordinary army =EF=BF=BDranks will
certai=
n not sup****t
> > a regime that immoral for their own families will also die in the
> > disaster.
>
> You might be right. Though the junta might see to it that the military
> and their families are well-fed, even if the rest of the people are
> not. If I were a murderous dictator mainly interested in keeping power
> that's what I might do. Of course, if foreign aid workers were present
> it would be much harder for the junta to get away with that. That may
> be one reason they want to keep foreigners out.

I agree with your *****sment. But I would add that the regime is built
upoon paranoia and unyeilding xenophobia.

CKSF