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From The Times

May 7, 2008

Burma cyclone: up to 50,000 dead and millions homeless, but still no call for aid

Myanmars Prime Minister Thein Sein (C) meets cyclone-affected people during a visit to a village in the Irrawaddy Delta region on May 5, 2008

Kenneth Denby in Rangoon

Even before you set foot in Burma, as the aircraft begins its descent towards Rangoon airport, it is obvious that something appalling has happened. Usually, the Irrawaddy delta is a land of deep and varied greens — the rice and vegetable fields, the river banks and the tropical trees that shade the towns and villages. But today the landscape is dominated by a different colour — the thick enveloping brown of river mud.

It fills the swollen rivers and creeks and lies in a sticky blanket over vast areas of rice paddy. Ponds have been turned into brown lakes, meadows have become marshes and somewhere down there are millions of people whose lives were overturned on Saturday by a rising tide of brown water.

Every day, the extent of the destruction caused by Cyclone Nargis has been revised upwards, from alarming to grim to disastrous — and yesterday it became clear that this is not just a local, but an historic catastrophe. Foreign aid workers in Rangoon have concluded that as many as 50,000 people died in last Saturday’s cyclone, and two to three million are homeless, the worst disaster in the country’s modern history, and of a scale comparable with the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

The people’s plight is not helped by the disposition of their Government. Running the country on a combination of internal repression and xenophobia, the junta seems not to have made up its mind that this is a tragedy that it cannot remedy on its own.

It certainly was not too concerned when the cyclone approached the Burmase coast. A spokesman for the Indian Meteorological Department revealed yesterday that it had given Burma two days’ warning of Cyclone Nargis. “Forty-eight hours before Nargis struck, we indicated its point of crossing \, its severity and all related issues to Burmese agencies,” he said. Weather systems in the Bay of Bengal are tracked by India by satellite.

As the generals dithered, President Bush made a direct appeal to the regime yesterday, urging it to open up to foreign aid and offering the assistance of the US Navy, which had two ships within two days’ sailing time of Burma. Bernard Kouchner, the French Foreign Minister, accused the junta of placing conditions on aid. Britain pledged £5 million and offered an emergency field team to the country.

The latest official death toll was 22,500, according to Burmese state media. But even after three days there has been no comprehensive survey. Assuming that there are many casualties to be revealed, and that a significant proportion of the 41,000 listed as “missing” are dead, the final toll will be much higher.

“We’re looking at 50,000 dead and millions of homeless,” Andrew Kirkwood, country director of the British charity Save The Children told The Times. “I’d characterise it as unprecedented in the history of Burma and on an order of magnitude with the effect of the tsunami on individual countries. There might well be more dead than the tsunami caused in Sri Lanka.”

In New York yesterday, the Burmese Government formally asked the UN for help. But in other ways it remains resistant to the most obvious and basic assistance. According to its own figures at least 10,000 died in one obscure town alone, Bogalay, 75 miles southwest of Rangoon.

Seven townships have been designated as “priority one” disaster areas, because between 90 and 95 per cent of the buildings have been destroyed. “Anything less than 60 per cent destroyed is not being counted as a priority at this stage by the Government,” Mr Kirkwood said. “That gives some indication of the scale of the problem.”

And yet three days after the cyclone, which swept the Irrawaddy delta with winds as high as 160mph and drove before it a storm surge 7.5 metres high, there is still no co-ordinated relief effort. Last night, the UN World Food Programme said that it had begun distributing food in hard-to-reach areas, but the difficulty of providing prompt and meaningful assistance remains a key concern.

Even as the cyclone was blowing itself out, the UN’s acting boss in Rangoon, Chris Kaye, was pressing the Government to receive a humanitarian team trained to make rapid judgments about the needs of survivors. Yesterday, permission had still not been granted.

UN and charity staff are still waiting for visas to enter Burma. Foreign journalists are barred from openly operating and the thinness of press and television coverage makes it all the harder for charities to raise money.

The sheer physical difficulties of penetrating the delta region pose another problem. Three million people live there but with few roads and much water, transport has always been slow, relying on boats that travel the rivers, canals and channels known as the “mouths of the Irrawaddy”. The cyclone destroyed an uncounted number of boats, as well as inundating roads and tracks.

Short distances from Rangoon, the biggest city, and home to most of its expatriate aid workers, are towns where almost no houses remain, where people are living in the open without clean water, power or food. The few aid workers who have overflown the stricken areas in military helicopters report corpses clogging the fields. The human need is acute and yet no one with the capacity to provide full and co-ordinated help can get near. Reflecting the scale of the crisis, the junta said that it would postpone in the worst-hit areas a constitutional referendum — the “roadmap to democracy” — but the rest of the nation would vote as planned on Saturday.

Even in Rangoon, which came off relatively lightly, the extent of the destruction is breathtaking. Every road in the city is littered with fallen trees. The lightest houses, of wood and corrugated iron, blew away; heavier ones sustained broken windows, lost tiles and were damaged by trees that crashed into them like battering rams.

The people hurt the most are the people who began with the least. In North Okkalopa township, the usually sluggish Nga Moe Yeik creek turned into a torrent and washed away parts of the shantytowns on its banks, forcing thousands to take shelter in two schools. Many work as day labourers in factories in other parts of the city but the cost of fuel means that the bus fare now exceeds the daily wages.

Thousands of cars form half-mile queues across the city, waiting up to six hours for the ration of two gallons of petrol. Few people have water, because the electricity that drives the pumping stations is down. At night the few big hotels and expatriate apartments fire up lights from generators. Elsewhere and far down through the delta to the Andaman Sea: darkness.

1 - why do they still insist on rebuilding in the Delta instead of building homes up on the sides on the hills and transporting to work in fields near the Delta?

2 - I expect the ultra rich Arab coutries in the Persian Gulf to be the first to donate money for aid all over ther world.

judith c. leigh ne'eman, Jerusalem, Israel

Let all those aid agencies who are waiting to go in to Burma to assist with this disaster, into the country without delay.
It 's time this junta put it's people needs at the forfront. People need to think about their next meal, "not going to the poll" on 10th may. Cancel it!

Bennison, London, U.K

China-bashers should know that China pledged $1 million aid (50% goods, 50% cash) early on, delivered on site, no strings attached, when Laura Bush was promising just 250,000, and with the usual rap over the knuckles. You can donate www.dec.org.uk to support NGOs already there and active

Phyu, London, UK

Right Barbara, Cleveland, like the U.S. didn't ignore people from New Orleans when they went through a hurricane. It took us 5 days to get a good amount of aid down there. Standards of civilation indeed. That's some kind of xenophobia you've got going there. Maybe it's you that missed the clue.

Soucitny, Midwest, US

This is a time for prayer ... prayer for the repressors and dictators. Remember J says: pray for those who persecute you.

Jack, austin,tx, USA

Maybe Steve from London will be on the subway next time mother nature strikes.

Bill, Warren, USA

CATA said: "Send the UN military along with the aid Now"!

Hate to tell ya this Cata, but the UN doesn't have a military, they rely on the US military for the majority of their work and money.

Rich B, Memphis, USA

Perhaps the USA can have a WAR on WEATHER and get rid of this nasty mother nature once and for all.

I give that 2 mins before someone registers that domain dot com..

Steve, London, UK

I totally agree with Dave S, San Francisco. When will China be held to the same standard of civilization as the U.S.A.? As long as there are Americans like Dave, Charlestown, US who hate our country without a clue this will continue.

Barbara, Cleveland, USA / Georgia

* Inexorable global warming produces more energetic and deadly weather. Expect more of the same.

* 'Free' regimes fall when disasters decimate their states. Dictatorships just increase repression and ride out the storms. Expect more dictators.

* The powerful will do *anything* to remain so.

Ric Carter, Volcano, California, USA

Send the UN military along with the aid Now!

Cata, San Felipe, Mexico

People need to quit politicizing this event. They don't compare - The locals in New Orleans were told to evacuate by local weather/govt and they didn't. The Burmese weren't even given that luxury by their oppressive regime, which needs to be removed from power.

Tony, Tulsa, USA

Peter, the sea level hasn't risen, and the land hasn't been lost, just covered with mud and temporarily ruined. The tragedy is the loss of life, and the tyrannical government. Fewer people and stronger governments is just what the global warming crowd want, which is why they promote a non-truth.

Mary P, San Antonio,

I don't know much about foreign politics; I don't pretend to. But I know basic human kindness - and that should always transcend base political feelings. I don't have the money to send, or the opportunity to travel and help. And I don't pray. But I will hope, regime or not, things get better.

Bill, Milwaukee, USA

Once again, it shows the ignorance of how exceptional the US and UK truely are. Despite the appeals to provide assistance, the "Junta" has not welcomed our aid. It may be a human tragedy, but why should we be obligated to help people who don't want our help.

Dan, Chicago, USA

Love the conspiracy theories regarding Katrina and then the GW hoax causing this..this was a natural disaster, the only thing man kind has done to make this or Katrina worse is the failure of the local Gov't to respond. Expect more of this in the future due to poor judgement and lack of common sense

Howie, Tulsa, OK, USA

China borders on to Burma. If they are serious about becoming a responsible nation on the world stage then they should be co-operating and helping with the International Relief Effort right now. Not a word so far. No selfish advantage equals no motivation I suppose.

Boris, Belgravia, London

Wow! Chris, you are pretty brutal! The US is trying to help, because we realize that we are more fortunate than many people on this earth. And if we have to clean up messes, it's because some Countries have greedy governments, who don't care about their people. It's called helping out a neighbor.

Susan , El Paso, USA

Although any tragedy is terrible and I feel bad for the loss of life, helping regimes who do nothing for their people is propping them up. Starve your people, get free food. Build sub-standard housing, get free tents. Ignore warnings 2 days ahead, get free disaster teams. It has to stop.

Charlie Wiggins, New York, NY

Strange how these 48 hours warnings never get to the ground before the accient, the same happened with the Sunarmi.

It's a natural disaster, what is to hide?

They had 48 hous to plan for this, they should have been ready with there full army to resue and rebuild from day 1.

Andrew, England, UK,

I feel for the Burmese people who were not warned of this disaster by their atrocious government which is ruled by a reclusive dictator. The people are not being allowed assistance by the international community which truly seeks to help. It is sad, very sad.

Washington Bellamy, Washington, D.C., USA

Why is it that people think that the US should try and clean up everyone's mess? That's why our country is going the way of the dinosaur. We are so busy trying to be the world police that we forget about our own country. It's about time we start worrying about our own issues.

chris, haaren, germany

The Burmese government reportdely didn't broadcast storm warnings.

And now, they're refusing most foreign aid.

These two acts cost thousands of lives that could have been saved.

This may be the spark that will start a revolution that overthrows the military dictatorship.

Joseph Gallant, Norwood, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

In a typical American response I think it is time for thye world to to help terminate the tenure of the goverment in Burma and replace it with someone who puts the needs of his people before his requirment to maintain power

Don Miller, Oklahoma City, USA

When a catastrophe happens, we all must act!

When someone is drowning, there is no waiting for permission from the "irresponsible lifeguard watching it all happen."

Everyone must dive down and help save those in need now.

So send bottled water, people to clear roads, and international aid today!

Jeffrey Hellman, Ithaca, US

Bruce from Long Island - There is absolutely no reason what so ever to politicize this tragedy. What happened in Myanmar is horrific and has nothing to do with what happened here in the US. The failure in New Orleans was the local government. Not any conspiracy of the oil companies.

Jerry, Detroit, USA

Its amazing how so many people have so little class, and use this tragedy to make snarky comments about their own favorite political enemies or causes.

mr. bill, Los Angeles,

This is a warning to us all, sea level rise plus storms means catastrophic loss of land. Much of this land will never produce rice again, food for tens of millions.

Watch the price of rice jump again!

The English fens will be next...

Peter Dawe, Ely, UK

Our prayers can be the only thing worthy of mention after such a disaster. May God soften the hearts of this government to accept much needed help, otherwise the catastrophe will continue indefinately.

Hayley Hibbert, Christchurch, New Zealand

Why is China never leading a relief effort in Asia? I thought they had the big booming economy, and are always demanding the world's respect for their emerging dominance. Well, show us what you're made of China!

Dave S, San Francisco,

The fact that the military junta dithered as people died is appaling. I hope that this finally does them in.

Ko Rob, washington, dc,

Thank you very much for many comments from other countries. There is many of people are still missing. Let pray Burma people.

Thanks a lots.

Edward Chen, Yangon, Myanmar

God bless and help these poor people in their time of great and urgent need.
Katrina saw the world's most rich and powerful nation plot to evict the blacks that lived in New Orleans to enable the Big Oil Companies to steal the oil under the city and the Gulf, that will bring huge amounts of money

BRUCE, long beach, california usa

I wonder if we'll send people over there? I hope if we do, we are not forced to stay off land (on ships) like we did courtesy of the religion of peace and tolerance in the aftermath of the Tsumani of 2004.

Rich, St. Louis, USA

Hey, they may have killed tens of thousands of people through criminal negligence, but at least the Burmese junta isn't Israel. If they were, you'd have to criticize them, boycott them, and slander them!

Noah, New York, NY, USA

How can I feel so detached from such a terrible disaster, "wake up" Junta!

Tom, Swindon, England

I was in Burma in March 2007 and found the people beautiful, gentle and amazing. It is an experience I will never forget. To know that a lot of these people are now suffering at the hands of an outdated and irresponsible regime is absolutely disgusting to me. Something has to be done!!

Dayle, Sydney, Australia

I am truly sorry for the loss felt by the Burmese, it's so unfair. And I hope Aung San Suu Kyi is alright there... seems we have to wait for a few days to know that she's safe and sound. But I hope that this natural disaster somehow opens the door for a better Burma - without an inhumane junta.

Icha, Townsville,

No difference between how Burma reacted and the local officials in New Orleans for Katrina, I guess. But blame it all on the US government anyway.

Dave, Charlestown, US

Burma/Myanmar and Zimbabwe: two birds of a feather. The ruling elite doesn't give a hoot about their people.

D.F.A. von Jettmar, Fort Worth, TX, U.S.A.

Well, now the Burmese know that 50,000 people can disappear in one day from a simple storm. Is it too much of a price to pay to form a human tidal wave and overwhelm the inhuman tyrants who could care less less about them? I doubt if 50,000 people would die overthrowing the government.

Rang Toon Abu, Rangooon,

Maybe Laura Bush can go over and help after the weekend wedding.

Dr. Cheney, Washington D.C., U.S.

shows totally lack of concern for human life

steve, Alexandria, usa

1) There will be many companies hoping to "assist" the rebuilding of Burma with nice contracts, in a manner similar to New orleans and that other area that the Tsunami hit in 2006. 2)Governments will be flocking to aid the "poor" country even though its leaders repress it. Poor civilians........

j smith, scotland, england

Once again we have the painful example of a closed and oppressive regime perfectly willing to let the world see first hand how little they value the lives of their people

Ann, Detroit Lakes,