Mike, Nottm, UK

A country means both govt and people. Can there by a govt without people or people without govt.? Britain?
Why do u think people will rise against their Govt.?B'cos they are strict, clamp down on protest? refuse to democratise?Yes they may rebel with the instigation of the west.

Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Lim

So if the Burmese people rebel against the despotic Junta will you call them terrorists and rioters as you called the Tibetans who protested against China's occupation ?

Mike, Nottm, GB

Dilip Dhokia, Bradford, UK

Your are quite right. Hunger don't differentiate where food comes from. I think we need to stop the hassle of who and how the aid is to be delivered to the victims. It was agreed that Asean member countries (10 in all) wld lead the distribution of aid. Action not talk.

Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

A hungry child won't give a damn whether aid comes from the east or the west, or from Planet Mars for that matter!
All goverments have ulterior motives. Aid agencies like the ICRC and Oxfam do not. Let them do their job in Myanmar!

Dilip Dhokia, Bradford, UK

Mike, Nottm, UK

"election" is a democratic process. How can the govt be elected if it is not yet a democratic country. Many Asian countries govt were not elected but they are not doing badly either. Your democratic govts. are not doing too well are they?
I say for sure the Junta will change.

Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

"When and how democracy ideals are tobe adopted must be decided only by the country concerned and not by west dictation."

In the case of Burma the goverment was never elected, the Junta will not change because to change would mean to loose power.

Mike, Nottm, UK

"When and how democracy ideals are tobe adopted must be decided only by the country concerned"

When you say 'country' do you mean the people or the goverment in power. If the Burmese rose up against the Junta would they be criminals and rioters in your eyes or freedom fighters?

Mike, Nottm, UK

Mike, Nottm, UK
(1)
Some of my comments have not been posted. I repeat I am not against democracy. What I am against is Western interference and pressure on existing govts. When and how democracy ideals are tobe adopted must be decided only by the country concerned and not by west dictation.

Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Mike, Nottm, UK

I have neither said that a dictatorship is better. In whose view is a govt labelled as dictatorship. Western eyes? Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Maybe evil is also in the eyes of the beholder. Nothing is perfect. The junta needs to change and they will but not by the west

Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

S.Rameswaran, london, uk

My brother, the West seemingly protrays itself as a global policeman but usually only in places where it has vital interest, especially in oil riched countries and in countries surrounding China. It is bent on world dominance.
D world must be alert and unite to survive.

Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Why not western unilateral humanitarian aid to the Tamils in Sri Lanka, to the people of . It seems the west have treacherous designs on Burman's energy and mineral resources to meet their ever increasing demand.

S.Rameswaran, london, uk

Lim

Democracy means giving people some say over who governs them, it's not perfect of course but I'm curious as to what you find so objectionable about it ?

Why is a dictatorship better ?

Mike, Nottm, UK

Htun Aung Gyaw, Rangoon, Burma

My brother, Don't get me wrong. Asian countries have airlifted aid to your country. As individuals we have also donated.
I wld like d world to help but it seem that your Govt only agree to Asean and some Asian help in the field. Better less talk more haste 2 save.

Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Dear Myanmarese brothers and sisters,
Let your beloved country learn from the Chinese. See how they reacted to the earthquake. The Chinese is winning worldwide praise. The West had nothing but criticism on the Chinese Govt. but see the unity and love now shown by the Chinese people on their Govt.

Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

My Myanmarese brothers and sisters,
You should love your country but you should be careful how it is to progress and prosper. China and Vietnam are examples of countries rising up not based on Western type of democracy. What about Laos and Kampuchea? They are moving up too. So your Myanmar can too.

Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Aung, Coventry, UK

Brother Aung, if a natural disaster struck my country I believe it would accept aid without conditions. Unfortunately your Govt has some conditions. They accept aid but not the relief workers which the West insisted on. Such haggling and threats will not help your people.

Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Mike, Nottm, UK

So you do have problems too. starving elderlys? This is awful.
What happened to those phrases/proverbs like: God help those who help themselves and charity begins at home??
Why go and meddle in Myanmar so many thousand of miles from home.
Luckily a solution is found for Myanmar

Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Lim,
You like to see Asian only have a rights to help Burma . People are dying in Burma, my people not yours and you want to see this desperate situation will be handle by Asians. How much do your government provide our cyclone victims.

Htun Aung Gyaw, Rangoon, Burma

Dear SusanC

It will be a cold day in hell before the Junta helps anyone but themselves, perhaps you could send us for food parcels yourself for our 'starving elderly'!

Mike, Nottm, UK

I look forward to a story about Burmese nationals parachuting into Britain to feed chicken and rice dinners to the elderly who are slowly starving to death in those so-called 'care homes'...

SusanC, New York City, NY, USA

Mike from Nottingham cites the West's fear of upsetting China as the reason for their apparent inaction. If this is true, our we prepared to sacrifice millions of people, just because Beijing may not like us 'interfering' in their backyard???
Surely, humanitarian concerns must take priority.

Dilip Dhokia, Bradford, UK

Dear Lim

I am not sure you'd say the same if it were happening in your country. I am from Burma and I love my country, I want its soverign protected but I will 100% support the intervention as this junta is
worse than any tyrants on earth.

Aung, Coventry, UK

R Taylor, Nottingham
(3) I made no mention of the Tsunami. While on it, both the West and Asian countries helped alot. During hurricane Katrina in US, Asian countries did offer aid to the US. It is a 2 way traffic.
Giving aid is humane but the way u intend to go about it is not desirable.

Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

I am happy for the Myanmarese. Asean countries have come into the picture. It is a good start. The West should lay off and see how Asians solve their own problems. China has set an example. 3 days of mourning for victims. Myanmar followed suit. Myanmar will change albeit gradually for its people.

Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

My western friends, we Asians are human too. It pains our heart when there is suffering in the world. V were horrified seeing 9/11. V felt sick seeing the scenes of Hurricane Katrina and of course pain exceeds words in the Sichuan earth quake and the Myanmar cyclone.
V have our way, u yours.

Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

How much more foot dragging needs to go on? Until 2.5 million people are dead? So the West can then turn round and say, "Well, we tried our best." The situation is truly appalling and all people can do is talk

keith wallis, hong kong,

Has anyone heard of the expression " a day late, and a dollar short ". The US Marines have very large hovercraft that could take thousands of tons ashore. There are also thousands of smaller hovercraft around the world that could be used. Try the Singapore Navy for starters.

Desmond Taylor, Houston, USA Tx

One of the reasons the west is reluctant to take action is fear of upsetting China (sound familiar) who has a strong economic interest in the area (an oil line through Burma)

Mike, Nottm, GB

To Lim in Malaysia who says 'So please back off and let Asia settle this issue' The west would happily back off if Asean had not done nothing - Asean will be largely to blame after this is over for dilly-dallying and sitting it out. It's shameful.

John scott, Leeds, UK

funny how there is no invasion of Burma planned to oust those in charge.
would it have been the same if Burma was sitting on big oil reserves such as Iraq?

mike, nottingham,

The situation will only worsen, Lim? I fail to see how it could get any worse. Fact of the matter is that the Generals don't care if their people live or die, so long as they save 'face'. If the neighbouring Asian countries can't put anything together, then we should certainly try and get aid in.

Stu, Leicester,

Air drop? Consistent and non-stop rattling is not going to do any good to the misery of Burmese and those who keep watching it world wide. If the WEST cannot do anything, better to back off and stop shouting about humanism. Let the Burmese look after themselves.

J. Mathew, London,

How do the Junta rationalise their actions to themselves? What possible logic are they applying? The Junta had opportunity to slightly redeem itself in the eyes of the world by opening the doors to humanitarian aid. Instead they show the utmost contempt for their own in order to protect themselves.

Andrew Warwick, Shanghai, China

Lim, should the west, in your opinion, have 'let Asia settle' the issue of the Tsunami??? Furthermore, i do not believe that delivering humanitarian aid to the region constitutes 'interfering'. Why are 'most countries' suspicious of this nefarious entitiy YOU refer to as the 'West'?

R Taylor, Nottingham,

I strongly believe that aid teams should be led by Asean,Asian and UN. That is the best solution at this juncture.
Not only is the Junta suspicious of the West, most countries are. The situation will only worsen if the West insists on interfering. So please back off and let Asia settle this issue

Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Is the 'junta composed of madmen?

Jerry Scroggin, Phoenix, Arizona/USA