The New York Times is reporting on Myanmar's leaders and their spin on recovery for the disaster-torn country. The link: http://video.on.nytimes.com/?fr_story=a9ce8b417c79aebe736894bb87cb53fe2c56ac06 shares how images of relief generated by the Myanmar govt. play into a need for self preservation and stability of the government.
I spoke to a civic leader whose son is located in the area. This young man is excited to returni, yes returni, to Myanmar for the purpose of recording the story.
The expression on this very caring, intelligent leader was one of concern. The parent told the son that it presented an ethical dilemma. The parent argued that any food and sustenance needed by the son would be one less ration for a native of the country. This no doubt would be true in a boundary situation where resources are utterly depleted by transportation and infrastructure damage. The counter argument to that is every piece of credible information getting out to the world MAY bring humanitarian aid more swiftly. It would be no less dire for the fact the government finds this disaster an internal and external crisis spinning even further out of control.
How mad must leaders be when they choose deception of humanitarian gestures for fear of international reprisal? Let's see how do you make a bad situation even worse and potentially lose public sympathy? This seems like a tragic situation that borders on genocidal negligence. Disease will likely spread very quickly, if the early reports of loss of life are moderately accurate. And such disease could spread beyond the country's borders, depending on the vectors involved.
Time is of the essence. The United Nations is getting involved. Still, it would be a good time for national leaders to speak out forcefully, and this would occur if not for the distraction of other Middle East campaigns and a certain political Presidential cycle in full fervor. And so it goes, I believe K. Vonnegut noted.
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