Bush Administration Accused of Spurring Myanmar/Burma Regime's Hostility to Relief efforts.

LA Times  U.S. scolding of Myanmar leaders comes under fire

The belligerence may have made the regime suspicious of outside aid.  (Especially after our "human rights" and WMD driven invasion of Iraq, I think we can assume.)

Excerpt:

"For the humanitarian purpose, you have to put politics aside and say unequivocally that we want to help," said Joel Charny, vice president for policy at Refugees International, a Washington-based advocacy group. "We know the Burmese generals are going to be suspicious. We shouldn't be taking an approach that's going to make it more likely that backs get up and doors remain closed."

 And I wonder if the next quotee speaks English with a Korean accent.  I know Secretary General Ban Ki Moon is very concerned about the Myanmar situation.

A senior United Nations official, who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue, said, "It is certainly not helpful."

And maybe the message is getting through: 

 White House officials denied that comments by top administration figtres have set back the relief effort. But as the week progressed, the rhetoric appeared to cool.

Wednesday, Stephen Hadley, Bush's national security advisor, noted the Myanmar government was blocking the entry of nearly all international aid workers, not just those from U.S. agencies. But he refrained from further criticism, saying, "I don't want to politicize this."

More deep irony at link above. 

And as I mentioned in the comments there, the price paid for a heavily beaded Oscar De La Renta wedding dress and horrid mother of the bride number could have fed a lot of third world people, with or without the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis.

tags: myanmar  burma  jennas wedding  oscar de la renta  

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