The aftermath of the devastating cyclone in Burma could be more deadly than the storm itself, according to officials attempting to get aid into the Southeast Asian country.

Though the cyclone hit on Saturday, leaving 22,000 dead according to the latest count, aid has only just begun to trickle in as some agencies have managed to get into the military-run nation.

The death toll may continue to rise unless the borders are opened, CTV's Steve Chao, reporting from Thailand, told Canada AM.

"There are hundreds of thousands of people that have been without food, clean water and shelter for days now," Chao said. It is very hot and there's a real concern about water-borne disease. According to one UN official the fear is the aftermath could be much more lethal than the storm itself."

CTV

What a bunch of cowards! The military regime is delaying aid to it's citizens at the most crucial time as disease is going to hit next. They are so afraid of dissidents that they seem to be willing to sacrifice their own people to assuade their paranoia, much like the North Koreans and others. The whole world is at their doorstep willing to help and they won't welcome them in. May they rot in hell. *sigh*

Aid agencies are furious over the Myanmar government's refusal to allow them to distribute food and supplies flown in for cyclone disaster victims.

The ruling military junta has been allowing planes to land, but is not letting the cargo be distributed by most foreign aid workers, especially those from Western nations.

The United Nations issued a "flash appeal" Friday to raise $187.3 million in cyclone relief for Myanmar based assessments by more than 20 organizations. It includes $56 million for food, nearly $50 million for logistics and about $20 million for shelter.

The Asia head of the U.N. World Food Program said Friday that the government had seized the contents of two flights that arrived in the morning at Yangon which carried enough food for 95,000 people. They contained 38 tons of high-energy biscuits, medical kits and other items.

"We off-loaded the food, and then the authorities refused us permission to take that food away," WFP director Tony Banbury said.

CNN.com

Guess where that aid is going to? I can't express how furious I am at this! For once Bush, get it right and invade Burma!

augie wrote:

Guess where that aid is going to? I can't express how furious I am at this! For once Bush, get it right and invade Burma!

I actually wondered about this this morning. Should the UN overthrow the Burmese government to get aid to the people?

I don't think the US should commit any troops though because sometimes things that start of a UN approved liberation turn into an 'illegal invasion'. Furthermore, I don't think we can spare any troops.

gries818 wrote:

augie wrote: Guess where that aid is going to? I can't express how furious I am at this! For once Bush, get it right and invade Burma! I actually wondered about this this morning. Should the UN overthrow the Burmese government to get aid to the people? I don't think the US should commit any troops though because sometimes things that start of a UN approved liberation turn into an 'illegal invasion'. Furthermore, I don't think we can spare any troops.

I was just venting and ranting on the impotency of the UN and the idiocy of the Burmese military though I understand the need for sovereignty for every culture/imaginary border.

I don't know Will, the Somalian 'intervention' was a disaster, no one can get into the Sudan area or if they can, it's just too big of an area. What is one supposed to do?

obviously their military is retarded, and incompetent.... i am no doctor, but sounds like they are in need of a psychiatric exam too... I mean seriously who lets their people die from hunger and water born diseases, when they are being offered help?

Augie, you may have been venting, I am serious... we should invade, and HELP those people. i would send money if i knew they would get it.

c0ldfyr3 wrote:

obviously their military is retarded, and incompetent.... i am no doctor, but sounds like they are in need of a psychiatric exam too... I mean seriously who lets their people die from hunger and water born diseases, when they are being offered help? Augie, you may have been venting, I am serious... we should invade, and HELP those people. i would send money if i knew they would get it.

People who are miscalculating their options.

After many years of US political interference and support for militia against the military government, can you really blame them for being so suspicious of US and others motives?

I'm not saying the military government is good for the country. It's a brutal self-serving regime raping the country of its oil wealth which it is selling of to China, India and any other state that will take it, using the most inefficient means to extract what it can and using the proceeds to repress any attempts at democracy.

to my understanding they are cowards, ignorant and arrogant. however, the one thing nobody wants to do at a point like this is criticism. western governments picked a tragic event to insult and criticize the government. and i know no government would accept gifts that accompanied such amount of disrespect

nobody is going to free that country from the corrupt military gangs. they should fight to live or die