In My Opinion (Op Ed)
May 20, 2008
Letter to the Editor
The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY
Disaster and Genocide in Burma
Mr. Malik was absolutely correct in his article. As the world has ignored the Darfur crisis, so is it ignoring the Burma Cyclone Disaster. Even much worse is the long term persecution and genocide of the Burmese people, since 1962 when the Generals took over after the British left. I have known about this since I arrived in East Pakistan/Bangladesh in 1963. And I recently returned from a visit to Mai Sot Town in Thailand, near the Burmese border. I visited several Burmese Refugee Camps and talked to the people about their plight and flight from their country. The Army bulldozes whole villages, shooting, injuring, and killing the people who did not run for their lives, since 1986. There are over 150,000 Refugees in Thailand, and thousands are still coming every year. Since last year, many Refugees are immigrating to the US and Louisville, via the UN and the US State Department. They are the lucky ones, but why?
Burma is rich in rice, precious stones, teak timber, soil, people, and even oil. But it all goes to the military rulers. China and Russia are their primary supporters with trade and weapons. Myanmar is the world’s second largest provider of drugs. It has 110 Tribal groups with a 3,000 year history, mostly from the Tibet area. The Cyclone destroyed Burma’s rice bowl! The country will loose at least two crops, and the farmers have lost their food and cash crops, plus ability to farm! An adult eats 17 pounds of rice each month.
Having worked in Bangladesh for years, early on I said this could reach at least 200,000, with the aftermath of starvation and disease. In my lifetime of global work, I have never seen a government not quickly struggle to aid and save their people from a hurricane or earthquake disaster, until now. Compare this to what Communist China is doing for there earthquake victims. But why am I not surprised? The ruthless military government is doing just a little, trying to prevent International direct action. If we can go thundering into another country for whatever, surely we can go into a country for urgent humanitarian reasons, to save the starving and dying after a Cyclone! What about International Law of Human Rights? Why do we have the UN, and where are American human rights and Christian ethical values now? The clock is ticking, and it is now time for immediate international direct aid to all the villages. The Military Junta is only and totally interested in saving themselves, their wealth, and total control, as always!
J. Howard Teel
7309 Maria Avenue
Louisville, KY 40222
(502) 326-9046
JHTCMT@aol.com