Before I say anything on this, let me first say that the scenes coming back from China in the wake of the earthquake are truly awful. But the very fact that we can see scenes of the tragedy - and especially those of collapsed schools - means that our attention has turned all too quickly away from the catastrophe still unfolding in Burma.
Be it the media's preference for a powerful image or our greater interest in China in the current climate, the Chinese earthquake is the big story. That may not be a surprise given that as many as 50,000 people may have been killed. But while the death toll in Burma could top 100,000, the repressive actions of the junta could see millions die from disease. That is where our attention should be - even if the images are harder to come by.
There are good reporters in Burma, but even those who somehow managed to find a way in, either by guile or sheer dumb luck, are sometimes not able to report very much due to their whereabouts, or the fact that they are in great personal danger.
For all our huffing and puffing about the junta, it seems their tactics are working well. Nothing comes in, and nothing comes out. With it be aid, TV cameras, or medicines. But we should not be so easily dissuaded from holding focus on their oppressive regime.
All our focus should be on Burma - the crisis has inadvertently created new tension among the local population that may not come about again for a generation. And if the international community allow it, literally millions could die needlessly. We cannot say we have not been warned.
Michael,
Do you have any suggestion on what we can *do*?
Posted by: Mark_IV | Friday, 16 May 2008 at 07:24 PM