Chellis Yang alerted me to this blog out of China. Shanghaiist, which is normally dedicated to music and nightlife, is now running up-to-date information on the rescue effort following last week’s terrible earthquake. Also, more on Burma from the BBC. And an interesting article on the very different responses from the Burmese and Chinese governments to their two natural disasters.
Burma
Burma, China
The aid is there, but the people can’t get it. Early reports out of Burma last week revealed that the military junta–infamous for decades of oppression, censorship, and murder, and in the news again last fall for brutally squelching civilian protests–was seizing food and supplies that came into the country in the aftermath of the cyclone. Now, reports have surfaced that government officials continue to seize aid and are lining their pockets by selling it in the market to desperate civilians. Think Katrina times thousands. While New Orleans paid the price for a stunning level of governmental incompetence and...
Burma Digest
The death toll in Myanmar (Burma) from the cyclone is now at 22,000. During the government crackdown in September and October, I linked to several blogs within the country that reported on the imprisonment and beating of monks and other protesters. In the wake of the cyclone, however, it’s difficult to find up-to-the-minute blogs out of Burma, likely in large part because the storm wreaked havoc with basic infrastructure. Burma Digest, however, is still posting. A chilling post from today. (I’m copying the entirety of the post here, as the link to the post on Burma Digest is no...
Missing in Burma
If you’ve been paying attention only to American media, you might have sort of forgotten about Burma. But the BBC reports that thousands are likely missing, including entire families, and citizens are living in fear of further arrests, beatings, and torture. They worry for the safety of their family members who have been rounded up and put into prison for the crime of protesting the junta. This article provides some background to the protests. Read about the plight of the imprisoned monks here.
Pulling the Plug
The government in Burma has cut off internet access, seized cell phones, and destroyed land lines in an attempt to stop the flow of information out of the country during the junta’s violent crackdown on peaceful protesters. Over the last several days, many bloggers have reported on soldiers shooting into the crowds, posting first-hand accounts and photographs of the protests. (See the blog by a young Burmese woman named Dawn). The BBC has been publishing emails like this from residents inside Rangoon and other parts of the country: Now all the internet connections and phone lines are cut. The...
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