Is it Time to Forcibly Overthrow the Myanmar Junta?
With millions of people in desperate need of international aid, and thugs with rifles refusing the assistance, the question that should remain on the tips of everyone's tongues is: is the sovereign rights of the junta worth the lives of the hundreds of thousands who will die without this medical care? The obvious answer should be no - and therefore it is time to begin seriously considering bringing the aid in by force: and what's more, seeing to the end of the military regime.
This is not the first time in recent days that the military government has become the highlight of international news, as their brutal response to a peaceful protest by Buddhist monks was looked upon with disgust by a global community that once more sat by and did nothing as the death tolls rose while Myanmar troops "restored order" by firing machine guns into crowded and busy streets, justifying their attacks in the only way they felt appropriate: cold silence.
This marks the second time in twelve months that the world has stood in awe at the simple ferocity of the government that exists without the consent of the people, who is literally snatching humanitarian aid intended for victims of a terrible natural disaster, and turning away others.
The junta insists that it is fully capable of dealing with the disaster itself - which has displaced, according to the World Health Organization, over a million people, who now run the risk of disease and starvation with hundreds of villages literally wiped clean out. Meanwhile, as in most disasters, prices are constantly going up, and with the 2007 removal of subsidies that sparked the Buddhist Monk protests, gas prices which had gone up 100% last year are only going to continue to go up, making energy inaccessible for most Burmese.
With the brutal history of the Myanmar Junta, it ushers questioning if there are ulterior motives for not allowing an international presence in the small nation - particularly the chance to remove many of the "unwanted dissidents" throughout the country in the aftermath of such a disaster. With all eyes on the cyclone, and bodies turning up by the hundreds, no one would think anything of suddenly missing, anti-government critics.
But for all that said - thousands of peoples' deaths are now imminent, thanks to a coup that took place in 1962 - that still exists against the wishes of the people. And meanwhile, for fear of using military force, the world sits by and does nothing. Is it time for the world to grow its collective testosterone back, and simply oust the junta, and replace them a government that can meet the needs of its people?
Published by Chadd De Las Casas
I was born in Valencia, California in 1987. It's ironic that I turned out to be a writer, since my first exposure to it was an essay about why I hate writing. I am also the owner of the Content Producers Wiki. View profile
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13 Comments
Post a CommentI find it more than marginally disgusting that any issue can be turned into an attempt to attack Bush by Musall - Jeff, do you have *anything* else to ever contribute? What are you going to do when he retires?
Well, there isn't alot of oil (or oil money to be made) in Myanmar, so don't look for Mr Bush and company to give a damn. As for the rest of the world, the use of force for good causes is a much less likely prospect given the political climate brought about by o ver zealous and pointless militarism - most especially the US in Iraq and the bluster over Iran. Not only has Bush created far more animosity toward America, he has also damaged the ability of legitimate governments to intervene when a situation like Myanmar develops.
Actually, I was in Baton Rouge, housing refugees, volunteering, and living through the aftermath, where were you?
Your argument that only American aid is aid is atrocious. Where were you when Katrina destroyed your own people in your own land?
Again sir, your contribution - it amounts to nothing, except that you're mad at the notion that the world is aghast the Myanmar is willing to let people die because they don't like where the aid is coming from. Governments that would let people die because they don't like the source of their foreign aid is atrocious. Pure and simple.
If you are so much bothered about giving aid - give it to Red Cross. Don't insist that you have to penetrate into that country. I have no right to throw flowers and gifts into my neighbor's house claiming his wife and kids love me.
I'm not seeing Pack's point, at all - apparently it's okay that they turn away the majority of aid, as long as they accept and seize aid from "non-white skinned people" - is that what's being said here?
4 hrly flights from India by 2 AN transports, they stop in Yangon for inspection then fly from there to affected areas and do airdrops. Chinese flights - data not available, Daily Red Cross Flights since Friday . 2 Indian Ships set sail once their met dept gave warning 48 hours before due to their previous experience with tsunami. 3 ships awaiting berhing. Indonesian ships - data not available. If "White Skinned Countries" don't want to report these on their TVs it is their problem.
Well, Pack, I'm sure a million sick people feel better about turned away U.N. and U.S. aid because three red cross flights made it in.
Excuse me Pack, but even if that is the usual case, that still does not justify the continued existence of an unelected, militaristic dictatorship. Try reading the Declaration of Independece.