Burma impounds UN aid deliveries

[Baaheeduk]

The World Food Programme has halted aid shipments to Burma after the contents of its first delivery were impounded on arrival in the military-ruled country.

The UN body says the Burmese government seized aid material flown in to help victims of the cyclone, which has killed tens of thousands.

The WFP said it had no choice but to halt aid until the matter was resolved.

Burma's ruling generals have faced mounting criticism over their handling of the crisis.

The UN fears more than 1.5 million people have been affected by the cyclone, with tens of thousands made homeless and vulnerable to disease.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7392331.stm

Published: 2008/05/09 12:00:15 GMT

© BBC MMVIII

 

[Munkey]

If their own government has no interest in helping the people why the hell is the whole world bending over backwards to get more aid into Burma?

The whole thing stinks IMO. I do feel sorry for the ordinary people that are woefully being neglected by the very own people that are meant to be looking after them.

 

[Rs2k_Rider]

If their own government has no interest in helping the people why the hell is the whole world bending over backwards to get more aid into Burma?

The whole thing stinks IMO. I do feel sorry for the ordinary people that are woefully being neglected by the very own people that are meant to be looking after them.

My thoughts exactly mate, My grandad spent most his life fighting these fkrs in the burmese jungle... there no different then to now it seems.

Think the generals should leave the pot alone, there enough paranoid already lol !!!

 

[Munkey]

My grandad spent most his life fighting these fkrs in the burmese jungle... there no different then to now it seems.

My granddad fought the same war against the Japs back in 44/45. The stories he used to tell were better than any war film I have ever seen.

 

[Rs2k_Rider]

My granddad fought the same war against the Japs back in 44/45. The stories he used to tell were better than any war film I have ever seen.

wow thats spooky lol.

If your grandad is still with us, ask him if he knows of a para commando called Bill Bailey.
He was very well known and respected, was very senior as well im told.

we dont share the same names so not worried about putting name up lol

 

[nozzer]

There's far too much politics going on here and not all of it is on the Burmese government side.

The Burmese government have refused permission for aid workers to enter the country so why dont the various aid agencies just accept this and do the next best thing and send the supplies WITHOUT the aid workers.

Ok, so the Burmese military may not be as skilled or as set up to deal with distribution but surely getting something through is better than nothing at all getting through.

Why is it that if western aid agencies aren't given total control of a situation then they just pack up there marbles and go home, taking all their aid with them. Are they actually tring to save people or are they just playing politics with people's lives ?

If you are going to offer aid in a disaster situation then it should be unconditional.

 

[Munkey]

wow thats spooky lol.

If your grandad is still with us, ask him if he knows of a para commando called Bill Bailey.
He was very well known and respected, was very senior as well im told.

we dont share the same names so not worried about putting name up lol

He was one of the many Sikhs who fought up there in the jungle. I wasn't aware that too many British soldiers fought there as most were fighting in Europe. Unfortunately he passed away a few months ago so I will be unable to get any more info. From what I have been told of the Sikh forces there not many survived so your granddad must have been a very good and lucky soldier.

There's far too much politics going on here and not all of it is on the Burmese government side.

The Burmese government have refused permission for aid workers to enter the country so why dont the various aid agencies just accept this and do the next best thing and send the supplies WITHOUT the aid workers.

Ok, so the Burmese military may not be as skilled or as set up to deal with distribution but surely getting something through is better than nothing at all getting through.

Why is it that if western aid agencies aren't given total control of a situation then they just pack up there marbles and go home, taking all their aid with them. Are they actually tring to save people or are they just playing politics with people's lives ?

If you are going to offer aid in a disaster situation then it should be unconditional.

A lot of aid doesn't get distributed to the right sources, that's why the international aid agencies possibly like to do all of the work by themselves.

Personally and speaking from experience most of the aid agencies are a waste of space and that includes agencies such as the British Red Cross. I know families that were severely effected by the tsunami from a few years back and they did nothing help yet they have a one billion pounds cash surplus sitting in their bank account.

The Burmese have every right to be suspicious of western countries and their offer of help, that's probably why they are refusing it. I don't think they want Christian missionaries opening up all over the place acting like the saviour.

 

[nara]

I wasn't aware that too many British soldiers fought there as most were fighting in Europe.

Never heard of the Chindits Munkey?

 

[Munkey]

Rings a bell........ A quick internet search has refreshed that. I've seen some reference to them in the Imperial War Museum but I could have possibly confused them with the Gurkhas.

Still in comparison to the Indian troops they were a relatively small number in that region (appx 25,000 as opposed to 3 million)

Still they must have been some of the best trained soldiers of their time.

 

[Rs2k_Rider]

Rings a bell........ A quick internet search has refreshed that. I've seen some reference to them in the Imperial War Museum but I could have possibly confused them with the Gurkhas.

Still in comparison to the Indian troops they were a relatively small number in that region (appx 25,000 as opposed to 3 million)

Still they must have been some of the best trained soldiers of their time.

Me grandad was one of the "Elite" para's if you like

Cant say too much, although dont know much more LOL !

 

[Munkey]

Me grandad was one of the "Elite" para's if you like

Cant say too much, although dont know much more LOL !

Tell you what he must have been a bad ass soldier. I'd be very proud to have him as my granddad.