Desolation
In Myanmar
By Brian McAfee
03 June,
2008
Countercurrents.org
In the aftermath of a major
natural disaster, the ongoing tragedy that is playing out in Myanmar
(formerly known as Burma) is unnecessary and criminal in nature. The
military junta, that had initially withheld relief aid from reaching
the majority of the population most negatively impacted by the May
2-3 cyclone, have reportedly stolen many of the goods and have blocked
some people's access to them.
Even today, a month after the cyclone struck, over two million are
still homeless and hundreds of children have become orphans without
steady caretakers. Early on, a peculiar relationship between the junta,
U.S. political figures and business interests became quickly evident.
Most notably Senator John McCain's political adviser, Douglas Goodyear,
and Doug Davenport, another lobbyist linked to McCain and Myanmar,
have played major roles in seedy dealings.
Another
disturbing connection to the regime is UnoCal, representing another
outrageous wrong wherein human rights and social justice represent
secondary concerns relative to wealth extraction, civilian exploitation
and overall profit motives. Yet, few people outside of Myanmar seem
aware of this association and the general populous in the country
dares not contest the arrangement for fear of backlash.
Meanwhile food, drinkable water, clothing and shelter remain acutely
needed, along with medicine and health care provision. All considered,
the Buddhist's have been doing their best under extremely difficult
conditions involving desperate people and a paucity of lifesaving
supplies. However, their attempts are being greatly curbed by the
junta, which just this past weekend forced large numbers out of the
refugee camps. These inhumane and imprudent maneuvers display an extreme
disregard for humanity and in its stead a total indifference towards
ethics even at a most basic level.
At the same time, U.S. ties to the military junta in Myanmar have
gone mostly unreported or underreported by global mainstream media.
In a similar vein, another "popular culture" icon has emerged
to further blur fact from fiction and this is compliments of Hollywood.
As such, a totally fictionalized version of this little ravaged country
emerges in which "Indian Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal
Skull" depicts Harrison Ford saving the land from a supposed
Soviet threat.
As far as any Russian derived menace existing, we need to look no
further than the North American continent and the capitalistic adventurism
provided by such interlopers as Unocal, Douglas Goodyear, and Doug
Davenport if we want to cite real dangers posed to the country by
treacherous outsiders. All considered, the real "saviors"
of Burma have yet to emerge.
Brian McAfee can be reached at [email protected].
