NAYPYITAW, Myanmar —

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Friday the eyes of the world were now on Myanmar after pushing the secretive military regime to accept a major relief effort for survivors of the cyclone disaster.

After more than two hours of talks with junta leader Than Shwe, Ban said he had convinced him to agree to accept foreign disaster experts—three weeks after the storm left at least 133,000 people dead or missing.

Ban said he was encouraged by his talks with the military regime’s top general—who had refused to take his calls after the storm hit—but said Myanmar now had to back up its pledges with concrete progress on the ground.

“The world is watching,” he told a news conference in the main city Yangon. “Implementation will be the key.”

He said 2.4 million survivors were in need of emergency aid, which has been held up by Myanmar’s refusal to let foreign disaster experts into the country as well as logistical bottle-necks in the complicated aid operation.

Cyclone Nargis ripped through the country’s southern Irrawaddy Delta on May 2-3, wiping out entire villages and laying waste to critical rice-growing areas just weeks before the next planting season begins.

“Flying over the Irrawaddy delta yesterday (Thursday), I saw the saddest things… We work hard in our lives for ourselves and our families—and then in a moment, it is gone,” Ban said. “I am humbled—humbled by the scale of this natural disaster.”

Deeply suspicious of the outside world’s motives, Than Shwe and the junta have been wary of letting in large numbers of outsiders and have rejected aid from French and U.S. naval ships in nearby waters that are loaded with supplies.

But Ban said he had told Than Shwe that “more needs to be done” to get a full-scale relief operation up to speed, with aid groups warning that more people will die unless they get assistance immediately.

“I specifically asked the government to liberalize visa policies and to grant unhindered access to foreign aid experts and also journalists so they can operate freely and effectively to help Myanmar,” Ban said.

“He has taken quite a flexible position on an issue that until now has been an obstacle to organizing coordinated and fully effective international aid and assistance operations,” the UN chief said. “I hope all these agreements can produce results quickly.”

He met reporters here after a trip to Than Shwe’s remote bunker capital of Naypyidaw, where the general stayed out of public view for more than two weeks after the cyclone.

There was no immediate confirmation of the deal from Myanmar, one of the poorest and most isolated countries on the planet.

While welcoming thousands of tonnes of donated supplies, the regime has been blocking visas for foreign experts and has insisted reports of survivors not getting enough aid were the work of “traitors.”

The agreement came on day two of Ban’s landmark visit—the first by a U.N. secretary general here in more than four decades.

Aid groups cautiously welcomed the news but stressed that the handful of foreign aid workers already in the country had largely been limited to Yangon and kept away from the devastated delta.

“The important issue is whether we can leave Yangon or not,” Paul Risley, spokesman for the UN’s World Food Program, said in neighboring Thailand.

EU aid chief Louis Michel said he was “relieved” by the announcement.

Ban arrived back in Thailand late Friday, ahead of a trip to China’s earthquake zone on Saturday.

He will return to Myanmar on Sunday for an international conference of donor nations contributing to the Myanmar relief effort.

The break means he will not be on Myanmar soil when the regime holds the next round of voting in a referendum on a new constitution—a vote criticized for being held with the nation still in the midst of the cyclone catastrophe.

The vote to approve a new constitution is the first in Myanmar since a general election in 1990, when opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s party won in a landslide but she was placed under house arrest.

The first round was held one week after the storm hit. The regime said 92% of the people voted in favor of the charter, which would ban Aung San Suu Kyi from ever holding office.

Wire reports

Latest 15 of 32 Total Comments Show All

• 

  Jyan_Bon at 04:52 AM JST - 24th May

  Did you know that few weeks ago, at the U.N.Security Council meeting, CHINA BLOCKED the U.N Chief of Humanitarian Aid ,Mr.John Holmes from visiting Myanmar? I wonder what China would say if someone did the same to it's earthquake victims. What is China afraid of ? Why is it against Myanmar victims getting international attention?

• 

  Nyein_Chan at 05:45 AM JST - 24th May

  Part I: After Inviting the International Aid Workers In

  What should we be aware of the local terrain in Burma now that the Burmese military government has accepted the international aid workers even if it did NOT accept the aid delivery from U.S., French and British warships.

  We must take notice of the local political context first. Burma has held a constitutional referendum on May 10 and 24. The Burmese military government wants the draft constitution ratified and it has been ratified. Its opponents want the draft rejected. U.S, France and Western countries support the regime opponents. U.S House of Representatives went so far as taking jurisdiction over the draft constitution of another country and passing a concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 317), calling the Administration and UN to reject the referendum (process) and draft constitution (outcome).

  The regime opponents might covertly plan to start the protests, politicizing the sufferings of the cyclone victims and capitalizing the presence of international aid workers. A League of Burmese Dissidents had called for a general strike today. A Burmese blogger posted an unconfirmed report that a protest of about a thousand people took place near Hle Dan Junction. A BBC correspondent in Burma reports as having “met students who are threatening strikes and protests if international help is not accepted. Some are veterans of previous protests but others have become "activists" because of the cyclone.” (Gavin Hewitt, Burma, Burmese murmurs of anger at junta, BBC News, May 23, 2008, updated at 14:14 GMT)

  An AP report DOES confirm the existence of a concern from the part of Burmese government that the presence of international aid workers might create trouble and embolden their dissidents who have been trying a people’s power revolution. During the Saturday tour diplomats tried at every chance to tell the accompanying Myanmar minister that the government should provide more international aid access, [Bernard] Delpuech, [head of the European Commission Humanitarian Office in Yangon] said. He said the answer was: "Yes, they're willing, but they don't want the people who will create more problems." (Aung Hla Tun, Reuters, May 17, 2008, 8:15 a.m. New York Time, via Washington Post Website) In fact, the regime opponents took their first step by spreading the news that the public is angry at the military government and maligning the latter by accusing it of slow response.

  U.S Charge d’affairs Shari Villarosa, a seemingly veteran expert of those revolutions, whose career assignments, found in the public-accessible CV, coincide with the occurrence of people’s power revolutions, the most recent being in Indonesia in 1997-8, spread the words that “the military leaders’ reluctance to admit more foreign aid and aid workers exasperated ordinary people, whose discontent over sharp inflation and political repression erupted last September in an uprising led by Buddhist monks. “Anger is still there,” Ms. Villarosa said in an interview on Sunday. “Discontent is still there. And now there is a growing discontent that there is international assistance out there that can be brought in, so why aren’t we getting it?” (A New York Times Correspondent in Yangon, Myanmar, Burmese Leader Visits Refugees, The New York Times, May 19, 2008) The presence of U. S., French and British warships, including an American aircraft carrier, near the Burmese territory encourage the regime opponents.

  The regime opponents want to encourage its activists and their sympathizers with a dim prospect that, if the Burmese government crack down the protests as it did last year, that ‘Americans are coming!!! Americans are coming!!!’, coincidentally timing with the U.S, France, Britain navy warships. Gordon Lubold reports that in Mae Saout, Thailand, “thousands of Burmese exiles and refugees were excited when they saw a US helicopter flying above them on Saturday…” (Gordon Lubold, U.S. helicopters cause stir in Thai town on Burma border, Yahoo News, Washington, D.C, May 12, 2008, 4:00 a.m.; Christopher Johnson, Mae Sot, Thailand Christian Science Monitor, U.S. helicopters cause stir in Thai town on Burma border: In Mae Sot, home to many Burmese exiles and refugees, two helicopters stopped unannounced during a survey of the area, via ABC News)

  The regime opponents know very well that a Burmese government has been overthrown with rumors. One of Burma’s earlier dynasties collapsed due to rumors that its enemy troops Sagaw Karens were marching to the capital.)

• 

  Nyein_Chan at 05:46 AM JST - 24th May

  Part II: After Inviting the International Aid Workers In

  Now that the Burmese military government invited the international relief workers into their country, what are the possible worst-case scenarios we must be aware of and prepared for, and if possible, prevent. Now, all the possible bad scenarios would depend solely on a single, unwise decision of the regime opponents: to take advantage of the presence of the international aid workers inside Burma and to attempt to remove the incumbent government in a people’s power revolution. The regime opponents would gauge that they will win either way.

  If a people’s power revolution is successful, the Burmese military government will be ousted. David Montero predicts in Christian Science Monitor that “Disaster May Loosen Junta’s Grip in Burma” (May 8, 2008)

  If it fails, the Burmese military government is going to face the enormous global outrage and UN Security Council’s punitive resolution.

  If the regime opponents plan to take advantage of the presence of international aid workers, thinking that they will win either way, what would the Burmese military leaders do?

  In the name of reason of the state, the first reaction scenario of the Burmese military government is going to order the army and police to, euphemistically speaking, maintain law and order. Legally, they can do so because the emergency law is imposed for a natural disaster and legitimately because the U.S National Guards and Police did shoot some people dead in New Orleans after Katrina. The Burmese military leaders are going to and have to take a decisive action, whatever it means, even if the international aid workers are there and if they have to face later the global condemnation and UN Security Council’s punitive resolution, falling into the trap of their opponents’ infamous but unpragmatic strategy of regime change by UN Security Council’s resolutions. In this scenario, the international aid workers are suggested to stay inside their lodgings rather than venturing out into the streets like Japanese undercovered reporter Kenji Nagai.

  Another possible reaction scenario from the part of Burmese military government is to allow the Burmese public in general and the international aid workers in particular to face Hobbesian dilemma: having to make a choice between anarchy and Leviathan state. The Burmese military government might also wait for a few days and may restore law and order only later as last year in Burma or as in Tibet. Even its earlier, less decisive, attempts might FAIL. The 2nd and 3rd scenarios would inevitably result in the withdrawal of its troops from some areas, as in 1988 in Burma, leaving the population (and the international aid workers) to face the Hobbesian dilemma to choose between the anarchy and Leviathan state. In anticipation of the 2ndand 3rd scenarios, the international aid workers are advised to seek accommodation in the high-rise hotels where the helicopter rescues are possible. Yes, it will cost forty or fifty dollars more than the small, family-run, motels which cost ten or twenty dollars per night. In order to be able to rescue the international aid workers out there in the field immediately, it is necessary for them to instantaneously update their location to the local authorities or even higher authorities, including the relevant ministries.

• 

  Nyein_Chan at 05:46 AM JST - 24th May

  Part III: After Inviting the International Aid Workers In

  To prevent another attempt at people’s power revolution from the part of regime opponents, what can the international actors do? The Western governments in particular and the other governments and media in general, will have to sternly tell the regime opponents NOT to take advantage of the presence of aid workers and NOT to make, during the relief operations, another attempt at people’s power revolution, and so doing could harm the international aid workers. Better yet, the Western governments can sternly tell the regime opponents what the consequences would be. The regime opponents have lost a lot of ground in Burma; they are relying mostly on their state/non-state supporters and sympathetic media in the West for their cause; therefore, they will most likely take their worthy allies’ position into consideration if such position is clearly and sincerely taken. On the other hand, the regime opponents might have never intended to take advantage of the presence of the international aid workers and make another attempt at the regime change by people’s power revolution. (I am just giving them a way out without losing face, in case they miss.) Thus, on their own accord, the regime opponents will NOT make another attempt at the regime change by people’s power revolution for the sake of their fellow Burmese cyclone victims, not due to position of their Western allies.

  What if the West’s warnings are not serious or taken seriously and the regime opponents would nonetheless capitalize on the presence of international aid workers and make another attempt at people’s power revolution? The Burmese government will, euphemistically speaking, restore law and order even at the presence/risk of the international aid workers and even at the face of the severe consequences later.

• 

  Jyan_Bon at 06:56 AM JST - 24th May

  Nyein Chan, I've read all the above articles in "The New Lights of Myanmar", the state controlled papers. Mind you, the last uprising in Burma ,and the one before that , and the one before that , and the one before that... all happened without the presence of international aid workers. It WILL HAPPEN when the time is right.It is not a matter of "IF" but "WHEN". The generals know very well that the people will be glad to see the back of them beacuse of their brutal unfairness.Besides,it is the generals and government officials who need to practice law and order and restrain themselves from hoarding the country's resources as if there's no tomorrow..

• 

  Nyein_Chan at 07:10 AM JST - 24th May

  Jyan_Bon at 06:56 AM JST - 24th May

  Nyein Chan, I've read all the above articles in "The New Lights of Myanmar", the state controlled papers.

  Jyan_Bon from the Junction, you LIED. You have NOT read the above articles in "The New Lights of Myanmar" because they are not there and they are NOT published in the newspapers. Jyan Bon, liar!!!

• 

  some14some at 07:27 AM JST - 24th May

  Nyein Chan: Jyan Bon is a liar because he is badly influenced by West, as such i don't take his attack seriously. He has absolutely no sympathy for the cyclone victims, he has directed/wasted all his energy accusing junta. However, i welcome his comments and wont term them as 'criminal'!

• 

  Athletes at 07:30 AM JST - 24th May

  Nyeinc!!!

  "the regime opponents will NOT make another attempt at the regime change by people’s power revolution for the sake of their fellow Burmese cyclone victims, not due to position of their Western allies."

  It was a funny comment. Let the fellow Burmese cyclone victims wet, starve, sick and die under the rain and salty winds. It has been three weeks since Cyclone disaster. Many of them have broken skins, infections and waterborne deceases. You have to accept the fact that about 3 quarters of victims still living in open and windy space. Not a luxury palace of Nayidaw capital which military junta are living. What was a extravagances?

  People are starving. The government wasted so much money for unnecessary construction projects for their luxury life style. Nayidaw has many golf course for generals who does not know how to swing the club.

  In my living memory, no international relief teams and aid worker involved in the politics and throwing the government out of office. They just focused on their duty of saving lives, food and medicine distribution and supplying the temporary shelter for homeless. Including US and French ships near Irrawaddy Delta. They are not interested in politics. They are on humanitarian mission not for invasion or narrow minded interests.

  Sad thing about Myanmar government is too xenophobic, superstitious and paranoid about western countries. No transparency for their incompetency, corruption and mismanagement. No wonder this country is so backward and third world stage like Africa.

  People are suffering. Generals are storing the high quality supplied goods and medicine in their warehouses. High energy biscuits from US were sent to Myanmar Army warehouse. Not for the victims. Some of the supply has ended up in the black markets. How cruel and inhumane?

• 

  TettoeAung at 04:21 PM JST - 24th May

  Whether they like it or not the people will always try to overthrow the military that hasn't got a shred of legitimacy nor the capability to good governance. The soldiers cannot and will not be made to follow their orders to shoot all the time. Nicolae Ceausescu and his powerful wife Elena would have never thought that their soldiers would turn on them ever. A time will come when the military regime, Than Shwe and his PaO wife Kyaing Kyaing have to face a similar fate. Where can anyone find such evil persons on earth? To let their own people die of a slow death by denying aid (which was at hand, ready and forthcoming from all corners of the earth)is indeed nasty, wicked and conscience shocking beyond imagination. It's worst particularly when the military regime, unlike any military, would not try to save the naval personnel and their families. Aren't they one of their own? They have done bad things throughout their rule since 1962 but their response to this natural disaster top them all. It's neither human nor civilised behaviour to regard themselves as such. If the extermination of 6 million Jews at Auschwitz-Birkenau was for Hitler and his Nazi Regime's the extent to which one's cruelty and wickedness towards fellow humans, then what the military regime in Burma did to the survivors of the victims of Cyclone Nargis was much more evil than what the world have witnessed before. They may get away with this for a time but according to the law of kamma, 'they will have to reap the evil they have sown.' The victims may not get the justice they deserved but justice shall be done in their name. Why do the scientists in Britain bother to create 'hybrid embryo' when we already have 'part animal part human' like Than Shwe and their lot amidst us? The only difficulty they may have is that Than Shwe might have more 'animal part' than anyone can imagine.

• 

  tclh at 04:27 PM JST - 24th May

  One thing I find very interesting is that the "followers "of America like Japan ,Germany,South Korea are all doing good and America, in general sense, wants them to do good ,to achieve well to become rich to make the world a better place.On the other hand I notice that the followers of China like these Burmese generals,Mugabe...are all terrible even China is doing VERY WELL (looking after earthquake victims).Why?If China is a good boss,it certainly should tell(order,command...) these generals to do the same.According to Ban Ki Moon the task of helping these victims will have to continue for at least 6 or 7 months.

• 

  Sukyi at 05:27 PM JST - 24th May

  Burma Junta can not trust at all. They'll just say agree and after UN went back, they'll do what they want to do. Check this out.

• 

  Sukyi at 05:35 PM JST - 24th May

  US must go into Burma now like US did to Iraq. US didn't listen UN, this is the time to do so.

• 

  PaukPhawGyi at 11:53 PM JST - 24th May

  tclh; TettoeAung; Athletes; Jyan Bon; etc.....thank you! your kind thoughts and sympathy on millions of victims in Burma is echoed by billions of us. The world is right behind you against inhumane , unjust generals of Burma.

• 

  PaukPhawGyi at 02:40 AM JST - 25th May

  I'll belive it when I see it; Junta can't be trusted. After 3 weeks, what have they done for the victims so far? Nothing.

• 

  Jyan_Bon at 05:39 AM JST - 25th May

  Mind you, the last uprising in Burma, and the one before that, and the one before that, and the one before that..they all happened without the presence of international aid workers. It WILL HAPPEN when the time is right, it is a matter of WHEN."

  With or without the presence of International aid workers, due to lack of respect on human's lives and incompetence of the regime, people's anger will finish this leadership off. It is only a matter of time.

Register or login to add a comment!