Asean to discuss Myanmar
Fading hopes: Children playing at a village hit by Cyclone Nargis, outside Yangon yesterday. Aid was trickling in yesterday to an estimated 2.5 million people left destitute by Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar's Irrawaddy delta as more foreign envoys tried to get the junta to admit large-scale international relief. Picture: Reuters
Monday, May 19, 2008
SOUTHEAST ASIAN foreign ministers meet here today to discuss how to help Myanmar recover from a devastating cyclone, amid criticism their regional bloc has been too slow to respond.
The meeting comes more than two weeks after Cyclone Nargis left more than 133,000 dead or missing and up to 2.5 million survivors needing urgent aid in Myanmar, whose junta has spurned offers of a huge foreign relief operation.
Singapore, which currently chairs the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), called the talks to discuss the humanitarian situation in its impoverished member "and consider how best to assist Myanmar in its relief and recovery efforts."
In contrast with more aggressive calls by Western nations for the junta to open its doors to foreign aid workers, Asean is likely to attempt a compromise to speed up aid delivery and spur reconstruction, diplomatic sources said.
But under Asean's consensus doctrine, any such plan must have the approval of Myanmar, whose foreign minister Nyan Win is attending.
Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama has said he and his fellow ministers would discuss forming a mechanism within Asean to help member nations suffering from similar disasters in the future.
Thailand will also air its proposal for Asean to work with the United Nations to help Myanmar recover from the disaster, Noppadon said.
But critics wonder whether the Singapore talks would make any difference if the Myanmar junta, whose human rights records has become a black mark for the entire organisation, remains reluctant to accept substantial foreign help.
Asean member states, including Singapore, Thailand and Brunei, have individually sent aid to Myanmar, whose ruling generals have accepted relief goods but refused to allow foreign relief workers to distribute them.
Despite impassioned appeals by the United Nations, the United States, France, Britain and humanitarian groups for Myanmar to ease restrictions, Asean's leaders have yet to make their voices heard.
Debbie Stothard, an activist with the anti-junta group Alternative Asean Network on Burma, noted that the cyclone is the biggest natural disaster to hit the region since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, and called Asean's reaction "deeply disappointing."
"It's still not too late for Asean to redeem the situation. But they need to show some political leadership and ensure that the Burmese regime behaves in a more sensible manner."AFP
The meeting comes more than two weeks after Cyclone Nargis left more than 133,000 dead or missing and up to 2.5 million survivors needing urgent aid in Myanmar, whose junta has spurned offers of a huge foreign relief operation.
Singapore, which currently chairs the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), called the talks to discuss the humanitarian situation in its impoverished member "and consider how best to assist Myanmar in its relief and recovery efforts."
In contrast with more aggressive calls by Western nations for the junta to open its doors to foreign aid workers, Asean is likely to attempt a compromise to speed up aid delivery and spur reconstruction, diplomatic sources said.
But under Asean's consensus doctrine, any such plan must have the approval of Myanmar, whose foreign minister Nyan Win is attending.
Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama has said he and his fellow ministers would discuss forming a mechanism within Asean to help member nations suffering from similar disasters in the future.
Thailand will also air its proposal for Asean to work with the United Nations to help Myanmar recover from the disaster, Noppadon said.
But critics wonder whether the Singapore talks would make any difference if the Myanmar junta, whose human rights records has become a black mark for the entire organisation, remains reluctant to accept substantial foreign help.
Asean member states, including Singapore, Thailand and Brunei, have individually sent aid to Myanmar, whose ruling generals have accepted relief goods but refused to allow foreign relief workers to distribute them.
Despite impassioned appeals by the United Nations, the United States, France, Britain and humanitarian groups for Myanmar to ease restrictions, Asean's leaders have yet to make their voices heard.
Debbie Stothard, an activist with the anti-junta group Alternative Asean Network on Burma, noted that the cyclone is the biggest natural disaster to hit the region since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, and called Asean's reaction "deeply disappointing."
"It's still not too late for Asean to redeem the situation. But they need to show some political leadership and ensure that the Burmese regime behaves in a more sensible manner."AFP
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