Myanmar exports rice as cyclone victims struggle

Source: Los Angeles Times

While Myanmar's military regime Friday restricted the rush of international aid offered to help hungry and homeless cyclone survivors, the government was exporting tons of rice through its main port. Four of the five berths at the port of Thilawa for oceangoing container vessels were empty, but a crane was loading large white sacks into the hold of a freighter. The sacks were filled with rice destined for Bangladesh, said the drivers of at least 10 transport trucks waiting to deliver several tons more of rice to the docks.

As rice was loaded onto the freighter, people in nearby villages said authorities had handed out rations of rotting rice, apparently from ruined stocks in the port's massive warehouse. The storm soaked about 40% of the stored rice, worth millions of dollars, said the chief driver, who requested anonymity to avoid problems with government officials.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-port10-2008may10,0,7491910.story

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This might explain why the Junta doesn't want help distributing food.

to go in with military force against the junta. One can donate, but the people are not likely to get these donations.

I haven't donated anything for that reason.
I don't think it would help when the junta
has its own agenda.

Do they not care that their people are starving and dying?

They must not care ...

All they care about is control?

people in Louisiana and Mississippi after Katrina hit. This is what dictators live for -- display of their power, and they don't care whether it's for good or ill. Just as long as people get the idea that they call the shots.

Katrina....

or the 2004 Tsunami...where the government built a resort on the
beaches that had been "cleansed" of villagers.


Shock Doctrine...Naomi was right.

And, like Saddam was early on, they are good friends of republican movers and shakers in the oil industry ....

Why are we not gathering military forces around the azure shores of Burma to bring democracy to the Burmese people, and to throw out the tyrants who subjugate their own people ?

Where are the high and mighty bringers of freedom when it comes to Myanmar ?

For over a week, meteorologists knew that Myanmar would be hit so it is either ironic or planned that Bush would sanction Myanmar the same day it was to be devastated.

Bush announced in his statement on May 2nd, "Today I've issued a new executive order that instructs the Treasury Department to freeze the assets of Burmese state-owned companies that are major sources of funds that prop up the junta."

The sanctions were targeted at companies and industries that produce timber, pearls and gems. Notice that gas and oil were not on the list of sanctions.
<http://www.inteldaily.com/?c=172&a=6501>

The LA Times is just bitching because the rice is owned by the state. If ADM was doing this they wouldn't say a thing. Also, countries than cut back on their rice exports (due to the fake shortage) were practically called communist by Paulson. Paulson is also telling poor countries NOT to feed their people (for free) because it will distort the market.

I agree that the junta is horrible but the people critizing the junta are hypocrites. The LA Times and the rest of the MSM know damn well that we punish leaders who feed their people. So why are they bitching now. Just to get the US military, USAID and the "investor vultures" into the country so they can eat it.

Everybody need to read The Shock Doctrine and Confessions of an Economic Hitman.

-- World Bank President Robert B. Zoellick said in a recent speech.

And people struggle with gas bills to get to their jobs and grocery store. I won't deny we in the US have things lucky, but it's not a total disconnect from being aware of the rest of the world either, or other historical/sociological attributes... (as always, "the truth is in the middle".)

The LA Times has no interest in getting the US military, USAID and the "investor vultures" into Burma.

The Times reports hard news, like this story, because it attracts readers and thereby helps sell advertising.

If Archer Daniels Midland were exporting food during a crisis, that would not have the same shock value and might not be reported. Corporations don't have the same responsibilities as governments. Where is the hypocrisy in that?

Source: Guardian UK

Burma exports rice as cyclone victims starve
Ian MacKinnon, south east Asia correspondent
The Observer, Sunday May 11 2008 Article history


Burma is still exporting rice even as it tries to curb the influx of international donations of food bound for the starving survivors of the cyclone that killed up to 116,000 people.

Sacks of rice destined for Bangladesh were being loaded on to a ship at the Thilawa container port at the mouth of the Yangon River at the end of last week, even though Burma's 'rice bowl' region was devastated by the deadly storm a week ago.

The Burmese regime, which has a monopoly on the country's rice exports, said it planned to meet all its contractual commitments.

With rice prices hitting a record high after more than doubling since January, the exports are a valuable source of foreign revenue for the junta and its allies. The fear is that with the rice-growing area in the Irrawaddy delta inundated with salt water from the huge tidal wave, Burma may need to import greater amounts of rice this year. Alarm at the prospect fuelled another spurt in rice prices during the week. The continuing rice sales looked like just another facet of the Burmese regime's insensitivity to the suffering of its own people as it continues to block international relief to cyclone victims and pressed ahead with the constitutional referendum yesterday. The Burmese leader, General Than Shwe, has urged people to vote 'yes' .

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/may/11/cyclonenargis.burma2

overthrown in a coup. This is shameful.

Desperation = Motivation

Does anyone know of a website where we can get info as to where to send money or food?

throw it in a garbage can, for all the chance of it getting to the intended recipients.

Most of these orgs have people in country with experience dealing with the regime. Some aid is getting in. This is the most comprehensive list I've seen yet:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h3HoHl_XfhgzQcBgXeSa0E03PPnAD90GB69O9

who are they (government) going to oppress?

It's free enterprise you know :sarcasm:

How original.

:banghead:

It really wasn't a famine until the British took all the food from Ireland to pay for farmer's rents and the farmers were left with nothing to grow but potatoes.

I have both Irish and British heritage and I am ashamed of the British portion.

Free market means free for the elite minorities to starve people as they please.