May, 2008

A Tale of Two Disasters: Beyond Non-interference and Diplomatic Niceties

Bruce van Voorhis

（Mr Bruce van Voorhis is a staff member of the Asian Human Rights Commission in Hong Kong, he shared his message in the Candlelight Vigil for the Victims of Cyclone Nargis in Burma, organized by the Hong Kong Coalition for a Free Burma, on 17 May.）

The humanitarian crisis in Burma in the aftermath of the cyclone on May 2 more than two weeks ago has brought us together tonight to express our sorrow for those who have died, our compassion for the survivors and our anger for the government.

I think everyone is quite familiar with many of the details of this tragedy in which up to 2.5 million people have been affected and now 133,000 people have died. There have been delays in allowing aid into the country, refusals to grant visas for international aid workers, restrictions on the movements of aid workers when they are permitted into the country, military officials distributing foreign aid with the names of Burma’s generals on them, etc. In addition, reports have surfaced in recent days that the authorities have taken high-protein biscuits supplied by the international community and substituted them with low-quality, locally produced biscuits and have given these to the people instead, that government officials are reselling the goods provided by the international community, that foreign aid supplies are being taken back from the people after military officials have been photographed distributing them. Some reports note that Senior General Than Shwe and other leaders of the Burmese government cannot even be reached by telephone by the U.N. secretary-general and other world leaders, such is the desire of the regime to remain isolated. Meanwhile, other reports add that people trying to share their plight with senior government officials, diplomats and U.N. representatives have been beaten and arrested. Additional reports indicate that homeless farmers and fisherfolk are being pressed into forced labor to build roads and other public work projects for less than US$1 per day instead of being allowed to begin rebuilding their lives. The result is people having to fend for themselves in the worst of conditions. The result is miles of people begging for food and water in the rain and mud along the roads. The result is unnecessary suffering and humiliation for millions of people.

There are now fears of a second wave of death caused by disease. Already there are reports that some people have died of cholera. A third wave of death could result in hunger, according to some aid experts. These are no longer deaths and hardship resulting from a natural disaster but are the outcomes of a manmade disaster produced by Burma’s military government.

This suffering is unfortunately not new for the people of Burma, who have lived in poverty without rights and democracy since the military took over the country in 1962. On previous visits, I was told that Burma is one large prison—a description of the country that aptly captures the conditions under which the people are forced to live.

Sadly, our region has been struck by another natural disaster since the cyclone in Burma—the earthquake in China. The response of the governments in the two countries could not be more dissimilar. Within hours, Premier Wen Jiabao flew to the area devastated in Sichuan Province and has remained there for days to comfort the people. Soldiers and the media hiked into the area, and immediate efforts were made to rescue people and care for the injured and homeless. The response to the two natural disasters impresses upon us the vital importance of the issue of access. In China, it was swift and large-scale; in Burma, it was obstructed.

Having created a fine example, the Chinese government should push its neighbor to emulate its response. This is not the time for diplomatic niceties and principles of non-interference. More pressure should also be applied by India and ASEAN on Burma’s ruling generals to let in the needed aid and experienced aid workers. People’s lives should not be held hostage to diplomacy and politics.

In the wake of the generosity shown by people around the world to the plight of the people in Burma and China, a friend pointed out to me last night that there is yet a third crisis—a crisis of humanity—for these tragedies have revealed the innate goodness within us as people. However, when these tragedies have receded from the news and our memories, we are likely to return to our normal patterns of behavior in which we tend to ignore the everyday suffering and injustices faced by our fellow human beings. Tonight is thus not only an occasion to show our love and compassion for the people of Burma, and China as well, but also an opportunity for a new beginning in how we treat each other and how we value each other as human beings. When one member of the human family suffers, we all suffer. We want to say tonight that we feel the pain of the people of Burma, and we will do all we can to respond. We will also not forget the neglect and misery caused by Burma’s ruling generals. We must have a strong and long memory. They must be held accountable some day.