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Why one girl refuses to remember
Nway pretends that it never happened. The storm didn't come. The wind didn't tear her home to pieces. The cyclone didn't sweep her mother and father away.
In those brief moments, when she tunes out the questions, the 7-year-girl from Myanmar can step back in time -- before May's Cyclone Nargis took everything away.
That's the girl aid workers from World Vision International, a Christian humanitarian group, found when they met Nway in her demolished village a month after the cyclone.
"When she was asked about the cyclone, she turned away and said she didn't remember anything about it, and left," says Ashley Clements, a World Vision worker who met Nway.
International relief groups know how to rebuild devastated countries like Myanmar. But how do they rebuild the lives of children like Nway? That's the challenge faced by groups trying to help child survivors of natural and manmade disasters.
Aid workers who deal with these children say the experience can drain their souls. They try to comfort children in Darfur, Sudan, who have seen their mothers raped; children in China who have seen their parents buried under rubble; children in Louisiana who watched their homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.
No matter where they encounter these children, these aid workers face the same question: How can a child remain a child after experiencing a tragedy?
Rose Kimeu, a disaster response specialist for World Vision in African and Latin America, says many children don't know how.
"They don't laugh. They don't smile," Kimeu says. "They have this look in their eyes that's very sad... It's something that breaks my heart over and over."
---**Go to the link to read the full story, the next section is called "How they become a child again" Nway pretends that it never happened. The storm didn't come. The wind didn't tear her home to pieces. The cyclone didn't sweep her m... more -
World's poorest people hit hardest by disasters
More poor people are falling victim to global disasters than ever before, says a new report that tracks carnage.
This higher level of vulnerability is occurring even though emergency preparedness is generally better and there were fewer floods, droughts and earthquakes in 2007 than in previous years, says the 2008 World Disasters Report released Thursday by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
More than 201 million people were affected by disasters, a 40 per cent increase over 2006. But of those killed, a disproportionate number came from vulnerable people in developing countries.
Almost two-thirds of the world's disasters dating back to 2004 have occurred in Asia and the Pacific and in Africa, the report said. "It is a sad reality that the people most affected and hardest hit by disasters are amongst the poorest in the world," Charlie Musoka, manager of emergency response for the Canadian Red Cross, said in a statement.
In all, 405 natural disasters were reported in 2007 and they inflicted a cost of almost $63.5 billion. Another 141 "technical disasters" occurred, industrial, transport or miscellaneous accidents, such as a ferry sinking or a mine collapse.
Together, they claimed the lives of 23,167 people across the globe in 2007. While that is far lower than the yearly average of 113,000 deaths of the last decade, those figures take into account the year that most skewed the average - 2004, when the Asian tsunami that followed the earthquake off the coast of Indonesia killed more than 230,000.
But this year is shaping up to be just as bad.
The toll of dead or missing from the May 2 cyclone that struck Myanmar rose this week to 138,000, while the number of dead in the China earthquake 10 days later has risen to almost 69,000 and is expected to keep climbing, amid fears that rivers now blocked by landslides could burst. In all, more than two billion people have been affected by disasters in the last decade, the report said. Floods, at 28 per cent, tropical cyclones at 12 per cent, earthquakes at 11 per cent and epidemics at nine per cent accounted for the majority of disasters categorized between 2004 and 2008, the study said.
- Mike Blanchfield, Canwest News Service More poor people are falling victim to global disasters than ever before, says a new report that tracks carnage. ... more -
Burmese still lack aid a month on
A month after Burma was devastated by a cyclone, foreign aid agencies say a quarter of a million people have still not received any help.
Despite claims by the Burmese generals that the relief operation is now over, aid workers say there remains an urgent need to provide food, shelter, clean water and other basic aid. A month after Burma was devastated by a cyclone, foreign aid agencies say a quarter of a million people have still not received any he... more -
Burma cyclone: Myanmar warned over forcing survivors home
In the same week that a US official has accused the Myanmar junta of being 'deaf and dumb' to foreign aid pleas, rights groups have urged the regime to stop forcing survivors of the recent cyclone to return to their shattered homes, where they face more misery and perhaps death.
Yesterday saw the junta begin the process of evicting destitute families from state-run disaster relief centres, fearing that the 'tented villages' would become permanent fixtures. In the same week that a US official has accused the Myanmar junta of being 'deaf and dumb' to foreign aid pleas, rights groups have ur... more -
Podcast: Burma's Rule Fears Aid is a Deposition Facade
Burma's ruling generals fear a relief effort run by foreign military would be a cover to depose them and put in power Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy. Burma's ruling generals fear a relief effort run by foreign military would be a cover to depose them and put in power Suu Kyi and her ... more
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Gitameit Music Center » Incredible video footage of Cyclone Nargis
This is 53 minutes of unbelievable video footage taken and edited together by Burmese citizens. The first 6 and a half minutes was filmed during Cyclone Nargis, and the rest was filmed in the days following the cyclone. The final 10 minutes are extremely upsetting, so be warned. This is 53 minutes of unbelievable video footage taken and edited together by Burmese citizens. The first 6 and a half minutes was fil... more
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Burmese Music Students Providing Aid to Cyclone Victims
First hand accounts from volunteer student aid workers in Burma, vividly portrays the desperate situation and the amazing spirit of the Burmese as they step up to help each other. First hand accounts from volunteer student aid workers in Burma, vividly portrays the desperate situation and the amazing spirit of th... more
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Podcast: The World Today - Cyclone aftermath
Military rulers in Burma still reluctant to receive aid for cyclone victims.
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Myanmar cyclone: Burma to mourn cyclone's victims
Burma's junta has declared three days of official mourning for the victims of Cyclone Nargis, 17 days after the storm struck, state television has announced.
The move came as Burma's closest ally, China, began three days of mourning for its own disaster, the Sichuan quake.
Analysts say Burma's move may indicate it now recognises the scale of the disaster it initially downplayed, and could be more open to outside help.
Earlier, Burma agreed at an emergency summit in Singapore to accept more aid.
Burma's secretive military rulers have been criticised for the slow response to the 2 May disaster, which left about 78,000 dead - more than double the number killed in China's earthquake.
The BBC's South East Asian correspondent Jonathan Head says Burma's junta still seems implacably opposed to using the US, French and British navy helicopters aboard ships anchored just off their coast.
Catalyst for change?
But the firm line they have taken until now, that they can cope without foreign expertise, is softening, he says.
Burmese state television announced that the national flag would be flown at half-mast during the mourning period, beginning on Tuesday.
"Because many people were killed by Cyclone Nargis, we have declared three days of mourning from 20 May to 22, and will lower flags to half-staff starting at 0900 (0230 GMT) on 20 May," the statement said.
The regime has so far allowed only a trickle of aid to reach the 2.4m people estimated to be in desperate need of help.
At a meeting of regional foreign ministers in Singapore on Monday, Burma promised to accept significantly more international aid to help cyclone victims.
Credit: BBC News Burma's junta has declared three days of official mourning for the victims of Cyclone Nargis, 17 days after the storm struck, state te... more -
Myanmar cyclone: starvation warning for Burma children
Thousands of children in Myanmar will starve to death in two to three weeks unless food is rushed to them, an aid agency warned Sunday as an increasingly angry international community pleaded for approval to mount an all-out effort to help cyclone survivors.
The United Nations said Myanmar's isolationist ruling generals were even forbidding the import of communications equipment, hampering already difficult contact among relief agencies.
A U.N. situation report said Saturday that emergency relief from the international community had reached an estimated 500,000 people. But the regime insists it will handle distribution to victims of Cyclone Nargis.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who has been unable to sway Myanmar's leaders by telephone, said he was sending U.N. humanitarian chief John Holmes to Myanmar this weekend. Thousands of children in Myanmar will starve to death in two to three weeks unless food is rushed to them, an aid agency warned Sunday... more -
cyclone hit Burma
Rain hit burma all over. floods and rain all the time 40,000 people died. Big big flood all round burma help burma its still happening Rain hit burma all over. floods and rain all the time 40,000 people died. Big big flood all round burma help burma its still happening... more
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Myanmar cyclone: Burma death toll jumps to 78,000
The official death toll for Burma's cyclone disaster has jumped to almost 78,000 people, with nearly 56,000 missing, according to state TV.
Previously, Burma was giving a toll of 43,000 dead and 28,000 missing while the Red Cross and United Nations had estimated a death toll above 100,000. Aid agencies are frustrated at the slow progress of aid to areas worst hit.
Cyclone Nargis battered southern regions of Burma, including the Irrawaddy Delta, on 2-3 May. A BBC reporter in the delta this week saw little sign of official help and foreign aid workers have been barred from the area. Heavy rain has been lashing the region, compounding the misery of survivors. The UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator, John Holmes, is due to visit Rangoon, Burma's main city, on Sunday in a bid to persuade the military government to grant more access to UN relief workers and expand its aid effort. The official death toll for Burma's cyclone disaster has jumped to almost 78,000 people, with nearly 56,000 missing, according to stat... more -
12 days for UK aid approval
After 12 days of negotiation, the first flight from the UK, carrying aid to Burma has been permitted to leave from a midlands airport.
Shelterbox chartered the flight and are sending 1,000 boxes containing mosquito nets, tents, tools and water purifying tablets.
With £6 million already raised in the UK for the Burma cyclone appeal, and very little still able to reach the country, there are concerns about the possible arrival of another cyclone in the near future. After 12 days of negotiation, the first flight from the UK, carrying aid to Burma has been permitted to leave from a midlands airport.... more -
Aid Agencies Concerned: Myanmar Cyclone vs Chinese Quake
With the world's attention shifting to the disastrous earthquake in China, humanitarian aid organizations are appealing to Canadians not to forget the devastation caused by a cyclone in Myanmar, also known as Burma. ... more -
First U.S. aid plane lands in Myanmar (Burma)
Finally!
Relief comes more than a week after powerful storm killed thousands.
The first U.S. relief airlift arrived in Myanmar on Monday after prolonged negotiations with the country’s isolationist junta, which considers Washington its enemy and has restricted international aid to as many as 2 million cyclone victims.
The unarmed military C-130 cargo plane, packed with supplies, flew out of the Thai air force base of Utapao and landed in Yangon. Two more air shipments are scheduled to land Tuesday.
Finally! Relief comes more than a week after powerful storm killed thousands. ... more -
Why the cyclone was so deadly
Check out the link above to find out the workings of the Cylone in Myanmar
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Myanmar Junta Still Blocking Much Cyclone Aid
A trickle of aid shipments arrived in Myanmar on Sunday, more than a week after a powerful cyclone smashed the country, but the ruling military junta continued to bar major shipments to more than a million of the storm’s hard-hit survivors.
The junta is also continuing to deny entry to foreign aid workers, who relief officials say are needed to prevent more deaths. A trickle of aid shipments arrived in Myanmar on Sunday, more than a week after a powerful cyclone smashed the country, but the ruling... more -
Myanmar's Disaster
Two months before the cyclone struck, Laura Ling visited Myanmar to see what life is like in what's been called one of the most isolated countries in the world. Two months before the cyclone struck, Laura Ling visited Myanmar to see what life is like in what's been called one of the most isolat... more
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Podcast: Lebanon close to civil war.
The violence stems from unresolved tensions following Hezbollah's 32-day war
with Israel in southern Lebanon in 2006.
In Burma, news about Burmese National league for democracy leader Aung San Suu. The violence stems from unresolved tensions following Hezbollah's 32-day war with Israel in southern Lebanon in 2006. ... more -
You say Burma, I say Myanmar... but why?
The recent cyclones in South Asia have brought Burma into the news, but some sources call it Myanmar. Why?
http://current.com/items/88936935_devastation_in_myanma...
The name change is confusing, but it has socio-political implications.
Burma has been the historic name of the region since the 11th century. Burma became an independent parliamentary democracy in 1948, but a 1962 coup gave a military junta absolute power. In 1988 citizens of Burma held a nationwide protest demanding an end to the junta. Reports indicate that soldiers fired on unarmed protesters, killing thousands. After the protests an internal coup emerged. The ruling faction then established an election, but only after imprisoning opposition party leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. In a 1990 she received over 80% of the parliamentary seats. Democracy still doesn’t exist in the country.
In 1989 the ruling faction decided to rename the country, Myanmar, the Burmese word for “strong and fast.” As it stands Myanmar is a term that represents the ruling party, and not the people. The Burmese people who struggle for a fair democracy call their nation Burma. The policy of the European Union and the United States is to call the nation Burma, in symbolic protest of the dictatorship.
The issues in this country are complex. These are some links to learn more about Burma/Myanmar
Breaking news about the nation:
http://current.com/topics/77004662_burma
http://current.com/topics/77012082_myanmar
News sources run by exiled Burmese dissidents:
http://www.mizzima.com/
http://www.irrawaddy.org/
International human rights campaigns for Burma:
http://uscampaignforburma.org/
http://www.cfob.org/
http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/
http://www.freeburmacoalition.org/
http://www.freeburmarangers.org/
Further reading:
“Should it be Burma or Myanmar? “
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7013943.stm
“Global Business vs. Global Justice”
http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/burma.html
CIA World Factbook
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-fact...
BBC Country Profile
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/country_profile...
Burmese pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi
http://www.dassk.com/index.php The recent cyclones in South Asia have brought Burma into the news, but some sources call it Myanmar. Why? ... more
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