I'm sorry, cwn, but on what PLANET did FEMA not fail the people of Louisiana?

I don't want to open a whole can of worms here as this is the Asia forum and not the Lounge, but calling a very astute and obviously true and factually corroborated statement "media hype" is mildly offensive to anyone of a moderate amount of intelligence.

No one's saying that the local government was innocent, but those of us who don't live there or didn't go through it certainly cannot speak to how the local government handled it. However, we sure as hell can speak to how our federal resources screwed up every possible opportunity to assist.

Don't worry, pandas are never offended.

My opinion comes from Brinckley's book, not media reports. The interesting part about that book is that he says Brownie was not the primary federal non-feasor. He suggests that that honor goes to Michael Chertoff.

Plus, my characterization of abandonment is irrelevant. Either the residents were well-served or they were not. One only hopes that there were lessons learned wordwide from Katrina.

Ok, let's get a grip on reality here. This is not a Katrina-type incident. In Myanmar, the folks are lucky to have electric power on a GOOD day. The area most affected - the southern coast, was drowned in a tsunami-like wave that killed thousands. The only access to this area before the cyclone was by boat - no roads, no airports. There is no fresh water, and the rice paddies in the area were wiped out - so there's no food either. Any relief aid that can get in is going to Yangon and not getting much further right now. The country is poor - residents can't afford to do the collections that we did to help our fellow citizens in Louisiana and Mississippi. My only hope is that the junta will move quickly to approve the visas of the outside NGO's that are ready and able to help. I would love to take a collection at my local Rotary Club. Any positive input on which organization would be most effective in the relief effort would be most appreciated. I need to know by Thursday night for my early Friday morning meeting (Avon, CT, USA).

Just watched a CBS report on Myanmar. The death toll is climbing and the Generals are providing photo ops. Hope the aid workers and the aid can get to the people soon. It is sad to watch.

Glad “pandas” are never offended as that was not my intent. Fortunately we are all entitled to our own opinions and to speak out if we don’t agree.

I too, hope there were lessons learned worldwide from Katrina.

Craig- Medicins Sans Borders (Doctors without Borders) may be contributing. An e-mail or phone call should inform.

Of course that Medicins Sans Frontieres.

Craig, the Mercy Corps is another option. They already (this morning) had an option to contribute to cyclone relief in Myanmar, so I expect they have people on the ground there.

I see the US has increased its aid relief offered. I only hope we don't get into strings attached by either or both countries!!

According to pictures and comments on CNN (online) the junta is getting its 'own' taken care of first. I really don't see the Myanmar junta as being focused on impoving or providing for the citizens and absolutely do not see them as caring about 'learning' anything from other governments.

However, they are back in the world spotlight and I hope they rise to the ocassion and do what is best for the people. Life was soooo hard there before this. Kathie, why do you favor the mercy corps?
I'm just unfamiliar with them.

Hanuman, I like the idea of giving to the wats (and monks) but fromt the US, I don't know how to do that.
If you know a way from here, tell us how.

I just attended a USAID taskforce meeting on getting aid to Burma (as a concerned individual: I'm NOT a government employee).

The situation is similar to what happened in the aftermath of the tsunami in Aceh. The problem is not just aid -- e.g. food, money, medicine; the problem is LOGISTICS. Getting supplies to these people is a task that few organizations, despite their fund raising capabilities and goodwill, are equipped to handle.

The most affected parts of Burma can't be reached by traditional land based trucks on roads. You need air and sea transport.

And what organizations are the best at logistics in difficult situation -- the military of course!

Say or think what you want about the US Military. They and the Australian military were the first on the ground in Aceh after the disaster, and believe me, the Indonesian government wasn't delighted with the prospect of invited a foreign military force onto their sovereign territory.

Foreign military is the only organization equipped to get water, blankets, and medicine to the millions of survivors in the farflung areas of the Irawaddy delta and the US Military is the nearby, ready and trained. The Burmese government should do what's right for their people and allow the US to help on the ground.

I agree with you Marmot but from the news I saw yesterday the nearest US warship will take 4 days to get there if they were given the green light. By the time everybody agrees to a relief plan the people who could have been safe will be gone! I don't know if giving Aung San Suu Kyi the Congressional Gold Medal at the same time as offering help to the junta was good timing or not?

I talked to the pilot of the Thai air force who flew one of the first relief flight into Yangon and he said that Yangon did not look that devastated. As you've said the problem areas are far away and will be very hard to reach.

I'm not a military tactician but if I remember correctly the first relief in Aceh came via helicopter.
"Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said two aircraft carriers — the USS Kitty Hawk and the USS Nimitz — as well as the USS Blue Ridge, are also within reach of Myanmar. The Essex, an amphibious assault ship, has 23 helicopters aboard, including 19 that are capable of lifting cargo from ship to shore, as well as 1,800 Marines"

I agree the award to ASSK seemed a bit of a poke in the eye. Was it previously planned or was it deliberately paired with the aid offer?

I haven't been in Burma for over 20 years, but I truly love that country. The people were destitute at the time and I doubt that things have much improved. What a sorry situation.

22 000 dead. Over 40 000 missing.

wintersp, there are many fine aid groups. I do like Mercy Corps for several reasons. It's a home-grown Pacific NW NGO, based in Portland, and it has a very high percentage - 89% - of donations that go directly to the programs (as opposed to being spent on administration or fund raising).

I have done a little research on the the two charities, Doctors without Borders/Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) and Mercy Corps. Both are excellent organizations with high orgazational efficiency ratings. In this particular instance, I am leaning toward Doctors without Borders as they presently have people on the ground in Myanmar while Mercy Corps is just passing donations along to partner agencies:

http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org...le.cfm?id=2656

http://www.mercycorps.org/topics/emergencies/2150

Craig, thanks for the info. Doctors without Borders is another excellent organization.

Here's a good update on progress (or lack thereof):

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/08/wo...yanmar.html?hp

The London newspapers again seem to have the most comprehensive reports, some with their own correspondence in Myanmar.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1811
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008...uraldisasters4
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...ne-822139.html
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle3883123.ece

Does anyone know of a good charity that definitely will provide services or supplies <u>only</u>? I fear that a good part of whatever aid is provided would be swallowed up by the military rulers there, enabling them to keep their hold on power. Corruption is one thing, but helping to prop up a brutal dictatorship is something else.

Sad as the situation is, hopefully there's a silver lining. With the world's attention focused there and the government's weakness so openly exposed, now is an excellent time for the people of Myanmar to demand change.

baaj, If what you are looking for is a charity where the government is not a go-between for the money/supplies. I believe Doctors without Borders would fit the bill.

Here's the latest press release from Doctors without Borders:

http://tinyurl.com/46eh6y

Seems that although they have 38 people in the country, they are ready to send more (with supplies) if the government will let them in.