Bloggers Unite: Human Rights Stifled In Myanmar
The death toll from the killer cyclone in Myanmar could be in the region of 100,000 or even more. The U.N. had already confirmed 38,491 deaths which is much more than the 22,000 figure from Myanmar's government. Forecasted weather could bring flooding to low-lying areas thus endangering more citizens.
Meanwhile, Myanmar's government is announcing that a military-backed constitution was overwhelmingly approved by voters in last week's referendum. State radio says the draft constitution was approved by more than 92% of the 22 million eligible voters and it put turnout at more than 99%.
Human rights groups have denounced the referendum as a way for the junta to solidify military rule. Voting in the badly-affected Irrawaddy delta and Yangon areas was postponed until May 24th, but state radio said results of the late balloting could not change the outcome. The junta says the new constitution which guarantees 25 percent of parliamentary seats to the military and allows the president to hand over all power to the military in a state of emergency, will lead to a general election in 2010.
Meanwhile, people are dying. The secretive military junta that rules Myanmar has restrained the access of aid agencies. Some relief flights have arrived, but the regime desires the supplies and not the international aid workers. That lack of access makes it hard to bring the scale of destruction into sharp focus. There's a huge frustration that while aid workers may be able to get into the country and into Yangon, they're not at the moment able to move into the affected areas and carry out the tasks they normally carry out. The restricted access imposed by the junta will surely lead to more deaths and is a violation of basic human rights.
Amnesty International has repeated its urgent call on the government to allow aid, expertise, and materials to reach all cyclone-affected areas, while ensuring that aid is provided on the basis of need without discrimination.
Find out more about this tragic situation:
TAKE ACTION: Ensure humanitarian aid for Cyclone Nargis victims
Meanwhile, Myanmar's government is announcing that a military-backed constitution was overwhelmingly approved by voters in last week's referendum. State radio says the draft constitution was approved by more than 92% of the 22 million eligible voters and it put turnout at more than 99%.
Human rights groups have denounced the referendum as a way for the junta to solidify military rule. Voting in the badly-affected Irrawaddy delta and Yangon areas was postponed until May 24th, but state radio said results of the late balloting could not change the outcome. The junta says the new constitution which guarantees 25 percent of parliamentary seats to the military and allows the president to hand over all power to the military in a state of emergency, will lead to a general election in 2010.
Meanwhile, people are dying. The secretive military junta that rules Myanmar has restrained the access of aid agencies. Some relief flights have arrived, but the regime desires the supplies and not the international aid workers. That lack of access makes it hard to bring the scale of destruction into sharp focus. There's a huge frustration that while aid workers may be able to get into the country and into Yangon, they're not at the moment able to move into the affected areas and carry out the tasks they normally carry out. The restricted access imposed by the junta will surely lead to more deaths and is a violation of basic human rights.
Amnesty International has repeated its urgent call on the government to allow aid, expertise, and materials to reach all cyclone-affected areas, while ensuring that aid is provided on the basis of need without discrimination.
Find out more about this tragic situation:
- Myanmar Obstruction Costs Lives
- Myanmar: Constitution Referendum Flouts Human Rights
- Myanmar cyclone toll estimates soar
- Emergency response: A tale of two disasters
This post is part of Bloggers Unite - an online event where bloggers come together on a single day to blog about important issues. If you blog, come join us!
Labels: aid relief, Burma, cyclone, disaster, human rights, military, Myanmar
| posted by Ruinous Right at
9:27 AM
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