Burma Cyclone

(Community Matters) I haven’t posted on the catastrophe in Myanmar (Burma). The situation is beyond my imagination – still living under a brutal regime only cautiously willing to accept international aid after 120mph winds and tidal waves swept away thousands. No drinking water, no power, no food and no shelter for hundreds of thousands – estimates of over 1,000,000 homeless. The death count now up to 22,000 though counts as high as 50,000 cited. The region’s 2004 tsunami deaths totaled near 250,000.

Burma, once Southeast Asia’s wealthiest country with the most literate population, achieved independence from Britain in the 40’s. Even though the country is rich in oil & gas reserves and precious stones (especially rubies), under the army regime since the 60s, Burma’s people are now among the SE Asia’s poorest and most illiterate, and the government imposes forced labor programs in its mines and other industries. Despite US government sanctions, Chevron is reportedly a partner in a highly criticized oil pipeline to Thailand.