US aid reaches Burma

faceless · admin Joined: 25 Apr 2006

This is all very well, but why the need for the massive poster saying 'US AID' in huge letters? To impress us, or them? There could be someone sleeping under it soon I suppose, so that's one use for it.

Kezza · Gone To The Dogs! Joined: 30 Apr 2006

My first reaction to this: the US government has, to say the least, strained (if not completely non-existent) relations with Myanmar. The "US AID" might be trying to let the average person in Myanmar know that many average people in the US do care & want to help. So yeah, it's a bit of propaganda but I also believe that the intention is to contravene the fact that the politicians dislike/distrust each other and emphasise that many in the citizenry just want to provide assistance. Just my opinion.

faceless · admin Joined: 25 Apr 2006

of course I've no doubt that many Americans do care, and I'm sure if the people get the help they will greatly appreciate it, but using it as a political weapon is what gets me.

It's a bit like shouting to people 'Look at me, I'm putting money in the charity tin!'

11antoniacourt · Joined: 30 Apr 2007

It's not the US giving AID, it's USAID and the history of USAID goes back to WWII and the Marshall Plan. USAID is a partnership between the United States government, private companies, universities and voluntary organizations and they have offices world wide.

faceless · admin Joined: 25 Apr 2006

Whatever it is, it's just crass. You'd thnk after doing it for 60 years they'd be a bit more subtle about it...

SpursFan1902 · Pitch Queen Joined: 24 May 2007 Location: Sunshine State

So the boxes should be unmarked and risk loss? I understand what you are saying, Face, but after all, what is really important is that the aid gets there, it shouldn't matter what is on the box just what is in it.

faceless · admin Joined: 25 Apr 2006

But even small boxes have GPS in them these days so that it's known what and where stuff is...

Someone in charge made the decision to put the huge banner on them and I think it reflects badly on those people who did just give out of the goodness of their hearts.

faceless · admin Joined: 25 Apr 2006

I just heard on the news that the Burmese government have said that they will now accept all the aid, as long as it's sent via Asian relief organisations... I gather from this that they weren't happy about the political points-scoring and are answering it by playing their own.

pirtybirdy · 'Native New Yorker' Joined: 29 Apr 2006 Location: FL USA

That's good. They scored some points while their people died waiting for the aid. They won and the people who are dying lost. I just wish people on both sides didn't politicize the tragedy and just gave aid and accepted aid for the sake of those who really really need it. I hope it does the Burmese people some good and I hope it's not too late.

11antoniacourt · Joined: 30 Apr 2007

The Junta has the right to accept aid in any way they see fit. They have allowed medical help from Thailand, China and india. I'm sure it was on this board that someone posted a year ago that they'd rather get medical care in a third world country than in America, so there's got to be something to that. Neither Western world, nor western medicine should not be forced upon anyone. And even my deaf, dumb and blind grandmother The UN got enough food through for a quarter of those in need.

Myanmar has said they will establish a mechanism so that aid from all over the world can flow into Myanmar, and they will do this at a conference coming up this Sunday. Three weeks after the catastrophe.

Sadly, those who are dying are not on board with any of this.