The frustration felt in many nations throughout the world is certainly not at the level of that shared by the Burmese people who have witnessed their “leaders” display a callous and cyncal approach to the need for relief. The toll of dead is above 130,000 while Myanmar’s generals celebrate their great “victory” in securing passage of a constitutional referendum on a new constitution. President Bush has imposed sanctions on Burma while Prime Minister Gordon Brown denounced the “inhuman treatment” of the Burmese people. “We have an intolerable situation created by a natural disaster. It is being made into a man-made catastrophe by the negligence, the neglect and the in human treatment of the Burmese people by a regime that is failing to act and to allow the international community to do what it wants o do.”
The military junta did fly some diplomats into a model camp that was set up for refugees, but it contiues blocking aid workers or journalists into the region most impacted by the cyclone. Navy shps from France and the United States are off the coast of Burma, but unable to land. Survivors say the military is pushing them out of refuge in monasteries. Some voices like that of Desmond Tutu are talking about the UN using force to get supplies to those in need. Id this an example of a justifiable use of force by the UN?