YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - Myanmar’s junta seized U.N. aid shipments headed for hungry and homeless survivors of last week’s devastating cyclone, prompting the world body to suspend further help on Friday.

The U.N. said the aid included 38 tons of high-energy biscuits and arrived in Myanmar on Friday on two flights from Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates.

“All of the food aid and equipment that we managed to get in has been confiscated,” U.N. World Food Program spokesman Paul Risley said. “For the time being, we have no choice but to end further efforts to bring critical needed food aid into Myanmar at this time.”

Myanmar’s government acknowledged taking control of the shipments and said it plans to distribute the aid “without delay by its own labor to the affected areas.”

It is a rare occasion that I find myself defending the U.N. in any way, this is one of them…

Disasters such as the cyclone that hit Burma are the types of relief efforts the U.N. needs to be engaged in, it is right up their alley of expertise and they got supplies started down the chain and to Burma in record time, even if they knew what the reaction of the Burmese authorities would be, and I am sure they had at least some idea going in given the corrupt nature of the military junta that rules Burma now…

In a statement said in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press, government spokesman Ye Htut said the junta had “clearly stated” what it would do and denied the action amounted to a seizure.

“I would like to know which person or organization (made these) these baseless accusations,” he said.

Well now, aren’t you the dumbass?? It was the United Nations, did you miss that part?? Are you so paranoid that you can’t allow the U.N. to actually come into your piss-hole of a nation and make an effort to keep even more of your people from dying or are you just too afraid that someone might discover a few ugly truths??

“Please, this food is going to people who need it very much. You and I, we have the same interests,” Banbury said. Those victims - those 1 million or more people - who need this assistance are not part of a political dialogue. They need this humanitarian assistance. Please release it.”

When Katrina ripped hell out of New Orleans it was ‘The Chocolate People’ that were shooting at the police and helicopters, keeping aid from getting through, and in some cases causing even more death and pain to befall their own people, this time it’s an oppressive government…

I have no pity for those that won’t help themselves, and I have even less sympathy for those that will live under a government such as the one in Burma, freedom isn’t free and until these people cast off their chains, this is all they can expect from the government of Burma…

The junta said in a statement Friday it was grateful to the international community for its assistance - which has included 11 chartered planes loaded with aid supplies - but the best way to help was just to send in material rather than personnel.

And that my friends is all the citation my above remarks need, the military junta does NOT want the world to know it’s dark and dirty secrets…

Our government cries over human rights in oppressed nations?? We went to war in Iraq basically over human rights?? What kind of violations do you suppose this junta is hiding?? And many do NOT want to know…

Full Story Here:
UN halts aid to Myanmar after junta seizes supplies

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Cross Posted @ Reject the U.N.