Washington - Myanmar failed to adequately warn the
population in advance of the cyclone that hit the Southeast Asian
nation over the weekend and left thousands of people dead, the first
lady of the United States, Laura Bush, said Monday.
'Although they were aware of the threat, Burma's state run media
failed to issue a timely warning to citizens in the storm's path,'
Bush said, using the country's historical name.
Bush in recent years has taken up the cause of Myanmar's
humanitarian plight and has been the leading White House voice on the
issue alongside her husband, President George W Bush, who has enacted
sanctions on Myanmar to pressure the regime to introduce democratic
reforms.
The United States announced it would provide 250,000 dollars in
immediate emergency aid through the US embassy in Yangon that has
killed at least 4,000 people. Myanmar officials have said the death
toll could reach 10,000.
Laura Bush said there will be a 'substantial' amount more if
Myanmar's ruling military junta agreed to accept US help.
'I'm worried that they won't even accept US aid,' she said. 'And I
urge the government to accept aid from the United States and from the
entire international community right now while the needs of their
people are so critical.'
Myanmar's military regime has been known for its refusal to accept
outside help or allow humanitarian organization direct access to the
people. Bush said a US disaster response team was ready to go into
the country to assess the needs of the populations if Yangon approves
the offer.
Bush said the regime's response to the Cyclone Nargis coupled with
the regime's repressive policies and economic mismanagement of the
country showed the ineptitude of its leaders and the need of the
international community to pressure the government for democratic
change.
'The response to the cyclone is just the most recent example of
the junta's failure to meet its people's basic needs,' Bush said,
accusing the junta of squandering the nation's natural resources for
their won benefit.
The United States has sanctions on Myanmar because of its human
rights record and violent crackdowns against dissidents, including
leading democratic activist and Nobel peace winner Aung San Suu Kyi,
who has been under house arrest for years.
Bush said Suu Kyi's story sparked her interest in Myanmar and
supporting the democratic movement.
President Bush last week announced that he was broadening
sanctions against Myanmar to include state-run companies whose
revenue benefit the regime.
Because of the sanctions, the United States will have to look to
third parties, international organizations or the United Nations to
distribute US assistance. Washington is looking to contribute to food
and water supplies, as well as sanitation and shelter.
The massive storm hit Myanmar just a week before Saturday's
referendum on a constitution drawn up by the regime. The United
States has criticized the document that was drafted without the input
of opposition and was designed to strengthen the hand of the junta.
'To ensure their constitution becomes law, the regime has been
intimidating voters and using force against dissidents,' the first
lady said, adding arrests of dissidents have increased in the run-up
to the vote.
'They've orchestrated this vote to give false legitimacy to their
continued rule,' Bush said.
Bush said the drafted constitution gives the military junta veto
power over any changes to the document and bans political dissidents
who have been jailed in the past, like Suu Kyi, from running for
office.
Meanwhile, President Bush is set to sign legislation Tuesday that
would award Suu Kyi the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest award
given the legislative body can give to a civilian.
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