Good call, Minister Yeo

Countries must accept autonomy of Myanmar, China when extending help
By Channel NewsAsia's China Bureau Chief Maria Siow | Posted: 17 May 2008 2203 hrs

BEIJING : Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo has said that even as regional countries extend a helping hand to Myanmar and China, they have to accept the autonomy of these countries.

That is because only they know their internal situations better.

Mr Yeo was speaking to reporters at the end of an eight-day official visit to North Korea and China on Saturday.

Even though the disasters in China and Myanmar were of comparable magnitude, Mr Yeo noted that any outside assistance can only be supplementary.

Thus, even though reports coming out from Myanmar were troubling, neighbouring countries must wait for the Myanmar government to indicate what further assistance is needed.

Mr Yeo said, "Many western countries feel that much more should be done and perhaps it should be forced on them, but I don't see how these can be done, because if you try to do that, you make the situation worse and (this) will only increase the suffering of the people in Myanmar."

On China's response to the Sichuan earthquake, Mr Yeo said Beijing was completely on top of the situation.

He said, "Watching first Premier Wen (Jiabao) and President Hu (Jintao) expressing solidarity to the Sichuan people, urging rescue workers on, giving hope to those anxiously waiting for friends and relatives, I believe they will emerge stronger, more united, more resilient from the quake."

But Mr Yeo also noted that China will have to depend on its own efforts, adding it may not necessarily be useful to have too many foreign aid workers in the country.

Yes, Minister Yeo, because the Burmese government has obviously shown much aplomb and concern for its citizens by stealing aid meant for the victims. By this rationale, a higher fatalities estimate is just like the high score for a video game - the more, the merrier. This is the same government whose incredible knowledge of its internal situation has led it to prioritise a referendum over national disaster. This is the same government that is ultimately allowing more of its people to die through inaction under a shroud of secrecy, firstly by not sending out adequate warning, and now by denying aid organisations access to disaster areas.

Funny how this can be construed as a sovereignty issue, when this is patently a humanitarian crisis. Short of not getting aid and denying from thirst, hunger, water-borne diseases, how exactly can things get worse for the people of Myanmar? Hmn, I don't know. Perhaps what Minister Yeo alludes to is the upbeat possibility that by the time the aid workers get through to the disaster areas, there's no need to administer any aid at all.

No need for a search and rescue mission if all you need to do is wait for a week or two and let things turn into a retrieve and record mission. At least the body count should be accurate.