Cyclone Nargis, Burma/Myanmar

Cyclone Nargis, Burma/Myanmar

Joonki KimZoe Newman

History and Background (1/2)

1948 – Union of Burma gains independence from Great Britain

1962 - Myanmar controlled by military regime after a coup d'état

1962-1972 – “Burmese Way to Socialism”

1988 – Pro-democracy demonstrations “8888 Uprising”

1989 – "Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma" → "Union of Myanmar“

History and Background (2/2)

1990 – Free elections, National League for Democracy (NLD) wins majority, Junta refused to step down

1991 – Aung San Suu Kyi awarded Nobel Peace Prize, under house arrest

1997 – Admitted into Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

2007 – Saffron Revolution

2008 – Cyclone Nargis

Human Rights Record

- Since military take over, Myanmar under constant insurgency

- Harsh crackdowns by military government

- Continued human rights abuses ∙ Child soldier, forced removal, denied citizenship, rape, etc.

- Annual adoption of UN resolutions condemning the acts of abuses

- Killing of monks during ‘Saffron Revolution’

2008 Corruption Perceptions Index Transparency International

http://video.on.nytimes.com/video/2008/05/05/world/1194817109514/cyclone-nargis-devastates-myanmar.html

Cyclone Nargis May 2nd – 3rd

- Worst cyclone recorded on the basin

- 120 mph (190 kph) winds and a 12 ft (3.5 meter) sea surge.

- Estimated damage at US$10billion

- Affected 2.4 million people, estimated 130,366 people dead or missing (OCHA estimation)

- Destroyed fertile Irrawaddy Delta area known as “Rice Bowl”

- Affected 65% of country’s rice paddies (UNFAO)

Timeline of Events

May 5th Government of Myanmar briefs resident diplomats - ‘ Aid will be welcomed by the government’

Immediately after the cyclone - International community, regional government and the UN offers aid→ ‘National Natural Disaster Preparedness Central Committee’

May 6th Human toll reaches more than 22,000

Timeline of Events (continued)

May 12th First US aid supply / Meeting of ASEAN, World Bank, OCHA - US Government / Military officials accompany first C-130 planes into Myanmar

May 8th – 9th Thai Mediation - Myanmar agrees on the basis of ‘no strings attached’

May 7th First consideration of Responsibility to Protect - France initially invokes Responsibility to Protect to provide humanitarian assistance

Timeline of Events (continued)

May 13th Consideration of Responsibility to Protect by Great Britain - Responsibility to Protect should be considered for natural disasters

May 19th Myanmar Agrees to ASEAN-ERAT - Myanmar agrees to aid led by ASEAN-ERAT under condition of not politicizing aid

May 16th ‘Crime Against Humanity’ - Myanmar state television reports 77,738 dead, 55,917 missing

Timeline of Events (continued)

May 23rd UN officials visit Myanmar - Myanmar promises ‘all’ aid workers will be allowed in

July 2008 Advances in relief and reconstruction efforts - UN Humanitarian Relief Coordinator, Sir John Holmes reports efforts are on track

May 25th Tripartite Core Group

- Myanmar Gov’t, ASEAN, UN forms the Tripartite group

Key Aspects / Turning Points (1/2)

Western Rhetoric Regarding Responsibility to Protect

- Great Britain, France, other Western nations consider Responsibility to Protect

- Expanding range of Responsibility to Protect to ‘Natural Disasters’

- Propels ASEAN Nations to act – most skeptical and fearful of Responsibility to Protect

∙ Initial actions by Thai (May 8th), followed by ASEAN (ASEAN-ERAT)

∙ Also affected Myanmar Government to act

Key Aspects / Turning Points (2/2)

Decision of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to intervene

- Assumed role of facilitator between Myanmar and the West

- First deployment of ASEAN Emergency Rapid Assessment Team (ERAT)

- Through high-level discussions on May 12, May 19, decision made for ASEAN-ERAT

to lead in aid coordination

- Myanmar accepts ASEAN assistance due to relative trust in the organization

Failures of the Burmese government

• Inadequate warning• Delay in aid delivery intensified a natural

disaster into a man-made disaster• Rejection of media coverage

Failures of the International Community

Missed Opportunities• Precedents• “sovereignty”? • Responsibility to Protect • Definition of “disaster”– “hazard” (natural) versus

“vulnerabilities” (human)