Myanmar Junta Blasts Relief Agencies for Not Doing More (No, Really)

[Pangloss]

You almost have to admire the sheer gall of such a thing. From an AP wire story:

 

Myanmar's ruling junta lashed out Thursday at aid donors who promised millions of dollars for cyclone relief, saying survivors didn't need "bars of chocolate."

 

The reference to chocolate bars appeared to be metaphorical. No aid agency is known to be distributing them, and they would not be practical in the country's tropical heat. Paul Risley of the U.N.'s World Food Program, which is directing the effort for emergency food supplies, said his agency provides rice, ready-to-eat meals of rice and beans and high-energy biscuits.

 

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iy-MfhLN9Q7MwtQ1VlrvexLjr2dAD90VDF3G1

 

As a practical matter, this appears to be mostly about internal propaganda, but there's also an international aspect to it. The World Bank refuses to give them any new loans because they haven't paid their debts in many years. So now they're using this as an excuse to demand more money, which of course they will use to finish up their new showpiece capital city.

 

Pretty sad.