Burma, Worst for Bloggers – CPJ

According to the New York based Center to Protect Journalists, Burma is the worst country for bloggers. Vietnam comes number 6 on the list of difficult places for freedom of expression and China number 8.
“Bloggers are at the vanguard of the information revolution and their numbers are expanding rapidly,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. [...]

‘Deep Scars’ Left by Nargis

A year after cyclone Nargis wrecked Burma, hundreds of orphaned children are still a long way from recovering. Monks are stepping in to provide shelter and protection.  Will it be enough for these young lives to grow?

Burma: Buddhist relief efforts expand

RFA’s Burmese service had this interview with Thigadu Sayardaw, a senior figure in Burmese Buddhism, whose organisation is helping as much as possible with the relief effort for those made homeless by Tropical Cyclone Nargis:
Interviewer: Could you please tell us the situation of the cyclone victims that the Thidagu group is [...]

Burma: “They’re faking it everywhere”

They’re faking it everywhere. They fake it by video taping, and then leaving that area. They’re just looking for an opportunity to video tape when authorities come. People are suffering from the storm. They are building elaborate stages, with velvet backdrops, and writing things like who is donating what for the storm [...]

Burma: Refugees ‘told to leave shelters by May 14′

More recent interviews from RFA’s Burmese service:
Announcer: The storm victims, who lost their houses, are now facing severe starvation, but they cannot enjoy the help from the international community right away. Instead the families of the military are getting the help first. A person close to the military families in the airforce in Mingaladon, Rangoon [...]

Burma: Donated food ’sold at high prices’

The dried noodles that came from abroad, that we’ve never seen before, — you can now buy them at City Mart. Also, in Nyaung-bin-lay Market, I’ve seen cans of condensed milk that we’ve never seen before. These are the things donated by foreign countries. You can buy those packets of dried noodles. It’s 600 a [...]

Burma: Interview with Shari Villarosa in Rangoon

Photo by luisrene on Flickr.
Speaking as the United Nations announced it would cease aid flights into Burma until officials released two planeloads of emergency food supplies they were holding, the top U.S. diplomat in Burma has called on the military junta to allow the international community in.

“Take in good faith the desire of [...]

Burma: Devastation in Laputta township

The above video shows scenes from Rangoon during the onslaught of Tropical Cyclone Nargis, courtesy of Blogger Thura on YouTube. According to a recent report from RFA’s Burmese service, cyclone victims from Laputta township area, in Irrawaddy delta, which was hit the hardest by the cyclone, and from Hmaw-gyun region, have [...]

Burma: Urgent call for aid from survivors

General Aye Khaing, a member of the military junta, is from Hpya-pone city. He’s from 55 Division 9. His father’s house totally collapsed too. Also, General Maung Maung Aye from Division 66. His older brother Ko Hla Soe drowned in Byaing-ga-zee village. Other villages and people died horrifically, and there are [...]

Burma: Interviews with cyclone survivors

In the town of Daydayeh, south of Gadon-mani, in places like Gadon-lay and Khatta Island, Nauk-mee, Gawdu, Ashay-bya, and Kaing-thaung, Aye-ya, Gadon, there are corpses floating. Some floated into the sea. It seems like there’s no rescue operation over there. People are helpless now.
This woman interviewee is from one of the villages (she lists them [...]