With my second semester final exams and final projects, I had been struggling managing my time this week. All the sad and disturbing news of the aftermath of Cyclone were just driving me crazy and angry.
I were wanting to go back and help the suffering victims but it was impossible as I don't have money to go back from US to Myanmar. I don't want to give my dad another burden as his factory also collasped during the cyclone and had been busy. All I could do was trying to fund-raise in the campus among Burmese community. We wanted to plan an event but with finals coming up, no one seems interested and the campus had been quite deserted. We decided to donate the money that we rasied in food sale previously and persuade our friends to donate as much as they can. We had a little more than 2000US$. That was all we can do. I felt really guilty of not doing enough. My friends in Myanmar said even if I go back, I wouldn't be able to go deep into the disasterous areas but I saw people going there. (May be my friends are just comforting me.)
I was supposed to review my calculus every night as it was kinda hard for me but ended up in front of my laptop, googling the news every five minutes, dreaming if any country would do humanitarian intervention. However, I fed up reading all the rhetoric condemnations and statements released by governments and organizations. Passing midnight everyday without recognizing it was already twelve. Lack of enough sleep also making me dizzy during class and reviews. I was lucky one architecture class finished a week earlier. I did the final project in a rush but again lucky it went quite well. Another design class needed me to buy stuffs for the final project and I had to do the last minute shopping and project which made me stopped reviewing all other remaining classes including my bad calculus. Fortunately I did not need to take the final for political science class since I got all As in previous exams. This lifted a lot of burden on me. At last, I had only calculus and english left. Well, as I expected, I did really bad on the math exam as I had only two hours of sleep (I was wasting time googling news for every one hour)and couldn't concentrate in solving the problems, leading me to make stupid mistakes. At last, I have only two more essays to write for my English final. Feeling exhausted, I could care much more and just took it as easy-going as I can.
It's all done now but I still need to figure out and suggest where our fund-raised money would go to. Hearing that NGOs were blocked (may be true or not), all news are unreliable at this time, I had to contact my friends inside Myanmar to inquire the NGOs they are working with. We should send the money as quickly as possible but we were stuck in the decisions of where to be donated. Gonna act quick. Soon.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Burma's viral
I really love this with the sunset time at Bagan and all those flowers showered from the plane upon the temples is just very romantic. I'll be dreaming this kind of day.
Here is the depiction.
For MTV and the Burma Arts Board, Shilo and Ogilvy & Mather/Amsterdam created the "Burma Viral," which will air on MTV's Times Square Jumbotron and elsewhere around the world.The film depicts war planes lifting off all over the world and meeting over Burma. I watched with a pinch of irritation as their hatches open, expecting bombs and the requisite sight of human suffering, but -- unexpectedly -- the planes rain a canopy of flowers over the cityscape.As the blossoms drift quietly to the ground, the following words appear: "To the peace loving people of Burma, we support you in this time of crisis. From your friends around the world." Appended to the message is an invitation to donate at MTVBurmaAction.com -- whose website, unfortunately, lacks the elegance of the video.In any case, the "Burma Viral" does a nice job of emitting the fragility of the Burmese situation, and of peace in general, without imploring for pity. It's more moving -- and infinitely more dignified -- than using anxious celebrities to plug for cash.
Full credit goes to whoever made this wonderful video.
Find more videos like this on AdGabber
Friday, May 9, 2008
Deepest condolences to my people in Myanmar
I can no longer retain my feelings inside.
It's been a week the merciless cyclone Nargis was blown into the delta region of Myanmar. Without proper warnings ahead of this deadly cyclone and lack of responsibility of the military government has cost thousands of innocent lives. It is indeed heartbreaking to see those images of dead bodies, children's, men's and women's. It is even more heartbreaking to hear the death toll keeping rising. It is unacceptable that the government is delaying the much needed aid for the survivors. While the generals hold meeting in their bunker capital for this crisis, the lives of thousands people might have been perished. They do not allow the aid in even though they do not have emergency preparation or expertise at all. This is a complete ignorance to the lives of the people and I denounce it as a genocide in another way. I read this news that General Thein Sein donates 20 sets of televisions, 10 sets of DVDs and satellite receivers to let the survivors have some entertainment. What a thoughtful act but a ridiculous one for me! Just look at this and one can see the junta is not noticing what people do really need: water, food and shelter or ignoring the facts. No one is going to enjoy at this time with loss of family members and properties! (May be their purpose is to brainwash them with the propaganda for the forced referendum which everyone knows that the result is "Approved")
I am also very disappointed at the UN which should swiftly act to help the survivors. I believe there is no need to get permission to save thousands of lives who are desperately need the emergency aid. I am very thankful to France who brought up the resolution to force the aid in under the UN clause of "responsibility to protect" when the respective government does not do so. It is very obvious that the military junta has no capacity (possibly no desire) to save the lives of this scale. However, the rejection of China and its supporters anger me as they keep emphasizing the "sovereignty" of the country. What the F they are thinking about? Don't they realize millions of lives in the storm hit regions are in jeopardy when the waterborne diseases spread? It is untimely to discuss the sovereignty of the country while millions of lives of its people are at risk. My animosity towards those countries has grown bigger and bigger as they keep blocking the resolution which can give enormous help to my country. Why do we bother having UN or UNSC or whatever council. I do not mean to insult any individuals who devote for human rights in UN. However, I believe China does not deserve to hold the veto power to reject this humanitarian crisis. And look at them, what do they help? They help the military, take out all the natural resources from our country as much as they can and in return, they donate $1 million for the relief. If they don't have or don't want to help in large scale, then keep out of the way? Please do not block the resolution anymore. I really hate this phrase..really..."do not politicize". It's the matter of life and death, China. I don't see anyone politicizing this tragedy. The Western countries are requesting to help in full scale. China, the closest neighbour who can help more than any other countries in the region do not provide much at all. Well yeah, they are busy with "Olympics" which I do not want to enjoy at all. US has ordered its ships in the Gulf of Thailand ready for aid but sadly, waiting for the clearance from the illegitimate government. I really hope US invade my country now. I car not care more about the pride or sovereignty or whatever than my people who are dying pathetically.
I might be wrong but this is just an opinion of an ordinary person...who sympathize the victims of the cyclone...I am praying for all the people in Myanmar...May they be free from all the sufferings...all five enemies...Dictators, Water, Wind, Fire and Thieves...May my country be free from this deadly curse...
With deepest condolence,
Lin Sitthu
P.S. Those who might read this blog, please donate to the world organizations which are helping with the relief in Myanmar, even a dollar. Please be a voice for the voiceless.
It's been a week the merciless cyclone Nargis was blown into the delta region of Myanmar. Without proper warnings ahead of this deadly cyclone and lack of responsibility of the military government has cost thousands of innocent lives. It is indeed heartbreaking to see those images of dead bodies, children's, men's and women's. It is even more heartbreaking to hear the death toll keeping rising. It is unacceptable that the government is delaying the much needed aid for the survivors. While the generals hold meeting in their bunker capital for this crisis, the lives of thousands people might have been perished. They do not allow the aid in even though they do not have emergency preparation or expertise at all. This is a complete ignorance to the lives of the people and I denounce it as a genocide in another way. I read this news that General Thein Sein donates 20 sets of televisions, 10 sets of DVDs and satellite receivers to let the survivors have some entertainment. What a thoughtful act but a ridiculous one for me! Just look at this and one can see the junta is not noticing what people do really need: water, food and shelter or ignoring the facts. No one is going to enjoy at this time with loss of family members and properties! (May be their purpose is to brainwash them with the propaganda for the forced referendum which everyone knows that the result is "Approved")
I am also very disappointed at the UN which should swiftly act to help the survivors. I believe there is no need to get permission to save thousands of lives who are desperately need the emergency aid. I am very thankful to France who brought up the resolution to force the aid in under the UN clause of "responsibility to protect" when the respective government does not do so. It is very obvious that the military junta has no capacity (possibly no desire) to save the lives of this scale. However, the rejection of China and its supporters anger me as they keep emphasizing the "sovereignty" of the country. What the F they are thinking about? Don't they realize millions of lives in the storm hit regions are in jeopardy when the waterborne diseases spread? It is untimely to discuss the sovereignty of the country while millions of lives of its people are at risk. My animosity towards those countries has grown bigger and bigger as they keep blocking the resolution which can give enormous help to my country. Why do we bother having UN or UNSC or whatever council. I do not mean to insult any individuals who devote for human rights in UN. However, I believe China does not deserve to hold the veto power to reject this humanitarian crisis. And look at them, what do they help? They help the military, take out all the natural resources from our country as much as they can and in return, they donate $1 million for the relief. If they don't have or don't want to help in large scale, then keep out of the way? Please do not block the resolution anymore. I really hate this phrase..really..."do not politicize". It's the matter of life and death, China. I don't see anyone politicizing this tragedy. The Western countries are requesting to help in full scale. China, the closest neighbour who can help more than any other countries in the region do not provide much at all. Well yeah, they are busy with "Olympics" which I do not want to enjoy at all. US has ordered its ships in the Gulf of Thailand ready for aid but sadly, waiting for the clearance from the illegitimate government. I really hope US invade my country now. I car not care more about the pride or sovereignty or whatever than my people who are dying pathetically.
I might be wrong but this is just an opinion of an ordinary person...who sympathize the victims of the cyclone...I am praying for all the people in Myanmar...May they be free from all the sufferings...all five enemies...Dictators, Water, Wind, Fire and Thieves...May my country be free from this deadly curse...
With deepest condolence,
Lin Sitthu
P.S. Those who might read this blog, please donate to the world organizations which are helping with the relief in Myanmar, even a dollar. Please be a voice for the voiceless.
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