Spotlight
Tuesday, 06 May
Win Min
In the wake of a devastating cyclone that killed over 22,000 Myanmar, political expert Win Min anticipates that authorities will be reluctant to accept outside assistance for fear of exposing the government's inadequate response to the disaster. "Whereas the junta is likely to accept equipment and supplies, the top generals will be less keen to allow a whole lot of foreigners running around the county," said Min, an independent academic based in the northern Thai town of Chiang Mai.
Bombay News reports "the disaster comes at a sensitive time for Myanmar military junta, which is trying to build credibility in the face of international criticism over its violent crackdown last year on Buddhist monks and other mostly peaceful pro-democracy demonstrators." Min adds, "People may even get angry that the government is not really caring about them, but just caring about the referendum," referring to the upcoming constitutional referendum.
In response to the government prioritizing the referendum, Min told Reuters, "This is unbelievable. They don't care their own people are suffering." Reuters identifies Min as someone who fled Myanmar after a 1988 crackdown in which an estimated 3,000 people were killed.
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