What Does Cyclone Nargis Tell Us about Burma?
Cyclone Nargis of 2-3 May 2008 devastated south-west Burma. Two major reports on the subsequent relief operations present different pictures: the official view is positive and full of facts; that of a consortium of nineteen Burmese organisations comments on problems of access restriction and military misbehaviour. Of lasting interest is the light thrown on the regime and its priorities. It is evidently self-confident, self-interested, lacking in expertise, reluctant to permit access, and paranoid. How little has changed since 1962.
