Comments on: Storm warnings, Cyclone Nargis and the media http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2008/06/12/storm-warnings-cyclone-nargis-and-the-media/ New perspectives on mainland Southeast Asia Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:28:26 +1100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Elli Woollard http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2008/06/12/storm-warnings-cyclone-nargis-and-the-media/comment-page-1/#comment-479574 Elli Woollard Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:54:22 +0000 http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/?p=2436#comment-479574 It's not just the BBC that had its eye off the ball when it came to the cyclone. My husband is a meteorologist, and as such belongs to an internet user group whose members exchange data about impending weather events. Before Cyclone Sidr hit Bangladesh in 2007, meteorologists from around the world were warning that Bangladesh could have a catastrophe on its hands, and were hoping that the Bangladesh government was aware of the approaching calamity. When it came to Nargis, the international community of meteorologists was, apparently, strangely silent. I'm not sure whether they didn't have the data, whether the data was unclear or whether they simply regarded Burma as an unknown place and therefore unimportant - whatever, it is interesting to note the different responses to the two situations. It’s not just the BBC that had its eye off the ball when it came to the cyclone. My husband is a meteorologist, and as such belongs to an internet user group whose members exchange data about impending weather events. Before Cyclone Sidr hit Bangladesh in 2007, meteorologists from around the world were warning that Bangladesh could have a catastrophe on its hands, and were hoping that the Bangladesh government was aware of the approaching calamity. When it came to Nargis, the international community of meteorologists was, apparently, strangely silent. I’m not sure whether they didn’t have the data, whether the data was unclear or whether they simply regarded Burma as an unknown place and therefore unimportant – whatever, it is interesting to note the different responses to the two situations.

]]> By: Sai http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2008/06/12/storm-warnings-cyclone-nargis-and-the-media/comment-page-1/#comment-475100 Sai Sat, 14 Jun 2008 22:09:43 +0000 http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/?p=2436#comment-475100 This is a fair comment. Yes, Burmese media like activists and groups may be described as soccer players (I have this thought not just because of Euro 2008, but I have had this long ag0). They all are after one ball, which usually is kicked by the junta. If we look at te entire 15-20 years history of pro-democracy movement, we hear everybody taking about one particular issue. For example, depayin incident (attempt to assasinate Aung San Suu Kyi). Also, when the junta announced its 7-piont road map for the first time, the entire oppositioni communities started talking about this. SOme of them came up with their own road map. The question is what were they doing before the junta's roadmap? After awhile, the focus became national convention because the junta announed it would reconvene the NC. It's not only one/two times. It's been always like this. Opposition groups rarely move ahead of the junta, but keep following the ball kicked by the junta. Now, prior to cyclone Nagris, the focus was on referendum. Everytime i turned on radio or log on to websites, it was all about this. Yes, referendum was important, but it was not about the whole world. Now again, the focus is on fundraising for cyclone victims. We see many organizations and self-elected/self-reproduced "leaders" , now as humanitarian experts, talking over and over about emergency relief work (I don't think they are 'experts' of relief work either). Some of them sound like becoming humanitarian aid workers from political activists. I think Burmese pro-democracy groups need to rethink their strategies and the culture of doing things. They need to start looking at many different issues from different angles. Most importantly, they need to start thinking about material issues. This is a fair comment. Yes, Burmese media like activists and groups may be described as soccer players (I have this thought not just because of Euro 2008, but I have had this long ag0). They all are after one ball, which usually is kicked by the junta. If we look at te entire 15-20 years history of pro-democracy movement, we hear everybody taking about one particular issue.

For example, depayin incident (attempt to assasinate Aung San Suu Kyi). Also, when the junta announced its 7-piont road map for the first time, the entire oppositioni communities started talking about this. SOme of them came up with their own road map. The question is what were they doing before the junta’s roadmap? After awhile, the focus became national convention because the junta announed it would reconvene the NC. It’s not only one/two times. It’s been always like this. Opposition groups rarely move ahead of the junta, but keep following the ball kicked by the junta.

Now, prior to cyclone Nagris, the focus was on referendum. Everytime i turned on radio or log on to websites, it was all about this. Yes, referendum was important, but it was not about the whole world.

Now again, the focus is on fundraising for cyclone victims. We see many organizations and self-elected/self-reproduced “leaders” , now as humanitarian experts, talking over and over about emergency relief work (I don’t think they are ‘experts’ of relief work either). Some of them sound like becoming humanitarian aid workers from political activists.

I think Burmese pro-democracy groups need to rethink their strategies and the culture of doing things. They need to start looking at many different issues from different angles. Most importantly, they need to start thinking about material issues.

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