Quote:

Original posted by ThreeHouses at 14-5-2008 14:00


Could you pls provide us with more detailed info to prove that your org is associated with any official rescue program/mission?

Otherwise, the forum may have to delete your post to avoid possi ...

I'm afraid I'm not associated with the BookWorm, which is a chain of Bookshop/Restaurants in Beijing, Chengdu and Suzhou...

I wanted to pass on some options for people to donate items, however, I suggest that they donate money directly to the Chinese Red Cross via the back account posted on their website (which is only in Chinese).  

If you feel you need to delete the post, I understand, I was just trying to give people some options, especially foreigners living in these cities, who may not be able to read Chinese language information.

Do what you feel is best.

Dave

@PeterBoyd:
        "does China need friends like the administration of Myanmar/Burma?"
   China has principals when come to international politics:  (1) do not interfere other country's internal affairs, or mind your own business; (2) treat every one equally. When come to Myanmar, there is no exception.  Whether who is on power in Myanmar, China will befriend with Myanmar.  Isolation or hostality never works in politics. If you want to change a country, the best way is to befriend the country even you may not like the goverment.  The bottom line is Myanmar is a independent country. No one including China can dictate what its goverment shall do.  If Myanmar people overthrow their junto goverment , I believe China will still befriend the new goverment.

Fair points, StevenL. However, your logic would suggest that China could refrain from  vetoing UN action in Myanmar/Burma at this time of extreme hardship for those who are not favoured by the Junta, since China will befriend whomever the administration is in Myanmar/Burma.

One consequence so far is that aid agencies in Europe are not able to get anything like the donations of money they had expected to obtain. This is simply because donors do not want to have their donations stolen and used by the Junta for their own pleasure. For instance, last year one of the Junta's generals spent $25-million on his daughter's wedding.

This is not an academic debate, per se. Tens of thousands of Burmese will die of starvation and diseases which could have been avoided. Furthermore, China shares a long border with Myanmar/Burma, with tens of thousnads of Chinese troops redeployed to help with the earthquake, and will not be available to handle an influx of refugees.

Quote:

Original posted by peterboyd at 15-5-2008 03:07
Fair points, StevenL. However, your logic would suggest that China could refrain from  vetoing UN action in Myanmar/Burma at this time of extreme hardship for those who are not favoured by the Junta,  ...

If you intend to talk politics, pls not here not now. Right now the whole nation is fighting so hard to rescue survivors and help victims of the quake disaster. Let's do our best to support rescue and recovery.

Something I'd like to share with you though. I feel deeply sad about Myanmar cyclone and pray for people over there. I am not a Myanmar citizen. I don't live in Myanmar either. I don't know exactly what an average Myanmar man/woman or most of its people think of the present government. Therefore I don't judge it or jump to conclusions about it. I believe people of Myanmar should and could make decisins of their own. And I am just wondering, if Myanmar was not isolated from other countries in the first place, what would happen to international aid. Maybe not so hard as it is today, and victims of natural disaster would not suffer so much.

If you intend to talk politics, pls not here not now. Right now the whole nation is fighting so hard to rescue survivors and help victims of the quake disaster. Let's do our best to support rescue and recovery.

thanks a lot for making such a crystal clear point. what's more, relative reply should always be deleted.

act wisely please.

Quote:

Original posted by peterboyd at 15-5-2008 03:07
Fair points, StevenL. However, your logic would suggest that China could refrain from  vetoing UN action in Myanmar/Burma at this time of extreme hardship for those who are not favoured by the Junta,  ...

Whether you have made valid points or not, frankly at this moment I really don't care. If you're so concerned about victims, then please show some compassion, around 15,000 accounted for are dead and the death toll is still rising, we still don't know the accurate situations in the most affected areas. Chinese people are donating money and blood all over the country to help, rescue teams are doing everything they can possibly do to save lives...we need to help oursevles before we can help anyone else, this has to be valid point.

If you wish to discuss anything else rather than how to help in Sichuan, please open another tread. Personally I don't appreciate any political discussions here as we are trying to help and nothing else.

My family has already donated money yesterday. I'm registered to donate blood once needed as suggested by government to aviod wasting of blood.

My prayers goes out to all people in the areas...

Good points, too, Lizchn. However, China simply has to refrain from being obstructive at the UN and has no need to divert one second, one penny, or one drop of blood from its own efforts to help its own earthquake victims.

The people of Myanmar/Burma have brought a lot of their own misfortune down upon themselves because of internal factional fighting for the last 60 years, with the Junta as the biggest dog in the yard. Even so, this is not the proper time to rub the noses of cyclone Nargis' victims in it, so to speak.

I think that should be sufficient for me, for this thread. Good luck with your own aid efforts, Lizchn.

first thank you for your donation,if your regard to the victims is from your heart.
second ,i'am not very clear why you  are so against china.
as StevenL said china always keep to five principles in its diplomatism.
and do you think its so easy to overthrow the long-kept principles?
i dont think any country or individual have the right to change it.
do you know why Burma refuse your succor ?cos they think about what you have done to Iraq! they fear the possible "speacial task" ,and if such circs happen, have you think about who will be responsible?
at first i thought you are a student or people like that .but when i got to know you are a member of Red Cross, i get to more confused. it seemed that you blame china not for considering the victims in Burma,but just want to blame china .and the big smile you show when you said you have donated make me think you have little respect to lives ,at least the victims of Sichuan. i can just see irony, prejudice ,headiness...and near blindly believing in your report.

i do hope you can think calmly

[ Last edited by tiffany at 15-5-2008 18:20 ]

Thanks.

Sorry that I am not in the frame of mind to discuss with you on the issues you raised now, at the moment my mind is occupied with what's happening in Sichuan.

Hope we can discuss the issues later at some point...now please also pray for our Chinese people who're going through such a tough time, if you can find the space in your heart.