Myanmar, 8 days, and a strong case for democracy

I figure we should talk about Myanmar, so here we go.

So far, the UN estimates that between 69,290 to 101,682 people have died from the May 3 cyclone. Even the state-run Myanmar television acknowledges a death toll of 28,458. These numbers are simply tragic and astounding.

The Nobel-prize winning Economist Amartya Sen claimed that famines only occur in authoritarian regimes but not in democracies. In well-functioning democracies, the government is held directly accountable by the people through elections and therefore the government has strong incentives to protect the people. However with authoritarian regimes like the Myanmar military junta, the government has less incentive to respond to the people’s needs, there are no direct links between the people’s welfare and government power. Their only interest is in maintaining control.

Unfortunately, Sen’s theory is being proven again. 8 DAYS later and significant foreign aid has still not been allowed into the country. 8 DAYS while thousands upon thousands of people are starving and dying of thirst and could have been easily saved by the foreign aid right at the country’s doorstep (tons of aid has been sitting to rot at the Myanmar airport and in Thailand). 8 DAYS while less than FIVE foreign doctors and aid workers have been allowed to treat the sick and dying. 8 DAYS because the ruling military junta wants to maintain absolute control and to ward off foreign influence. 8 DAYS that has turned a natural disaster into a bona fide crime against humanity.