Burmese people are now suffering from the great impact of Cyclone Nargis. It is very shocking to hear that the death toll has increased dramatically three days after it hit last Saturday.

An Asian expert has predicted that the death toll could mount up to 250,000. However, the US diplomat said on Wednesday more than 100,000 people have been killed with millions homeless. This is a great horrifying news for Burmese community from inside and outside the country as well as people around the world.

It is hard to imagine for the people living in affected areas and how they are going to survive with delayed access to rescuers and aid workers when there is difficulty in transportation. There are also restrictions from the Burmese military government.

For the Burmese people suffering from the shortage of food and medication are not new but this time it is very horrifying under the tragic circumstances that they are facing.  They are in great traumatic condition where they have lost their possessions, home and love ones.

Losing lives by this natural disaster is preventable as the Burmese military regime had been notified 48 hours prior to the attack of Cyclone Nargis. Ordinary Burmese citizens had circulated the information from the US Navy and Air Force Joint Typhoon Warning Center that there was a risk of Cyclone Nargis on 3 May.

In the meantime, the Indian Meteorological Department had also warning 48 hours in advance about the likely area of Landfall as well as time and intensity of the cyclone but the Burmese military ignored it.

Despite the warning from US and India, the military regime made announcement on 29 April on its newspapers from Naypyitaw by stating that the Cyclone Nargis had apparently weakened down and the winds gently moving toward north. And it predicted that after 28 hours Cyclone Nargis would weaken down and gently move toward northeast.  The cyclone would bring the winds up to 40 to 45mph, according to Burma weather department.

It could have saved thousands lives if the military regime did not ignore the warning. They should have advised people to evacuate from those Cyclone Nargis zone and move them to safer places.

With the result of ignorance, the military regime has committed murder of its own people. The regime knew people would die if they were not being evacuated immediately but the military had chosen to let the people die. The history of military regime committing murder of its innocent people will remain in documents and one day they will have to pay the price for those victims when Burma becomes a democracy.

The Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has stated that there should be no blame and no politics at this stage, saving the lives of those in disaster zone is more important. He is right because the military regime is cruel. They care for the power than those affected people. They will prefer people dead than losing their power. The Burmese regime had been using this kind of brutal tactic since its military coup in 1962.

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has made a media release that the Australia will provide $3 million in immediate humanitarian assistance to the people affected by Cyclone Nargis. This is great news for the people of Burma. Mr Smith said $1 million will provide immediate emergency shelter, water and other materials to directly affected people through Care, World Vision and Caritas. A further aid will go to United Nations World Food Programme $1 million and United Nations Children¢s Fund (UNICEF) $1 million.

But the military regime is reluctant to grant visa to aid workers, which is extremely disturbing to international community who care so much about the affected people and are willing to provide financial, materials and human resources to them. There are about $40 million from more than 20 countries that has announced that they are ready to provide the financial and materials to Burma. But the military regime has not made any announcement that they welcome those assistances.

It shows the regime’s fundamental character that they have no sympathy for the people who desperately need help for their survival. The people of Burma should therefore not tolerate and give any favour to this brutal regime and they should keep in mind that if the regime remains in power, they will continue to torture, kill people and make Burma a slave country.