Burma has increasingly come under fire over the weekend after a direct attack on the regime by the US Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Gates was speaking at a regional conference on international security in Singapore when he addressed the statements about the performance of the regime over the past four weeks in response to the cyclone fall out. Gates described the behavior of the junta as criminally negligent and hinted that the slow response to the crisis could cost thousands of lives. The comments by the high ranking military official echoes the sentiments of UN, NGO and other aid workers across the region and internationally who have been dismayed by the lack of urgency in the military regime’s response.

There was a mixed reaction to last week’s agreement, facilitated by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, which was supposed to allow unfettered access to the delta for all international aid staff. Moon’s optimism was not matched by aid workers who are familiar with the regime’s routine of pandering to the UN until attention dies away, and then carrying on business as usual. Comments from the WFP this week appear to confirm that those fears were not unjustified, after it was announced that only one helicopter loaded with aid supplies was given permission to land in Rangoon last week. With an estimated 2.5 million people affected by the cyclone, this response is completely inadequate.

The first priority for all concerned in the relief effort has justifiably been the food, shelter and clothing of survivors, however, further long term problems are looming in the delta. Local donors, private actors and NGO’s have all been pitching in to help survivors where they can, however, there are larger structural and economic problems that have not yet been resolved. Two of the biggest problems on the horizon are those of agriculture and education. The planting season for rice is due to begin in the delta and the people who should be farming still have to think about food and shelter as their first priority. With most farming infrastructure destroyed by the cyclone, farmers are at a loss to begin the planting of this season’s crops. Authorities have begun taking steps to import seed and animals from other regions, but this is affecting farmers adversely in those places where they are being forced to sell livestock at figures far below market price, depriving already poor farmers of crucial livestock. The Irrwaddy delta is the traditional provider of rice for all of Burma and a failed crop due to the devastation of the region, along with the destruction of the fishing industry could certainly lead to massive food shortages across Burma.

A further issue remains that of schooling. The educational term is also due to begin and as yet there seem to be no reconstruction efforts of any note to be seen. Although the UN agencies are taking steps to construct makeshift schools, these are not sustainable and the junta should be doing more to get reconstruction efforts underway.

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