Catastrophe puts Burma in the spotlight

"Burma's population has been denied a say in the country's affairs for twenty years. Holding a referendum now smacks of dishonest intentions," Sven Hansen writes. "Nevertheless, the junta shows no sign of postponing the plebiscite, and continues to bar the access of vitally needed aid. It is unclear whether the generals are doing this out of a cynical calculation - or whether in their new 'capital' in the country's interior they really lack an overview of the devastation wreaked by the cyclone on the country's coast. In fact the two questions go hand in hand. The junta had intended to prevent media coverage of the referendum. The cyclone has now faced them with a dilemma: either they postpone the referendum and let aid workers into the country, or they hold the referendum as planned and forgo external aid."

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