Recordpub.com - OUR VIEW: Misery in Myanmar: Cyclone adds to the woes of Burmese

The military government of Myanmar " it's still really Burma " is not as insular, corrupt and oppressive as North Korea but it's a close runner-up. And both governments show a stunning indifference to the welfare of their people.
That was glaringly on display in the aftermath of a lethal cyclone that ripped across Myanmar over the weekend. Hundreds of thousands of people were homeless and 41,000 are missing.The death toll could reach 100,000, by some estimates.
But the ruling junta, which rules from a remote and luxurious capital, was focused not on relief but holding a referendum this weekend on a new constitution that will strengthen its hold on the government and give it an air of spurious legitimacy.
The junta did appeal for international assistance and the U.N., EU and U.S responded. But the questions remained how willing the regime was to facilitate that aid. It will have to waive burdensome customs requirements for relief supplies, and even in normal times the movement of aid workers has been tightly controlled.
The world owes the people of Myanmar its help and sympathy; it owes the ruling junta only its contempt.