The Politics of Compassion .....

On the heels of our hearing how desperate it was for the people of Burma/Myanmar, it just got A LOT more desperate.

On Sunday, Midlanders had a chance to hear Steve Gumaer, co-founder of Partners Relief & Development speak about the peoples of Burma who are beaten, displaced and victimized by their own government. We watched late last year as this government bloodily suppressed pro-freedom demonstrations in the streets of their major cities - the atrocities committed by the government and its army are even greater, and have been going on even longer outside the cities, in the lands occupied by ethnic minority groups.

These acts have earned our condemnation at both the official, government level and the private, individual level. But circumstances have a way of changing, and now we are rushing to help .... if we can. In the wake of this weekend's terrible, deadly storm, the greatest obstacle to helping the people of Burma may be the government of Burma. Relief efforts - those of both governments and NGO's worldwide - have been frustrated by the demands of Burma's ruling military junta that all aid be give to them, personally, and by their refusal to grant relief workers access to their country. Now there is news that the U.N. is considering plan to force Burma (Myanmar) to accept the aid.

Agencies are moving forward, though, preparing for that moment when access may at last be granted - no matter how grudgingly - by Burma's government. One of those agencies is Steve's Partners organization, which is mobilizing to assist people directly impacted by this natural disaster.

"Four days ago a devastating cyclone hit the southern delta region of Burma," said an e-mail I received Tuesday from Partners. "These winds flattened homes and resulted in thousands of deaths. Partners is currently mobilizing a relief team comprised of medical personnel and logisticians to respond to this tragedy."

"The people who remain in Burma are in a desperate situation and in need of emergency relief supplies - food, shelter, medicine and clean water."

"God's heart bleeds for the people of Burma. They are an oppressed people mired in poverty under the hand of a regime that refuses to serve their own people. And now, they are confronted by this terrible natural disaster."

"As you may have seen in the media, the Burma regime had foreknowledge of the weather conditions and yet neglected to inform the people in the path of the cyclone. Consequently, the human cost and needs are enormous."

"The current death toll is 15,000 [it has since reached 22,000 or more] and the numbers are growing by the hour. "

"In order to respond to this tragedy, we are needing your help. Partners has launched an immediate Burma Cyclone Emergency Relief Appeal fund. Please donate online to help finance this action of love."

"Please continue to pray for this evolving situation. We will keep you updated as more information becomes available."

I've already contributed, and so have others here in Midland. I strongly urge you to contribute, too. Or, you can go here for a list of other agencies accepting Burma/Myanmar cyclone donations.