I don’t like the word democracy. It is one of those words that is used to mean all kinds of things, and it is interpreted in all kinds of ways. Democracy is not the world’s saviour… and neither is the blind belief in human progress. Here we are in 2010 and despite our progress, governments still kill their own citizens. [...]

Burma (also known as the Union of Myanmar) is a country we hear little about. Under military rule since 1962, the country is dominated by an oppressive regime resulting in a State of fear. Democratic elections have been planned for 2010, but they are a farce, or – as described by the US government – a mockery.  The leader of [...]

Thoughts after a recent trip to Myanmar. When Cyclone Nargis hit the southern most end of the Irriwaddy Delta in Myanmar, on May 2nd most of us were fast asleep. Some may have heard news of that a cyclone was bering down on the country from the Andaman sea. Just another bit of weather news in a far flung part [...]

First hand Report Ayerayawaddy District We were invited to visit the affected area, an area that we had been to in the past, with a leader who was returning to his native village. He had been visiting his home village with his eleven year old son on the night of the storm. As the wind and rain increased he had [...]

A candlelight vigil for the victims of Cyclone Nargis in Burma/Myanmar is being held at Auckland University on Wednesday, May 14 from 6.00pm-8.00pm. Organised by students from the Burma Support Group at Auckland University, the candlelight vigil is an opportunity for Aucklanders to come together to show their support for the millions of people affected by the cyclone, which devastated [...]

TEAR Fund has just dispatched an initial $50,000 to help its partner working on the ground in Myanmar, deliver much needed aid to the desperate Burmese people. “While the situation regarding restrictions on external workers and aid flows is totally unacceptable, charitable funding given to TEAR Fund is getting through and being used wisely and effectively in this very difficult [...]