The Burma Cyclone

So, barely two years after the tsunami that devastated Thailand and the Indian coast in particular, Asia is again struggling to recover from another natural disaster; this time Cyclone Nargis in Burma.

As if the cyclone is not challenging enough to respond to, Burma has one of the most stifling, bureaucratic, secretive and oppressive political regimes anywhere in the world.

Twice last year I wrote about this regime and criticised the rapidly-moving news agenda that too quickly lost interest in the supression of the democracy protests there.

The military junta is doing all it can to give the impression that it is more concerned that the cyclone has re-focussed international attention on their country rather than the horrific loss of life of their citizenry.

There can be no other reason why their Government is dragging its feet on letting aid agencies into the country, why it continues to prevent the media from adequately reporting the tragedy and persists in forging ahead with ludicrous plans to hold a so-called constitutional "referendum" this weekend.

The world must assist the devastated people of Burma: we cannot play politics with international aid.

But Burma's two main exports - paddy fields and offshore natural gas fields - have been absolutely devastated by the Cyclone and in the long term the international community would be absolutely within its rights to explain in categorical terms to the military junta that reconstruction aid and assistance must be coupled with political reform.

And that means the release and reinstatement of Aung Sun Su Kyi, the nation's democratic, elected leader.