(The following article is from the June 1-15, 2008, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $25/year, or $12 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $25 US per year; other overseas readers - $25 US or $35 CDN per year. Send to: People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 133 Herkimer St., Unit 502, Hamilton, ON, L8P 2H3.)

People's Voice Editorial, June 1-15, 2008

It appears that the pace of natural disasters is becoming more frequent and destructive. Climate change is forecast to result in more hurricanes, droughts, floods, storms and a rise in sea levels. Whenever earthquakes occur in populated areas, the loss of life and the destruction of property is immense. But most governments are not yet implementing urgent measures to change the situation.

     There are notable exceptions, such as Cuba's highly-organized preparations for the hurricanes which often sweep across the island, and the massive reaction to the devastating earthquake in China. In both cases, swift government action has been matched by the collective spirit of the people. Compare this to the totally inadequate response of the government of Myanmar after the recent cyclone, or the Bush administration when Katrina devastated New Orleans. Closer to home, the collapse of schools in China reminds us that hundreds of schools in earthquake-prone British Columbia are decades away from seismic upgrades, thanks to the failure of governments to make protection of children and teachers a priority.

     Those who invoke the so-called "responsibility to protect" to call for "smashing down the doors" into Myanmar - including U.S. politicians - conveniently forget that the people of New Orleans were left to suffer for days, while international offers of assistance, including from nearby Cuba, were arrogantly rejected.

     Instead, the imperialist powers are playing politics with natural disasters, taking advantage of the failures of the government of Myanmar to promote the view that national sovereignty of countries can be trampled whenever the U.S. and its allies choose. This threat to "do as we say or face the consequences" is a dangerous colonialist mentality which must be rejected.