Burma - don't forget human rights there

Burma is not so much in the news but we should not think that the abuses of human rights have ceased.  See the Burma Campaign UK. Take an e-mail action from their website in support of an activist in prison who is being denied medical treatment for an eye infection that may lead to blindness if not treated.

Update, 6 May 2008: Not long after I wrote the above and now Burma is back in the headlines, but this time because of a natural disaster.  The government have at least recognised that they need outside help to cope with the enormous scale of the destruction. They have asked for supplies but they have not been willing to allow in experts from UN agencies or international charities. 

Any country would be struggling to cope with such a huge disaster where action is needed quickly to assess the needs and to provide what is needed.  Air transport such as helicopters is the only way to get the aid in effectively. 

How can the Burmese government turn down offers of expert assistance from those who have experience of other disasters?  It is terrible enough already but with more days of failing to meet the scale of the need there will be epidemics of infections to make things even worse.