Myanmar survivors?

Question

How come all the pictures of the Myanmar survivors look like they've got mud smeared on their faces? Is it some sort of mourning? Or sunblock? I'm very curious about this.

Also, is anyone else offended by the picture of the dead children floating in the water? It breaks my heart, and I feel that its very disrespectful to those children and their families to just put their lifeless bodies on display in that manner.

Answer 1

There's not much clean water there right now - what there is needs to be conserved for drinking - and the survivors are searching through a huge amount of mud. On top of that I wouldn't think very many of them really give a d**n about tarting themselves up for the cameras.

As for the images of dead children - what you are seeing is reality at its worst, made even worse by the delays caused by Myanmar's government. This is a story that needs to be told in all of its inhumanity, not one that should be sanitised so that people not directly involved can feel a little better.

Answer 2

When tens of thousands of people die suddenly, it is difficult to hide so many bodies. The survivors are looking for clean water or medical care so they don't die as well. I doubt sunblock is on anyone's lists of things to think about in Myanmar. If their government doesn't let help in soon, it could develop into epidemics, starvation,and dying of thirst.

They don't have roofs over their heads. They have little to worry about other than fundamental survival. I cant fathom the death of 100,000. If conditions get worse it could kill so many we could never know. I have no idea how a government can deny help when there is so much help close by.