The Responsibility to Protect the Survivors of Natural Disaster: Cyclone Nargis, a Case Study

2009 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Barber
2011 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Langmore ◽  
Ashley McLachlan-Bent

AbstractIn May 2008 Cyclone Nargis created significant international debate when the ruling military regime in Myanmar refused to allow international relief supplies and specialists into the country. The discussion that followed included invoking the principle of Responsibility to Protect as a way of forcing the regime to accept international assistance. This proposal caused sharp division amongst governments, relief agencies, journalists and citizens. The regime's shocking refusal to accept assistance constituted a crime against humanity and, as such, deserved consideration as an R2P situation. The damage which military action involves was severely underestimated by those proposing it and although the situation following Nargis clearly met the threshold criteria, permitting coercive intervention, the precautionary principles were not satisfied, thus making coercive intervention under R2P impermissible. The involvement of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) following Nargis facilitated entry of disaster assessment teams and some aid into Myanmar. In light of Myanmar's fear of intervention in its affairs, the international community should have used R2P to frame a response and worked with ASEAN from the outset to pressure the regime to respond to the disaster more effectively.


Author(s):  
Giustiniani Flavia Zorzi

- The responsibility to protect doctrine was designed at the dawn of the new millennium to resolve situations when a State fails to protect its people against avoidable suffering. While it received a great deal of attention in doctrinal debates, the expectations put on it were not matched by reality. Indeed the concept, as endorsed by the international community in the 2005 UN World Summit declaration, is conspicuous by its scarce innovative value and its ambiguities. Among the questions left unanswered there is, in particular, the problem of its applicability in humanitarian emergency situations due to the combined effect of a natural catastrophe and the criminal behaviour of territorial authorities. This latter situation, so far considered as a hypothetical scenario, became true in Myanmar following the passage of cyclone Nargis. The Burmese emergency can thus be taken as a test-case whose inquiry will enable us to scrutinize the actual extent of the responsibility to protect.


2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oliver Ling Hoon Leh ◽  
Muhammad Shamsul Azdhar Zulkapli ◽  
Kwong Qi Jie ◽  
Nurul Ashikin Mabahwi

Referring to the Malaysian National Security Council, disaster is defined as a catastrophic situation that claimed many lives and caused extensive damage to property and potentially endangers the public peace and security. In Malaysia, there were few natural disaster events that can be said to be among the worst ever in terms of the number of deaths and damages. However, these occurrences were not as severe as overseas. At the end of December 2014, there was a catastrophic flood called as the 'Bah Kuning' was hitting the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It resulted in almost 85% of the total Kuala Krai area inundated by flood water. One of the elements in post-disaster recovery is rebuilding shelter for victims. Regardless, it is important to research on residents’ satisfaction as it will affect the well-being directly or indirectly. Thus, a study was carried out to evaluate the satisfaction of residents (victims) on the “New Permanent Houses” (Rumah Kekal Baharu, RKB) that they received from the redevelopment project. A questionnaire survey was carried out to collect and understand respondents’ satisfaction on the redevelopment of their housing area, in specific, the quality of their newly reconstructed houses and the supporting facilities or infrastructure in their area. From the analysis, it was found that majority of the respondents were satisfied with their newly redeveloped houses and the infrastructure. The satisfaction level was associated with the locational and land ownership factors.


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