Asia News

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JAPAN:
Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) released video taken inside the command centers following last year’s Tsunami disaster for the first time on Monday. They released 150 hours of video in total, but only 50 hours had audio. Although most of the video was available only to select Japanese journalists, one and one half hours of the most interesting video was made public.
That video paints a picture of intense stress, chaos and confusion. It reveals the frantic attempts to attempt to solve the unsolvable situation as they futilely tried to avoid meltdown of reactor No. 2. The video includes Fukushima Daiichi plant manager Masao Yoshida interacting with his staff and communicating with TEPCO headquarters about the hydrogen explosion at reactor No. 3. The public video all takes place on March 14th.
KOREA:
The United Nations declared the situation in North Korea a disaster last week in response to torrential rains and flooding. The state-run Korean Central News Agency reports stated that flooding swept away crops and buildings and left 169 people dead, but the U.N. said that the number was 80. Wells and pumping stations were damaged and about 50,000 families are left without drinking water and The World Food Program said it will begin sending food in response. This is in contrast to the decision to not send aid following the controversial rocket launch earlier this year.
MYANMAR:
Last Saturday, U.N.’s envoy to Myanmar, Tomas Quintana, called for an independent investigation into allegations that Myanmar is using excessive force in its efforts to quell sectarian violence between Muslims and Buddhists in Rakhine state. He said he cannot verify the allegations but an investigation is needed to guarantee accountability. He said “Reconciliation will not be possible without this, and exaggerations and distortions will fill the vacuum to further fuel distrust and tensions between communities.” He also called for the immediate release of 6 U.N. staff workers who have been detained in connection with events in Rakhine state.
Their detention is in sharp contrast to the recent reforms in Myanmar and the government’s release of large numbers of political prisoners. This situation will severely test President Thein Sein’s reform efforts.
His showcase political prisoner released was long time detained human rights activist Aung Sang Suu Kyi. In a press conference during her recent trip to Paris she supported what President Sein is trying to do, but realizes he could face stiff resistance from the military. She said “I believe that the president is sincere and I believe that he is honest but I cannot speak for everybody in the government.” Her treatment in France was like that of a visiting head of state. We can only hope the sectarian violence doesn’t derail all the progress towards democratization.
INDIA:
The massive blackouts that encompassed about half the population of India last Monday and Tuesday were reported to be over by Wednesday. However it raises some disturbing questions. How could a blackout affecting 670 million people or about 10% of the world’s population be allowed to happen?
Various explanations for the cause have been proposed, but it is obvious that it involved a heavy dose of bureaucratic mismanagement. “The unprecedented grid failure is a result of negligence, incompetence and complete abdication of duty on the part of the central government,” said Prakash Javadekar, an opposition party spokesperson. Sustained economic growth in this country with the world’s 2nd largest population will require serious reforms in the Indian power sector.