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It has been proved beyond doubt that the Burmese junta leaders  are heartless when it comes to rescue and providing comfort for their own people in time of emergencies. Nearly two weeks have passed and food and water are not getting through to affected Burmese people in the Irrawaddy Delta. All major UN agencies have warned there could be outbreaks of disease that would further kill the survivors, especially the most vulnerable, the young and children.

The junta leaders are playing with people's lives as days pass with further delay in aid deliveries. It is a Catch 22 situation for the junta. They know that if they allow the international donors into the country, they would lose control and the legitimacy to rule. So they have to assert controls, even though more citizens will die.

After Cyclone Nargis hit Burma, it was amazing to see the whole international community put aside its political differences and immediately offer to help. Major players like the US and the EU and aid organisations have extended helping hands. But the problem is the regime is only concerned about its own survival. So, the relief packages are still on the ground at major airports in the region. This humanitarian aid must be given soon, otherwise more suffering people will die.

It is interesting as to why members of the UN Security Council do not see eye to eye on taking common action to protect ordinary people. It is a sham indeed. When a government fails to protect its own citizens on such a mammoth scale, the international community must act to save lives. This is not Iraq, there is no need to prove or disprove a nuclear weapons programme. It is obvious for all to see. How can we wait and watch the Burmese people die in front of our eyes because of the non-interventionist principles practised by Asean? Such principles have been cleverly used by the junta to continue oppressing their own citizens.

We should learn from the previous crises in Rwanda and Burundi when the international community failed to intervene in a timely manner. This time around, the international community must act swiftly. If the junta continues to delay aid delivery, the UNSC must act and come out with a resolution authorising humanitarian intervention. After all, the UN has accepted that each UN member has a responsibility to protect the other. So when there is such a grave failure, deliberated perpetuated by the regime, then the Security Council has a good case. Both Russia and China would support this approach. Otherwise, Burma will continue to blackmail the council for its own survival. How would Russia and China explain to their people if the same thing happened to them?

At the moment, the junta is playing the Asean card. Rangoon has given the green light for the Asean Emergency Assessment Team to fly to Burma to prepare a report that would be deliberated during the special foreign ministerial meeting in Singapore next Monday. That came almost a week after the Asean Secretariat made contact, followed by Surin's letter appealing for speedy admission of the Asean relief team. Like it or not, Burma knows that Asean will support whatever policy the junta comes up with. After all, Asean has helped Burma all along since its admission in 1997.

Even though Burma has failed to comply with good behaviour and governance within Asean, the grouping always comes to its defence. When the regime cracked down with extreme violence against the monks last September, Asean kept quiet. Of course, Asean expressed revulsion against the junta's actions to preempt others from doing so. But that much was clear. There has been no follow-up action since then. Indeed, Asean is now endorsing the Burmese regime's way of doing things, including last week's referendum.

Among Asean members, Thailand is the strongest supporter of the regime. Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej has criticised the opposition party leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. Worse, Thailand's Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama naively endorsed and praised the Burmese leaders at every turn.

The international community must continue to press for admittance to the country. Timely humanitarian intervention would not only save lives but would send a strong message to the junta leaders that they cannot continue with their intransigence.