US embassy cable - 05DHAKA4392

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 004392 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR I/FW, B/G, IIP/G/NEA-SA, B/VOA/N (BANGLA SERVICE) STATE 
FOR SA/PAB, SA/PPD (LSCENSNY), SA/RA, INR/R/MR, AND PASS TO 
USAID FOR ANE/ASIA/SA/B 
 
CINCPAC FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR, J51 (LCDR FLETCHER), 
J45 (MAJ NICHOLLS) 
 
USARPAC FOR APOP-IM (MAJ STYNER) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR, OIIP, OPRC, KPAO, PREL, ETRD, PTER, ASEC, BG, OCII 
SUBJECT: Media Reaction: Aftermath of Katrina; Dhaka 
 
Summary: A columnist in Bangla Shamokal says that hurricane 
Katrina has uncovered the racist character of the U.S. 
administration. 
 
An article in English "Daily Star" urges Bangladesh to 
respond to the need of the Americans as America did for 
Bangladesh in 1993. 
 
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Aftermath of Katrina 
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"The African-American Poor of New Orleans" 
An editorial-page article in Bangla language newspaper 
"Shamokal" by columnist Badruddin Umar opines (9/6): 
 
The face of the U.S. as an imperialist nation is well known 
to the people of the world.  Its face became clearer with 
the military aggression and occupation of Afghanistan and 
Iraq.  Hurricane Katrina has uncovered an important side of 
the U.S. character.  It is the United States' serious lack 
of responsibility to its poor people. Hurricane Katrina has 
uncovered its racist character, which cannot be obscured by 
the black American Secretary of State. 
 
It is clear not only to the poor people of New Orleans, but 
also to the people of the world that the richest and most 
powerful nation in the world did not do what was needed to 
deal with hurricane-hit New Orleans. 
 
Now the question is why the Bush administration remained 
inactive instead of taking special measures to send relief 
to New Orleans in this serious crisis.  Meteorological 
authorities issued warnings for two or three days before the 
hurricane has hit.  TV stations and newspapers were also 
publishing reports.  But the U.S. administration, in fact, 
waited for the hurricane to hit without taking the warning 
into account.  President Bush's stooge Secretary of State 
Rice said at a press conference on September 2 that 
Americans do not want an American to suffer.  She said, "I 
do not believe that it is decided on the basis of race who 
will get relief."  Whatever she said things happened just 
the opposite.  That's why she has to address the press 
conference....  It is not a big problem for a nation like 
the U.S. to deal with the situation.  But the reason for not 
doing this is that those who were affected are Black African 
American and poor people.  The Bush administration and the 
ruling class have no headache for them.  In this respect, 
there is no difference between the Republicans and the 
Democrats. 
 
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"Bangladesh should offer assistance to Katrina victims" 
An article in English language newspaper "Daily Star" by Dr. 
Fakhruddin Ahmed from Princeton opines (9/5): 
 
In the aftermath of the hurricane Katrina, America's Gulf 
Coast has been hit by a calamity an order of magnitude worse 
than the mid-western flooding of 1993. Thousands of people 
have died, the historic jazz city of New Orleans, Louisiana, 
is submerged in water, perhaps for years, and the residents 
of the entire city have had to be evacuated. Once again, the 
governors of Louisiana and Mississippi have appealed for 
help. Generous Bangladeshis and the government of Bangladesh 
should respond and come to the aid of our American brothers 
and sisters in their time of need -- with tea, clothes, and 
everything else -- as soon as possible. Let our poverty not 
be an excuse. 
While America looks for a leader, it sees only a tentative 
politician in Mr. Bush. Mr. Bush arrived in the region 
almost a week too late, and only on the day a huge influx of 
troops and supplies reached the region to mitigate the 
misery. He first visited Mississippi, a politically solid 
ground for him. Mr. Bush steered clear of the streets of the 
major disaster area, New Orleans, whose population is 
disproportionately black and poor, who could not be trusted 
to hail him with open arms, like the white citizens of 
Mississippi. That, however, is an internal American issue, 
to be sorted out by the Americans. At this time of America's 
need, Bangladesh should demonstrate its well-known 
generosity by stretching out a hand of friendship and by 
assisting America in every way it can. Not for any quid pro 
quo, but because it is the humane, charitable and the decent 
thing to do. 
Chammas