The toll of dead and missing in Myanmar after the weekend cyclone continues to mount into the tens of thousands. And that's about all the world knows of the disaster because the nation formerly known as Burma is ruled by an insular, brutal military government that prides itself on its isolation.

The devastation must be overwhelming, though, because the Burmese government has welcomed international humanitarian aid. That is in contrast to its response to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami when the junta downplayed casualties and stifled relief efforts.

Internal politics may also affect the government's calculations this time. Although the junta suppressed protests led by Buddhist monks last fall and has kept Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, under house arrest for years, it had scheduled a referendum on a new constitution for Saturday. An inept disaster response could swell opposition — more than a third of the population lives in the regions worst affected — although it's doubtful the rulers would permit passage to be jeopardized. While they postponed the voting in the devastated area for two weeks, they also announced that the referendum would proceed as planned elsewhere.

As international agencies mobilized to send assessment teams and relief supplies, a more massive effort was constrained by frigid relations between Myanmar and other governments. The United States, which has pushed for economic sanctions, said it would provide aid but only if the Burmese government invited a disaster team, an unlikely prospect considering that on Tuesday first lady Laura Bush made a rare policy appearance to lecture the junta on human rights and President Bush signed legislation awarding a congressional medal to Aung San Suu Kyi.

The diplomatic jockeying is unseemly in the face of the manifest humanitarian needs, but the primary duty for ameliorating this disaster lies with the Burmese rulers, so inured to power and scornful of their suffering citizenry.