Nearly78,000 people have died and 56,000 are missing in the wake of Burma’sdevastating Cyclone Nargis, state-run Burmese media now report.
Internationalaid agencies—frustrated by what they describe as unique and inexplicable delaysin getting aid to survivors—say the death toll could surge further, amid newstorms, aid delays, and reports of cholera in the impoverished Southeast Asiancountry.
Earlier,the military junta said 43,000 were dead and 28,000 missing, while U.N.officials estimated that more than 100,000 had been killed in Cyclone Nargis,which struck Burma on May 2.
TheWorld Health Organization (WHO) has meanwhile confirmed an outbreak of choleraamong survivors but said the number of cases was consistent with previous years
Thejunta has also claimed a victory of 92.4 percent in a referendum on Thursday ona new constitution, although the worst affected parts of the country will votelater later in the month. It set turnout for the May 10 vote was 99percent, although untold thousands of people remain missing.
Survivors moved
Survivorsreport that the regime, already under fire for refusing to allow a fulldisaster relief operation into the country, is moving large numbers of cycloneand flood victims from a major site of damage.
“Now they will send all of the people in therefugee camps in Bogalay...to Wah-keh-ma, and Myaung Mya, and so on,” a localman resident in Bogalay said. “Those who are willing to come can come along. Ifthey don’t come along, they can no longer stay in Bogalay. They are being askedto return to their villages.”
Theman, who asked not to be named, said the military was now transporting peoplearound the devastated Irrawaddy delta region en masse. The purpose of theirmovements was unclear.
Avolunteer working in Bogalay shelters earlier said that all those sheltering inmonasteries and public buildings in Bogalay had until May 14 to leave the city,where an estimated 8,000 people took refuge after their villages weredestroyed.
MostBogalay refugees are believed to be sheltering in the city’s 54 Buddhistmonasteries, as well as in the No. 1 and No. 2 State High Schools. But startingMay 7, soldiers had been moving them out to Ma-u-bin and other towns includingMyaung Mya, sources said.
“They’ve been sent back continuously by thesoldiers or by ships. Currently, the ships that run between Bogalay and Rangoonare now just transporting these people,” the Bogalay man said.
Victims sent to island
Sofar, more than 300 storm victims have been placed without food or otherassistance in a refugee comp on Mein-ma-hla Island, despite a build-up ofprivately donated rescue aid and food supplies in warehouses and Chinesetemples in the city, Burmese sources said.
Somezinc sheets for roofing repairs were distributed to local people, but they havehad to pay for them.
Andprivate individuals wishing to donate to storm victims in Bogalay have beensubjected to registration procedures and videotaping before being told theymust hand over the goods to the authorities for distribution.
“People have to go to the organization forrefugees, legally opened at the Mother Child Care Association in Bogalay, getthemselves videotaped and get registered, and that’s it. These actions are notreally effective,” the Bogalay man said.
Hesaid civic associations such as the Hinthada Township Association and areligious group from Zalun Pyidawbyan had tried to help people but wereseverely hampered by these bureaucratic restrictions.
Aid for political support
Untilnow, the majority of Burmese interviewed on the ground in the Irrawaddy deltasay there has been no sign of international food donations, and privatedonations are all that is keeping them alive.
Aidworkers and overseas officials, keen to win the junta around to fullcooperation with an emergency humanitarian relief effort, have so far playeddown reports of misdirected donations, saying the reports are sporadic andunconfirmed.
Burma’ssecretive regime has welcomed donations of supplies from abroad but refused toallow in most foreign experts needed to oversee the complicated reliefoperation.
Atleast 71,000 people are thought to have been killed in the storm, with thenumber expected to rise sharply in the absence of a reliable corridor for thedelivery of humanitarian relief. Two million people are said to be in desperateneed of emergency aid.
Theman added that when teachers from Than Lyin asked the authorities to help themwith roof repairs, they were told they could have rice and other assistance inreturn for “yes” votes in a national referendum, from teachers, students, andtheir entire extended families.
Claimsthat relief materials were being traded for political support were also echoedin Rangoon.
“My older sisters have to stay at theirschools,” the Rangoon woman said. “The education directors have told them thatthey’d have to vote yes. They said they’d have to vote yes, and they’d know ifthey had not. They had all the lists,” she said.
“All the staff members had to be on theirside.”
WhileRangoon residents said some areas were beginning to see some sign ofassistance, with rescue groups making inroads into stricken suburbs of thecity, such as Hlaing Thaya, they added that it was extremely limited.
Private donors help
“Evenin Rangoon, there are so many places without help. Even in Hlaing Thaya, theyhaven’t reached the entire area,” one woman said. “In Hlaing Thaya, there arethree rescue groups. Only one place is getting a lot of help.”
Shesaid foreign-made foodstuffs like convenience noodles were now appearing inshops at commercial prices.
“Dried noodles are sold in Nyaung-bin-layMarket. There are piles of them. I heard in Nyaung-bin-lay Market, they areselling candles, dried noodles, blankets, and pillows,” she said, confirmingearlier sightings of foreign-made foods there.
Privatedonors were stepping in to try to fill the gap between supplies desperatelyneeded for survival day-to-day living and building repair, according to anumber of witnesses.
“Thereare many more people donating [privately] now than before,” a woman in Laputtatownship, in the hardest-hit Irrawaddy delta said.
“Theyare donating a lot. But these things are not from [the authorities],” shesaid.
Anda man resident in Bogalay said the pro-junta Union Solidarity and DevelopmentAssociation (USDA) was selling rainproof canvas to cyclone victims desperate toget out of continual downpours.
“TheUSDA is going around and selling the materials in Chinese shops in Chinatownfor 200,000 kyat per bolt,” he said. “There are more 100 boltsaltogether...This canvas cloth is not among the things we usually use inBogalay. It’s really obvious that these are donations from foreigncountries,” he said.
TheRangoon woman said officials had come around the residential areas, or wards,announcing that they would soon be distributing zinc sheets [for roofingrepairs], rice, and oil. But the sixth ward hasn’t got any oil or rice yet…Theyjust said they would.”
Shesaid candles were currently selling in Rangoon, where many homes are stillwithout electricity, for 1,500 kyat a packet, and zinc sheets were selling for4,900 kyat a sheet.
“A lot of people have re-done the roofing.Water gets into the top floor, and people there cannot live there. Also, it’sbeen raining,” the Rangoon woman said, adding that even nails to keep the zincin place were now costly and scarce.
InSouth Dagon township on the outskirts of Rangoon, one resident said zincsheeting could only be had if an application form was first submitted to thelocal neighborhood office.
“Those who apply get five sheets of zinc perhousehold. Five 7-foot zinc sheets. They are selling each sheet for4,900. They’re not giving them out for free,” a Rangoon man said, addingthat the zinc was believed to have come from private corporate donors in thefirst place.
“Some people who have no money cannot buythese things. They’re not given out free. Also, with oil, you haveto queue up and pay 250 kyat,” he added.
Meanwhile,a Rangoon youth said he had spotted foreign aid materials being soldcommercially in several outlets in the city.
“In Chinatown, Iron Market, in Lanmadaw,Theingyi Market,” he said. “There are mosquito nets and food. All of themare aid materials.”
Original reporting by RFA’s Burmese service. Director: NancyShwe. Translated by Than Than Win. Written for the Web in English by LuisettaMudie and Sarah Jackson-Han.