Friday 4 July 2008

Junta pretends to help cyclone victims

IMNA - 03 Jul 2008

Burmese military junta authorities have only pretended to help victims in some parts of cyclone ravaged areas, claimed villagers.

The Military South-West Commander visited the area and promised to build houses for victims in Higyi Kyun Island Township.

But local people said, the authorities just built a few houses and they staked houses on land 15-20 feet wide in Chaungwa village where more than 600 villagers were killed by the cyclone.

Villagers said, they doubted the government's promise because naval troops were given the responsibility.

Naval troops visited the village, when MRTV was documenting that the Navy was helping the villagers in building houses for the victims by carrying woods, bamboo and other material.

"After the MRTV went back, all materials were carried away immediately," a Chaungwa villager told IMNA.

According to villagers, they got enough aid from private donors, the UN and INGOs. But recently military government reported on it The New Light of Myanmar, that they will build 6000 houses for victims.

The government authorities and naval troops also used shipping routes from Bassein (Pathein) to Chaungwa by force without paying, villagers said.

Because of this many aid workers also faced difficulties in sending aid to rural areas.

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