Narinjara News


SPDC aid does not reach cyclone victims

Akyab, July 18: It has been learnt that foreign aid donated to SPDC military government was unable to reach cyclone victims in many places of Arakan state.

According to a reporter who recently visited the cyclone-hit area, an SPDC government agency have granted 20 000 Kyat to 373 families for the people who were killed in cyclone in Chittra, Tharatony, Kyay-toh village under Kam-htouk-gri village tract of Maebon Township.

Same source said that a relief camp has been opened at Kathougri village and is being operated by infantry division 373 stationed at Ann Township.

The cyclone victims under Kyauk Pru and Man Aung Township received only about 6 kg of rice and one pack of iodized salt each.

But the people effected by other natural disasters like stroms of Krakrikuam, WagouKri, Pram tha shong, Kyokmoukri, Thushay, Paithee village did not receive any assistant, said the sources.

Cyclone Divisional Commanding officer of Western Division Maung Do arrived the effected area and distributed cloth measuring 2 yard, a course Longyi, 2 kg of rice, a pot, a pair of short pants to each victim and left an officer to take the necessary steps for cyclone effected people.

According to U Gow Ra Aung, the chairman of Krakree Kyant village, they did not receive 300,000 Kyat that should have been donated to the villages as the money was spent on entertainment for the officer and the rest of the party.

160 people died in Krakree Kyant Island. Among them were 30 people from 13 families from Mrauk-U and Kyaktaw townships who came to this island to work temporarily in the fishery sector.

25 families of Byeenfru and Shew Min Gan villages of Sittwe who were severely affected by the cyclone sill did not receive any relief goods, said one local.

Ma-Ya-Ka, township authority of Pauk Taw Township has been arranging to distribute corrugated iron (CI) sheets at 2900 Kyat per sheet for reconstruction of the schools and Buddhist temples after buying of iron sheet with 2600 Kyat per sheet from local markets.

The latest reports say that death toll at Nga-man-ray Island may rise to more than 1000 because the island has sunk into deep cyclonic sea-water. There were many outsiders living and working in a variety of jobs on the island, but the SPDC government has not yet disclosed the list of dead persons.

The farmers of the island, having lost all their stored grains and livestock, are facing difficulties for starting cultivation and the fishermen have also lost fishing boats and fishing nets and so are unable to fishing.

Private organizations, home and abroad, are forbidden by the SPDC to communicate with the victims. The relief goods can only be reached through the government agents.

A relief center has been opened at U Ottama Park under the guidance of Daw Nyaunt Nyaunt Oo, wife of Divisional Commander lieutenant colonel Maung Oo to receive the donations indirectly, said the report.

The relief aid only benefited the army personnel, some youth and women’s organizations and the people of the government-backed health department instead of reaching to the victims of cyclone, it said. #


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