There’s the old expression, the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing. The doings of bureaucracies can often be described in such a way, reflecting the seeming impairment of brain function or logical decision making. Observing from a distance it seems like that old phrase is an apt metaphor from which we can view the day’s news.
For whatever reason, it seems the decision has been made that the homeless from Cyclone Nargis should be moved out of their temporary shelter in schools, temples, and even government-organized camps. Reports of refugees being asked or forced to leave private residences and temples came out in the week after the cyclone hit. The refugees then were often sent off to camps set-up by the government. Now, evidently at some level, the order has been made to break up these camps and temporary areas of shelter and send the refugees on their way. Some reports mention the start of the school year on June 2nd as one motivation for some evictions. However, such a situation ultimately makes the relief effort that much more difficult, as these centers were at one time central areas where food, shelter and medical care could be distributed in a somewhat orderly manner to the homeless.
We present some excerpts of these reports of forced eviction:
KHAW MHU (Kaw Hmu), Yangon Division (See Maps page)
Myanmar’s junta is evicting dozens of destitute families from one of its own cyclone refugee centres, giving each one just four bamboo poles, a tarpaulin and an unlikely promise of a monthly ration of rice.
“What are we supposed to do?” said 39-year-old Than Soe, nervously stroking the heads of his three young children at the small government ‘tented village’ 20 miles south of Yangon, the former capital.
“We have no food, no money, no home and no job. We don’t trust their promise that they will give us food every month,” he said.
The local authorities say they want the refugees to return to their villages instead of camping by the roadside. However, many survivors say that it is impossible as their houses and farms have been destroyed and they have no way of making a living.
On the international aid front, UN and other NGO’s are expanding their operations to accessible areas. The team witnessed packages of aid being brought in to Bogale, including farming equipment. However, small villages off the main road remain isolated.
Sources in the Irrawaddy delta said thousands of refugees from Phyapon, Myaung Mya, Bogalay and Laputta townships also have been evicted from shelters.
“There were 45 camps in Pyapon Township previously but now only three remain,” said a source familiar with the relief effort.
Starting on May 21, refugees were told they should wait in their villages for the government’s reconstruction plan and were provided with small portions of rice and 10,000 kyats ($ 8).
The remaining refugees at Myaung Mya camps lack sufficient food and water, the source said. .
“Most of the refugees are sheltering at the No 933 Rice Mill compound, and there are almost 3,000 refugees, said a resident of Myaung Mya. These people are waiting daily for outside donors to give them rice. This camp will be closed soon.”
The camp at No 16 High School in Myaung Mya has been closed and authorities sent the refugees back to their villages in Laputta by trucks and boats.
Yangon Division (Multiple townships)
Authorities closed down several temporary camps in Rangoon on May 23, including a camps in Shwe Pauk Kan in North Okkalapa Township where 3,000 refugees were staying in temporary blue tents; tent camp No 16 Quarter of North Dagon Myo Thit at the junction of the township Peace and Development Council PDC office and Nat Sin Road bus-stop; and a camp at State High School No 2 of Dala Township.
“They closed the Shwe Pauk Kan refugee camp during the evening,” said a resident of No 16 Quarter at Shwe Pauk Kan. “They forced the people to return to their homes and gave them 10 pyis of rice and 7,000 kyats (US $6.5) to each refugee. The authorities took the tents.” A pyi is close to 0.25 liter.
The Rangoon Division PDC issued an order that all refugee camps in Rangoon division be closed prior to May 24, said one source, who asked to remain anonymous.
One such example is that those affected communities who were temporarily sheltered in school building have to be quickly relocated as the schools are beginning to reopen and so these people have to quickly vacate the school and return to their villages.
—–
While all these reports are extremely disturbing, it is important to note that the relief efforts by major international NGOs and local groups are continuing and having a positive effect on the homeless and hungry in Myanmar. The distribution of material and food by these groups is going directly to those affected. Currently the only limitation on the ability of these groups is the logistical difficulty of delivering supplies. But these NGOs are dependent upon the generosity of others around the world whom fund their operations. The scale of the effort that each group on our list of relief agencies can provide is only limited by the amount of funds that they receive, and by many measures the donations to the Myanmar relief effort trail other past and current disasters.
Tags: Ayeyarwady, Bogalay, Bogale, Burma, Cyclone Nargis, homeless, Irrawaddy, Laputta, Maung Mya, Myanmar, Yangon
