Burma latest: Rangoon seemed ghost town

Sunday, May 4, 2008


BDD

Witnesses said Rangoon seems slowly coming back from ghost town but many roads and streets were still covered with fallen trees and people seemed to be still scare for another round of storm and heavy wind.

One of the witnesses said there are very much look alike in 1988, no buses, taxi, and private vehicles. Junta's TV and radio asked people to join in the cleaning process, cutting the trees and collecting trashes on the streets and roads.

Regime first announced that respective ministers are on the way but close to the regime said that there were not able to move to another. Army and other security forces were not being trained to face this kind of natural disaster, regime close source said. Regime called USDA members to help the people who also wounded, in traps, and need medical treatment in Rangoon, but failed to show up.

Sources close to diplomats in Rangoon said that most of the missions’ cell phones and other landlines are not able to use and unable to reach to the Burmese government’s ministry of foreign affairs and unable to offer the help. Junta totally lost civil administration and ironically soldiers and polices forces stationing in Rangoon for referendum are not being instructed by superior to join the disaster assistance program.

Locals whom we could reach requesting medicine, food, drinking water, blankets and tents were immediately needed.