Cyclone Nargis

Friends,

As I'm sure most of you have heard, tragedy has struck Burma in a profound way for the second time in the last 9 months. This time it has taken the form of a horrific natural disaster that some sources are saying may have killed 22,000 people with another 41,000 missing.

A brief summary for those of you who haven't been following...
Last Friday, May 2, Cyclone Nargis moved into lower Myanmar along the Irrawaddy Delta of Burma and continued to move through the country through the course of the next day, devastating many rural cities as well as the countries former capital, Yangon. Half of the countries population, nearly 53 million people, have been affected by the cyclone.

Survivors are starving with water, food and power almost entirely unavailable. In places where scarce resources are available, prices for basic necessities have jumped over 300%. Fear of survival has resulted in looting. Tens of thousands of homes have been devastated and there are no supplies to begin building. Telephone and internet lines (with a few exceptions) are down.

To add to the devastation, Burmese people have become more disheartened to learn that their government had warning of the storm but made no effort to communicate it out. Instead, they evacuated their own people and possessions and focused on drumming up support for this weekend's upcoming constitutional referendum, for which they still expect people to vote. Warning did finally go out via foreign outlets, including Radio Free Asia and Voice of America, but the timing was much too late.

The military government has continued to disappoint its people as relief efforts are minimal. Many citizens have indicated that there were far more military personnel in the streets to squelch the monk-led peace uprising last September than there are now. Not as prominently in the news, it has also been reported that 36 prisoners at the Insein Prison were killed in "cyclone-related incidents" when the roof of the jail blew off and riots broke out. Insein is home to many important revolutionaries of the democracy movement in Burma, most of who are unjustly being held.

It is unclear at this time how we can best help the people of Burma. Though Burma is generally adverse to the help of foreign aid, they have indicated they will open up to assistance from the United Nations during this time of need. There is a UN presence on the ground in Burma and they are doing their best to assess the situation and understand the greatest needs. In a press conference hosted by Laura Bush yesterday, Bush indicated that the US Embassy in Myanmar will provide $250k in emergency support with a commitment to providing broader support if Myanmar will allow a U.S. disaster assistance response team to enter the country.

I will be back in touch as stories evolve and more information is available regarding ways we can help. In the meantime, I appreciate your prayers and positive energy for the people of Burma.

Regards,
Susan

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Below is a press release published yesterday from the National League for Democracy of Burma:

National League for Democracy (Liberated Area)
News Release

Emergency situation in Rangoon
Because of the Cyclone called Nargis of 190 km (120 mile) per hour, ripped through Irrawaddy delta and hit Rangoon on the night of Friday, 90 percent of big trees and electricity
poles have fallen down and electricity was cut off. From Friday night on, there was totally black out at night in Rangoon. Water distribution system also damaged causing Rangoon
suffering from water shortage. Transportation was also affected due to trees blocking road and streets. Motor high way and rail ways stopped their function. Trains coming from Pegu
division had to stop at Hmaw Bi as they couldn't go forward Rangoon.

As there is no electricity, CNG cannot be bought for public transportation vehicles. Gasoline price jumped up from 5000 kyat to 1,500 kyat per gallon. Only today, some public
transportation buses can start their routine. Bus fares are 300 kyat for one or two bus stops and 500 or 1000 kyat for further places depending on distance; for example, 500 kyat from Shwepyi Thar Township to Insein Township, 500 kyat from Bahan Township to downtown and 1500 kyat from Okkalapa Township to downtown. It is said that a people started walking from his home in Hlaingtharyar at 8 o'clock a.m. and arrived to downtown at 6 p.m. Hlaingtharyar. Commodity prices also rise up; 1000 kyat for 3 duck eggs, 500 kyat for small bottled water, even 1000 kyat in some places. No shop is selling rice. All departmental stores were closed down fearing loot.

Some restaurants opened at first, but closed down due to lack of raw materials. There were some robberies in Thaketa, Dala, Botataung, and Kyeemyindine, township. Last night, it was reported that Nyaungbin Lay market was looted. Kyeemyinedine Night bazaar was also threatened so people from nearby quarters had to guard the bazaar. There was a robbery in Thein Byu market also. A mob in South Dagon attempted to loot some shops as there is nothing to eat or drink.

If there is no emergency assistance for drinking water, there will be a great trouble for people. Although people broke water pipe line, there is no water coming in the pipe line. People in the living quarters broke water pipe for extinguishing fire and distribute water among them. In some place near down town, water from water well was taken and distributed to people
living in the quarter. At that time, people from other places came by car and attempted to take water by pumps and clashes broke out.

The hard hit areas of the storm were Hlaingthar Yar, Shwepyithar, North and South Dagon, Dala and Seikkyi Khanaungto Townships. In Hlaingtharyar, roofs from the factories ripped
off and small houses in shanty town were gone with the wind. People had to live in monasteries for emergency shelter. Most of them had no food and shelter at all after the storm. Some houses near North Dagon were fallen down and remaining houses were flooded in the water.

NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY (Liberated Area)
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All hospitals private and public cannot provide service so that most of patients were forced to discharge from hospitals such as Shwegondine Specialist Clinic, Asia Tawwin, Sakura in Sanchaung, etc. It was reported that roofs of Shwegondine Specialist Clinic flew away during storm and water came in from elevator way. Side pagodas in Shwedagon pagoda were
severely damaged and than umbrella of Naung Taw Gyi pagoda fell down. Kyaw Thun pagoda, Chauk Htat Kyee and Koe Htat Kyee pagodas also damaged. Stair ways of Sule
pagoda were also damaged and umbrella of the pagoda also smashed. All pagodas in Rangoon were closed down. At Rangoon quaysides and jetties, some ships were sunk. Thila
War jetty is one of the hard hit and cranes and some machinery were damaged there. Roofs of markets in down town Rangoon ripped off and closed down for security and
renovation. Small vendors in alleys sell food and meat. Cooking oil cannot be bought. No vegetable is available. The price for pork soars up to 8000 to 10000 kyat per one viss. It is
1500 kyat for a packet of candle, but not available. Prices for iron nail for roofing rise up from 3000 kyat to 3000 kyat per one viss. Price for one roofing sheet rises up to 15000 per
sheet.

It is reported that there were some casualty in Dala Township as people fell down into flooded water during storm. But casualty and the wounded cannot be estimated. Small ferry
boats in Rangoon River were sunk and one of them sank in them middle of river with full passengers. Nobody can estimate casualty, wounded, and damage in Rangoon. There is no
electricity, no water, no drinking water, no adequate transportation, almost no telephone connection in Rangoon. People in Rangoon had to rely on oversea radio for news and
information.

The authorities and army personals are clearing roads and trees and taking security only near the quarters where their military officials live. People living at the rest of Rangoon had to
take their own security and find their own ways to solve their problems such as food, shelter and clothes. People estimated that damages cannot be reconstructed within one or two
months. No police men or military people showed up for security. No authorities came and helped people. People from Rangoon were desperate and angry at authorities for lack of any assistance.

Information Department
National League for Democracy (Liberated Area)
Contact: U Nyo Ohn Myint, Mobile Phone No. (66) (0) 897003432
Email: nyomyint@hotmail.com
May 5, 2008