=====
A Quotable Quote:
"Where are all those uniforms-people who are always ready to beat
civilians," said one man, who refused to be identified for fear of
retribution. "They should come out in full force and help clean up the
areas
and restore electricity."
=====
State TV: 5 Myanmar regions declared disaster zones
May 4 01:44 AM US/Eastern
By AYE AYE WIN
Associated Press Writer
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - The government has declared five regions, including
Yangon, disaster zones after Tropical Cyclone Nargis damaged hundreds of
houses and knocked out electricity to many areas, state-run television
reported Sunday.
The military run Myaddy television station said Yangon, Irrawaddy, Bago,
Karen and Mon states all were heavily damaged by Saturday's cyclone, which
packed winds up to 120 mph.
Witnesses in Yangon said hundreds of houses had their roofs blown off and
that the storm knocked out electricity as well as some phone service in
much
of the city.
"All the roads are blocked. There is no water. There is no electricity,"
said a United Nations official in Yangon, who requested anonymity because
she was not authorized to speak to a reporter.
"It's a bad situation," she said. "Almost all the houses are smashed.
People
are in a terrible situation."
Casualties were expected after Tropical Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar's
commercial capital Saturday morning. But neither the U.N. nor the
government
has provided a death toll or a detailed assessment of the damage.
Although the roads in Yangon were mostly blocked by downed trees,
witnesses
said residents were venturing out mostly to buy construction materials to
repair their homes. Some of those interviewed expressed anger that the
military led government had done little to help in the cleanup.
"Where are all those uniforms-people who are always ready to beat
civilians," said one man, who refused to be identified for fear of
retribution. "They should come out in full force and help clean up the
areas
and restore electricity."
The cyclone cames at a delicate time for Myanmar, which is scheduled to
hold
a referendum May 10 on the country's military backed draft constitution.
Anger over the cyclone disaster could spur more citizens to vote against
the
draft.
A military managed national convention was held intermittently for 14
years
to lay down guidelines for the country's new constitution. The junta's
hand-picked delegates included those representing workers.
The new constitution is supposed to be followed in 2010 by a general
election. Both votes are elements of a "roadmap to democracy" drawn up by
the junta, which has been in power for two decades.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D90EKS0O0&show_article=1
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