austraLasia #2161
First
hand report from a search and recovery team in Myanmar
YANGON: 28th May 2008 -- The following information has come
through direct sources but remains unidentified to protect the people
involved. Nevertheless it is first hand information and provides a
view, now that aid workers are being allowed to operate, of how
demanding the situation is on the ground in the delta area south west
of Yangon. 'Aid workers' does not always include local workers,
unfortunately, who are often well-placed to act or at least to
help those who permitted to act!
"From Rangoon (Yangon) it took us four and a half
hours in a vehicle to reach Kamazagone... On the first day of our
arrival after sharing relief items with those in the camp ( around 1200
people) our group branched out into small groups to inquire after
survivors....they have more stories to tell us than time to listen to
their tale of woe. In a hired motor boat we left for the remotest
village on the Bay of Bengal, a parish with 29 villages which was hit
the hardest by the cyclone. It took us 11 hours to reach that
devastated village...they have lost all their homes, cattle, property
and some of their family members. Of the 29 villages, 8 were completely
destroyed - no survivors. In the main village, only three buildings
were left - the rectory, Sisters' residence and a boarding house.
"Amongst the dead bodies and debris we found some
wandering stray dogs and scavengers who collect whatever remains from
the victims. Dead bodies, human and animal, are spread all over the
place...no help from the government authority reaches there and the
only way of remaining alive for the victims is the provisions that come
with the rescue motorboat provided through benefactors with the Church.
"The following day we went around the village along
the seashore where dead bodies were laid in the sand but exposed
because they had not been buried deep enough. More than 28 were found
but others remain hidden in the bushes. In the afternoon we organized a
search tema to look for the body of the parish priest. He was thrown
from his boat by the waves on that fatal day. We had little hope of
finding him since two weeks had passed.... with much prayer and
adoration by the Sisters who remained at home before the Blessed
Eucharist, we began the journey with 17 people. As we passed bodies
floating in the river we knew we had little hope of finding one from
two weeks ago. We went for an hour an a half to the spot where his boat
was wrecked. There we searched minutely under every bush. Against all
odds we found his body 400 metres from the river bank....still intact.
We left the body for the night and went back to make a coffin. The next
day we went back in pouring rain to bring his body back to the church
for proper burial. Three priests celebrated the funeral mass and buried
him in the sanctuary of the new church foundation site.
"On the way back we brought nearly 100 people in
need of urgent medical care. The return trip took 15 hours in rain,
strong wind and waves."
------------
The writer then lists a range of things that can be done for victims,
with help. Water wells were flooded and polluted: "we can remedy
this by pumping them out. In the meantime we laid tarpaulins to collect
water". Paddy fields to be drained and flushed with rain water:
"we can drain sea water with drains, and some diesel pumps will help".
"water-proof tarpaulins for makeshift houses. Most villagers agree to
remain in their villages to rebuild them, providing they have assurance
of sustaining themselves. It will be good if we can provide blankets
and mosquito nets". "A motor boat for transport...small tractors for
cultivation...enough food for the rainy season".
You can see how desperate the situation is. Our hearts and
prayers go out to those who have written this and are working to return
to accomplish the kinds of actions listed here, especially now that
some aid is coming through.
_________________
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Title: australasia 2161
Subject and key words: EAO Provinces MYM Cyclone recovery
Date (year): 2008
ID: 2000-2099|2161
