By Sann Aung
Up until now, many organizations have made statements/press releases showing deep concern and worry on the plight of the victims as there have been a lot of maltreatment and abuses made by the military regime on the cyclone victims. The abuses includes forced labour, forced relocation, appropriation of the assistance, shooting to death, restrictions on assistance provision and so on.
As usual, the regime has been giving priority on its tight control on people and getting and using assistance for its own benefits rather than the rescue and relief of the victims.
The NCGUB made a press release on May 21, 2008 titled Regime Pushing Cyclone Victims Back To Their Ravaged Villages which informed about the victims push-back operations in many townships to the flooded villages where there was no food, no proper shelter and no livelihood to rely on.
As we have been much worried, confirmed news came out that more than one hundred victims, including children and women drowned on May 19, Monday, while they were forcibly sent back by boats from Bogalay township. On that day, about 500 cyclone victims were removed from their temporary shelter in State High School No 1 in Bogalay and taken by military truck to the local 100-tonne rice mill jetty. From there, they were sent back by boats to their villages.
On departure at about 2:00 pm, one boat collided with the jetty and sank. It is believed that 30 victims died in that incident.
But the authorities did not count on this accident and the mass death. For them, it is nothing worthy to be cared. They continued the operation and pushed the rest to other boats and sent back.
While on the way back to their villages, another 2 boats capsized in strong winds near Kyaing Chaunggyi village, as they were reportedly overloaded, resulting in the deaths of another 120 people.
In total, about 160 people including many women and children, unnecessarily lost their lives in this incident alone. Much more could die in these push-back operations.
Up to now, there is no mention on these miseries by the INGOs, UN agencies or diplomats inside.
In essence, they are killed by the authorities.
