Solidarity Among Burmese People by Milota Sidorova

It's been 13 days since the wasting cyclone passed Myanmar, formerly called Burma. Media all over the world update the black list of deadly consequences from hour to hour and today, they speak about 66,000 death or missing (although the record can surpass 100,000). U.N. declared that about 2,000 000 are calling for immediately help.However, the first and the most important days of crisis, military junta refused to accept any donations, neither allow any humanitarian groups to enter the country the death tolls increased rapidly. People were left alone, helping themselves by any chance. The first Red Cross relief flights passed the borders of Myanmar exactly 6 days past the disaster. Under the worldwide pressure on the government, more and more visa permissions have been accepted and the first donations started to reaching its destinations.And nevertheless, this late victory, that could already save lives of thousands more wasn't that victory at all.According the reports, foreigners even grass-roots volunteers are restricted to talk or touch the people.Many of those with permissions are simply transferred to Yangon, a place away from the most devastated Irrawady delta. Soldiers are blocking the pathways telling people to leave their supplies to redistribution. Tim Costello, president of World Vision-Australia, one whose trip to delta had been denied told the press, that there was effectively no support from the military.Zaw Htin, a medical student volunteer, spoke after returning from a frustrating trip Wednesday to one of the government refugee centers in the devastated delta town of Bogalay."I am so angry. They don't want us to stay and talk to people. (The authorities) want us to leave the supplies with them for distribution," she said.Reports suggest that till this day, Red Cross flights have donated more than 130 tons of supplies, containing mosquito nets, jerry cans, shelters and tarpaulins and water cleaning tablets. After all, one must know that this highlight is just a little drop in the sea and there was so much to do.According Bridget Gardner, head of delegation of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, more than 10,000 people are still being left without any shelter. Moreover, forecasts tell about heavy rain, that can along with already saturated soil prepare the worst flooding scenario.She also pointed on volunteers that risk their personal benefit just because of victim.''They are the real heroes'', Gardner said. Everyone helps for free, offering any kind of possible help.People donate food, clothes and water and those who are poor to tender any money, peddle labor to clear wrecks. Women are boiling rice porridge for everyone who passes around. Taxi drivers, students, workers, shortly everyone who is able to move, carries on helping.And whilst politics, somewhere over the clouds play their permission, law and democracy game, these people strikes for their lives and deaths all by themselves.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080515/ap_on_re_as/myanmar_local_heroes;_ylt=Aqngj4ByhuQINpe7bLkC0y6s0NUE

by Milota Sidorova for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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edited by Zuzana Lakostikova