More than two and a half weeks after the worst natural disaster in Burma’s history, the international community should have started receiving improving reports about the situation on the ground. Instead, the news from sources inside Burma continues to describe an unfolding disaster.

By now the response to the cyclone is well documented, but what is starting to emerge now are the levels of corruption and political manipulation that are being wrangled by the junta from this tragedy. Almost from the earliest stages of the relief effort, reports have emerged documenting the misuse of aid by the military and local authorities. Stories continue to emerge about the sale of aid supplies marked as international aid on the market in Rangoon. Other stories highlight the way that the military has diverted international aid away from the cyclone survivors, replacing those high quality goods with rotting rice. Furthermore, aid is being used as a means of profiteering. Some aid has been sold to survivors at vastly inflated prices. People who now have nothing, having lost homes and livelihoods in the cyclone are being asked to pay exorbitant prices for items that have been generously donated by foreign governments.

Reports from inside also suggest that the junta has been using the promise of desperately needed aid for political gains. With the referendum still to be conducted in some of the affected areas, local officials have been collecting votes prior to handing out aid in order to secure ‘yes’ votes for the new constitution. In other areas that have already voted, authorities have followed monks on their alms collections in order to ensure extra donations for cyclone survivors in other areas.

Thus far the regime has sidelined any attempts by individuals to help in the delivery of aid. However, some reports claim that volunteers and activists are now being allowed to assist in handing out supplies, but only if they wear caps that have the logo of the USDA on them, in a blatant propaganda move.

In further disturbing moves by the junta, refugees have been sent back to their destroyed villages in the days for the official visit of Ban Ki Moon. The Bogolay Township authorities are setting up ‘model’ camps using UN blue tents, and populating the camps with members of the USDA. In another blatant propaganda effort, authorities have set up road blocks to stop volunteers and private donors reaching some costal Townships, such as Kungyangone, and Kawhmu, in

Rangoon and Dedaye in Irrawaddy. At the road blocks, they are forced to sign statements acknowledging that the authorities are providing all necessary assistance, that victims are taking advantage of the aid being delivered and that they (donors) should hand over all of the their supplies to officials. Needless to add, aid workers have been reluctant to do so.

There are also concerning reports coming to light of the possibility of large land confiscations in the confusion of the aftermath of the cyclone. Building companies with connections to the junta have already been authorized to undertake reconstruction of destroyed buildings, raising fears of possible future land confiscation.

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