ENGLISH DEYEA NEWS

By LAWI WENG | More than 20 homeless survivors of Cyclone Nargis demonstrated at the cyclone reconstruction committee headquarters in Twante Township in Rangoon on Friday.

The protesters, from Zeekone village, appeared at the cyclone reconstruction committee office about 10 am to voice complaints that they are still without homes and the rainy season is drawing near, according to a NLD youth member in Twante Township.

“They are real cyclone victims,” he said. “But they didn’t get their houses [rebuilt] like other people. They were neglected and abandoned. The committee only takes care of their relatives.” He charged that the committee has misused reconstruction funds.

The protesters, accompanied by NLD youth members, stopped the demonstration about 4:30 pm when members of the Myanmar Red Cross (MRC) met with the group.

The MRC has promised to rebuild houses at a cost of 400,000 kyat (US $400) each, according to the Red Cross.

Reconstruction committees were formed in each township to coordinate the rebuilding effort, along with a committee in each village.