Burma 'must allow aid workers in'

Burmese exiles are urging the country's military rulers to allow aid agencies to operate freely inside the country in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Nargis.

They say their expertise will be vital as Burma attempts to recover from the cyclone, which killed more than 350.

Five regions have been declared disaster zones by the government, including the main city, Rangoon.

Meanwhile, state media says despite the cyclone, a referendum on a new constitution will go ahead on 10 May.

"The referendum is only a few days away and the people are eagerly looking forward to voting," the government is quoted as saying in a statement carried by state media.

Burma's leaders say the referendum will pave the way for multi-party elections in 2010, but critics say the charter is aimed primarily at further entrenching military rule.

The Information Ministry said the prime minister and other officials were heading to Rangoon from the regime's isolated capital, Naypidaw, to lead the relief operation. But there was criticism of the government's response.

"Where are all those uniformed people who are always ready to beat civilians?" asked a Rangoon resident, who refused to be identified. "They should come out in full force and help clean up the areas and restore electricity."

22,464 people had now been confirmed as dead and an additional 41,054 people missing

SockPuppet said:
Burmese state media now saying

.
BBC report.

emotedcreations said:

Wow, it looks like this is a lot worse than I had originally thought. Does anyone know if the US has gotten involved at all? What there level of support might be?

RudieCantFail said:

Does Burma have oil?

emotedcreations said:

I don't know, but we got involved with the tsunami in Indonesia in 2004. Do they have oil?

I don't know, but we got involved with the tsunami in Indonesia in 2004. Do they have oil?

Narghile said:

Oh man. So, that's where I was the other day after I got drunk.

SockPuppet said:
Mangrove forest destruction blamed for scale of disaster.

emotedcreations said:

And people say that environmental degradation has no impact. *pffff*

RudieCantFail said:

Tree hugger

emotedcreations said:

Apparently you haven't seen this. Tress have feeling too.

RudieCantFail said:

Yes I have.

emotedcreations said:

Flower-pee-person.

"Myanmar has prioritised receiving emergency relief provisions and making strenuous effort delivering it with its own labour to the affected areas," a statement by the junta said. "(But) Myanmar is not ready to receive rescue and media teams from foreign countries."