Burma: Than Shwe Continues Inspection in Storm-Hit Irrawaddy Region
Text of report in English by Burmese newspaper The New Light of Myanmar on 23 May
NAY PYI TAW, 22 May – Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Than Shwe, accompanied by General Thura Shwe Mann of the Ministry of Defence, SPDC member Lt-Gen Tin Aye, Commander-in-Chief (Navy) Vice- Admiral Soe Thein, Commander-in-Chief (Air) Lt-Gen Myat Hein, Adjutant-General Maj-Gen Thura Myint Aung, Deputy Minister for Health Dr Paing Soe, senior military officers of the Ministry of Defence and officials of the SPDC Office, left Pathein by Tatmadaw helicopter yesterday morning and arrived at Mawlamyinekyun of Myaungmya District at 9.30 am to comfort the storm victims there, after inspecting relief and rehabilitation activities in storm-hit regions of Ayeyawady Division.
Caption from newspaper reads: “Sr Gen Than Shwe gives instructions on the relief and rehabilitation works of Mawlamyinekyun Township.” (MRTV1330 gmt, 22 May) Gen Thura Shwe Mann instructed local authorities to coordinate relief and rehabilitation tasks in Bassein. (MRTV1330 gmt, 22 May)
The Senior General and party were welcomed by Minister for Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs Col Thein Nyunt, who is closely supervising the relief and rehabilitation tasks in Mawlamyinekyun region.
At the hall of the local battalion, Minister Col Thein Nyunt reported to the Senior General on relief and rehabilitation measures being taken in Mawlamyinekyun region, distribution of relief supplies, supply of water through three methods namely, rain water storage lakes, pumps and tube-wells, timely repairing of schools, departmental buildings, hospitals, dispensaries and religious buildings, contributions of A-1 Co, TZTM Co and Original Group Co to reconstruction tasks, arrangements being made for supply of foods and temporary shelter for resettlement of the victims in their native regions of their own accord, providing of implements to the people for agriculture and fisheries industries, giving of health care services to the local people by opening the health care clinic on board the vessel and requirements.
After hearing the reports, the Senior General gave guidance, saying that the government is taking relief, rehabilitation and three-step preventive and preparedness measures against natural disasters for the storm-hit regions and the victims. He said that the current floating hospital programme is an effective one in providing health care services to the people. In addition, the plans are under way to upgrade the hospitals in the region and open the rural dispensaries in the long term, he added.
The Senior General continued to give guidance that arrangements are being made to construct roads leading to the coastal villages and build 20-30 feet high embankments for preventing floods to be able to take development and natural disaster prevention and preparedness measures. He stressed the need to open tractor camps in the main regions and provide paddy strain, draught cattle and agricultural equipment to the local people for rehabilitation of their livelihoods.
SPDC member General Thura Shwe Mann instructed local authorities to coordinate relief and rehabilitation tasks without dividing administrative areas of districts and townships, provide draught cattle to the local farmers who will work in the farmlands where tractors cannot enter, supervise suitable agricultural tasks of the local farmers, fulfil the requirements of local fishery industry and timely submit the requirements of the region to the State.
After cordially greeting the family members of the local battalion, Senior General Than Shwe and party in a motorcade viewed rehabilitation tasks in Mawlamyinegyun and keeping the urban area clean.
At the Township Hospital, they were welcomed by Head of Township Health Department Dr Aung San and doctors, members of the specialist team from Yangon General Hospital and North Okkalapa People’s Hospital.
Than Shwe and party comforted storm patients warded at hospital in Bogale. (MRTV1330 gmt, 22 May)
They comforted storm patients being warded at the hospital. After looking into rehabilitation measures of Mawlamyinekyun, they cordially greeted the local people.
On arrival at Bogale at 11.20 am, the Senior General and party were welcomed by Minister for Forestry Brig-Gen Thein Aung who is closely supervising relief and rehabilitation tasks there, Commander of No 66 LID Brig-Gen Maung Maung Aye and officials.
Than Shwe toured Mawlamyinekyun on car. (MRTV1330 gmt, 22 May)
At the control office, Minister Brig-Gen Thein Aung reported on progress in taking relief and rehabilitation measures in Bogale, sending the storm victims from the relief camps to the rear camps in Maubin, supply of drinking water, sending those wishing to go back to their native villages of their own accord, carrying out of resettlement task, contributions of Htoo Trading and Air Bagan Family and Diamond Mercury Co in relief and rehabilitation tasks, progress in reconstruction of education, health and civil buildings, providing of agricultural and fishery equipment for those who go back to the native regions and repair of the embankments.
In his guidance, the Senior General urged officials to systematically take measures on relief, rehabilitation and prevention against natural disasters by adopting the steps of the plan and construct the roads leading to the coastal regions as soon as possible.
In his speech, General Thura Shwe Mann said that Head of State Senior General Than Shwe adopted the policies and work plans in detail to carry out relief and rehabilitation tasks and to prevent natural disasters in the long run. The successful implementation of the plans in accord with the guidance depends on the collection of accurate and correct facts and figures in the respective regions. Indeed, the rehabilitation tasks are more numerous and extensive than that of the relief works. Therefore, regiments and units and local authorities need to systematically perform the rehabilitation tasks.
He stressed the need to set up the regular supply route to be able to continuously provide rations and supplies to the people who have resettled in their native regions. The government has sufficiency of food and funds and planned to fulfil the requirements. Therefore, it is necessary to take care of supply and use for the people.
He continued to say that with a view to nurturing the children who had become orphans due to the storm and turning out the outstanding persons, the Senior General has given guidance to open the orphanages in Pyapon and Labutta, and to organize them in Maubin and Myaungmya under separate programmes. Therefore, it is necessary to collect the correct list of the needy children in the respective regions. He said that he explained the arrangements made by the State level officials for enabling the local level authorities to realize the work plans and aims and collect facts and figures.
Afterwards, the Senior General and party inspected the scale model of low-price housing for the storm victims.
At Bogale People’s Hospital, they were welcomed by the head of Township Health Department, the specialist team from North Okkalapa General Hospital, nurses from University of Nursing and health staff.
The Senior General and party comforted the patients at the outpatient department, the male ward and the female ward.
They went to the relief camp opened at Bogale Basic Education High School No 1 and cordially greeted the storm victims. They also inspected the dispensary. After that, they looked into progress in rehabilitation and reconstruction tasks in storm-hit Bogale by car. In the afternoon, the Senior General and party flew to Pathein from Bogale by Tatmadaw helicopter. Next, they left Pathein by Tatmadaw special flight and arrived back here in the evening.
Originally published by The New Light of Myanmar, Rangoon, in English 23 May 08 pp 1, 8, 9.
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