Latest News from Burma (May 10, 2008)

12-5-2008
Here are the latest news today.
(1) Military Government has sealed off the disaster area (delta region)
(2) No one goes in and out.
(3) Soldiers and check points are every where.
(4) They stop all the cars, trucks, buses
(5) If they find relief supplies, the confiscate the supplies.

(6) They arrest anyone whose ID card does not belong to that region.
(7) There are individuals risking their lives to go in there through jungles, swamp lands, etc. with whatever relife supply they can carry in their hands.
(8) Massive relief efforts are outlawed.
(9) No one dares to go help.
(10) Donation to shelters requre permission from the thugs.
(11) Any violators will be beaten by thugs.
(12) Thugs are searching for people who carrying cameras, camcorders, etc. and arrest them.
(13) It is a big geographic area but only handful of roads going in and out and they sieze control of the roads and the area.
(14) Army, police, are everywhere supported by plain-clothed spies and thugs armed with merchetes, guns, bamboo/wooden sticks, and walkie talkies.
(15) Law enforcement there is NOT to serve people. They are to suppress the people. The law enforcement is controlled by the miliraty. Basically, law enforcement is not our friend.
(16) The situation there is not good and military governement does not want you to see.

I just received this..

1. Emphasizing to Phyar Pone Township, authority declare "curfew" on top of "State of Emergency" to forbid not to go out at nights, but they are dumping dead bodies to the river at nights.
2. Today, all the photo shops in yangon were informed by gorverment NOT to print any Nargis-related photographs.
3.
2 days ago Khaw Thu (a famous Myanmar actor) was beaten up by Swan Arr Shin and USDA when they were trying to donate relief goods directly.
4.
In Kyauk Than township, 2 monasteries and 1 school (now being used as temporary shelters for storm victims),
are forced to move out at latest by 14 May as they are going to use the school and monastry as the voting station.
5. Regarding rescue missions, 1 RedCross ship sank. 1 helicopter down.
SONESEAYAR NEWS