Emotional survivors gathered in Myanmar Sunday to remember the 138,000 people left dead or missing by Cyclone Nargis, despite authorities largely ignoring the storm's first anniversary.
No official ceremonies were planned and state media made little mention of the deadly storm, which laid waste to swathes of the country last May 2-3 and drew world-wide criticism for the response of Myanmar's military rulers.
Only the Myanmar-language daily newspaper Myanma Ahlin made any reference to the 2.4 million people affected by the cyclone, with photographs of the new houses authorities have built for some of the survivors. Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar with wind speeds reaching 240 kilometres (150 miles) an hour and storm surges up to four metres (13 feet) high, sweeping away thousands of homes, flooding rice fields with salt water and ravaging schools and hospitals. A year later aid agencies say half a million people remain without adequate homes, while at least 250,000 people will require food handouts until the end of 2009 at the earliest.
But many survivors were more concerned with the dead as they marked the cyclone's anniversary Sunday, with those who could afford it paying about 100,000 kyats (100 dollars) in donations for a monk-led ceremony at home.
Win Khaing, 22, from the southern village of Tha Kyar Hin O, hosted his own private memorial before visiting the unveiling of a new cyclone shelter in his village. "We did a memorial for my mum and two-year-old niece by donating to Buddhist monks this morning. I think they are in peace now," he said.
Most people in this predominantly Buddhist country believe that donations to monasteries can lead to a more peaceful afterlife for the dead.
But many of those still reliant on handouts of aid said they could not afford to pay for their own ceremony. "I want to hold a memorial for my parents. But I can't help as we are also relying on donations," said 38-year-old Aye Tint, from Shwe Magyikan village near Tha Kyar Hin O.
Aye Tint lost both her parents and two sisters to the cyclone, while nearly 60 residents from her village were killed. Myanmar's military government faced international criticism for its response to the storm, accused of blocking emergency aid and initially refusing to grant access to humanitarian workers and supplies. In late May UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon brokered a deal that allowed a group of officials from the UN, Myanmar's government and regional bloc ASEAN to co-ordinate aid deliveries to the delta.
But long-term shelter, cash to replenish lost assets and further food supplies are all still critically needed, aid workers said, as they sought 691 million dollars in fresh donations for the next three years. "Continued support and engagement by the international community must be ensured for years to come," said UN Resident Co-ordinator Bishow Parajuli.
The UN estimates 10.2 million dollars in funding is urgently required for shelter materials before the monsoon season begins, including about 50 storm shelters.
In Tha Kyar Hin O, a temporary tarpaulin-covered structure is still being used as a school for 300 children while villagers said they had managed to rebuild a few houses themselves using straw and bamboo. An initial UN appeal for 477 million dollars in the immediate aftermath of the cyclone has been 66 percent funded. But little money has been spent on providing cash or credit to replenish lost cattle, seed and other farming and fishing materials needed to restore livelihoods. Farmer Aung Win, 27, told AFP that seeds and fertiliser had been donated to the village, but that salt water from the storm had reduced crop yields over the past year.
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