Burmese junta rebuilds only damaged Buddhist pagoda
by KNG
The Burmese military junta is rebuilding only a Buddhist temple and a pagoda which were damaged by gusts of wind on May 2 at midnight in Burma's northern Kachin State, said local sources.
The authorities checked the wind-hit Aung May Thit and Aung May Hnit villages in Waingmaw Township on the Myitkyina-Bhamo highway. It gave priority to the rebuilding of damaged a Buddhist temple and a pagoda, said local eyewitnesses.
Civilian victims do not receive proper relief from the Burmese authorities. They stand on the road hoping against hope, added eyewitnesses.
According to villagers of Aung May Hnit, about 50 houses were damaged in the village alone by strong winds. The zinc roofs of the houses were blown away and several houses were flattened or collapsed.
In Aung May Thit, most houses' with zinc roof were affected. The roofs were blown off by the strong gusts of winds while roadside trees were uprooted, said eyewitnesses.
An eyewitness told KNG, “Many houses were damaged in the two villages. In Aung May Hnit, the Buddhist temple and the pagoda were damaged. Trees were uprooted on the road in Aung May Hnit. However, the Kachin Baptist Church in the village was not damaged. ”
Last month, people in Bhamo town stayed without electricity for many days because gusts of strong wind and heavy rain uprooted electric poles made of logs, said residents of Bhamo.
Unusually, from early this year, gusts of strong winds have often hit Waingmaw and Bhamo districts in Kachin State. It damaged many houses, said residents in the two districts.
The Burmese junta has been into introducing Buddhism and Burmanization in Kachin State by using its military might.
Saturday, 09 May 2009 16:26
