Myanmar moving cyclone survivors into ‘ghettos’

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Yangon, May 15: : Myanmar has moved tens of thousands of homeless cyclone survivors into government-run shelters, pushing them out of monasteries and schools, several Buddhist monks from the disaster zone said on Thursday.

They said people were relocated by boats and trucks, and some said it was unclear if there was enough food and water in the camps run by the government, which has been harshly criticised over the cyclone relief effort.

About 80,000 people had sought shelter in schools and temples in the Irrawaddy Delta town of Labutta, which was left in ruins after Cyclone Nargis struck nearly two weeks ago, they said.

Now only about 20,000 remain in their care at 50 monasteries in Labutta, after the military moved them to camps set up in the towns of Myaungmya and Pathein, which escaped the storm with little damage, the monks said.

"People were moved in boats and trucks to nearby towns," on of them told AFP in the main cit of Yangon, where monks have come to seek donations for the disease relief effort. "We don't know whether they can get enough food and water there."

The United Nations estimate that 550,000 people are now living in temporary settlements, where accounts from evacuees say there is not enough food, water or shelter for everyone.

The drive to move people to emergency shelters could be part of efforts to improve sanitation for survivors, which state media have said is a priority for the secretive military government.