The UN estimated 1.5 mln people have been "severely affected" by the cyclone in Myanmar, as the people expressed outrage with the country's junta over delays in allowing in aid.

People angry at junta regime - 09 / 05 / 2008 06:51

In Myanmar, despairing survivors awaited emergency relief on Friday, a week after 100,000 people were feared killed by Cyclone Nargis as it roared across the farms and villages of the low-lying Irrawaddy delta region.

"We're outraged by the slowness of the response of the government of Burma to welcome and accept assistance," U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad.

"It's clear that the government's ability to deal with the situation, which is catastrophic, is limited … and since it's not able to you would expect the government to welcome assistance from others," he said.

"We're shocked by the behaviour of the government."

The UN said it was "disappointed" with Myanmar over its failure to allow foreign relief workers and supplies into the country quickly. The UN secretary-general has called on the ruling generals to postpone a referendum due on Saturday on the country's constitution.

The U.N. food agency and Red Cross/Red Crescent said they had finally started flying in emergency relief supplies after foot-dragging by Myanmar's military rulers. The United States, however, was waiting for approval to start military flights.

Some critics accuse the junta of stalling because they do not want an influx of foreigners into the countryside during Saturday's referendum on the army-drafted constitution that looks set to cement the military's grip on power.

The plebiscite has been postponed for two weeks in areas worst-hit by the storm.

Witnesses have seen little evidence of a relief effort in the delta that was swamped in Saturday's cyclone -- the worst since 1991, when 143,000 people were killed in neighboring Bangladesh.

Towns and hamlets in the Irrawaddy Delta were helping themselves in the absence of any outside aid.

"There are more than 1,000 people down there on the outskirts of Laputta," said one resident.

"It's a refugee camp. Water is a big problem. So many people from here have made donations. They have given rice, vegetables and noodles."

Asked if survivors were angry at the regime, he said: "They need food and family. They don't need revolution."

Reuters