Tragedy in Burma

The following are emails from Myanmar (Burma) that the Friends of Burma have received describing the desperate situation.

Dear Pastor / Chairman,

I have received information sent by Naw San Dee, the son of Myanmar Baptist Convention General Secretary, KD. Tulum. He was finally able to make contact with his father via cell phone. All landlines are down but Tulum's cell phone is working sometimes. Arrangements are made to send him some gadgets (battery charger) that would allow Tulum to recharge his phone.

Naw San mentioned that two big trees fell down on the bedrooms of his father's home. Thank God, the family was gathered in the living room at the time of the incident (3:00 AM). He reported, "My father informed me that the rough estimate for the damage at MBC compound is about 100,000.00 USD. All the office gadgets, computers, desks, and supplies are damaged. They will need the grace of God to restore the infrastructure of the MBC building as they do not have insurance system . My family is now currently exposed to the sky as the roof is completely destroyed."

Rev Saw Augustus (pastor of Judson BC, Singapore) is scheduled to depart for Yangon on Wed morning. I am planning to hand him $13,000 received from preliminary donations received from a US donor, Calvary BC, Good News BC, Acts BC, Shalom BC and Redeemer BC. The money will be used to purchase mosquito nets, food & water and medicine. If I received more cash by tomorrow, I will include them for Rev Augustus to channel to MBC. I have full confidence that Rev Augustus is able to account for all the money received through the Convention.

I am also contacting some of our Baptist members for assistance to source, buy or collect suitable medicines (cholera pills) for Rev Augustus to bring along this Wed. Please let me know where I can get these medicines.

The needs on the ground is great. The opportunity to serve and minister in the name and love of Christ is even greater. Please continue to pray for God to intervene and provide relief and restoration of those who have been afflicted.

Thanks and God bless.

peter tang

Dear Friends:

As you know, Friends of Burma (FOB) promotes the work of KBC clinic in Burma. I just spoke to Hsar Khee Lar (HKL), who is the administrator at KBC clinic. She just came back from her village, Tha Pe’ Village in Bogalay. She said that the smell of death is unbearable. Corpses are floating everywhere. In that village alone, more than 200 died and about 400 survived. Many of HKL’s relatives died. About 300 people are housed in the church compound. Using the reasoning of going back to her village, she has been traveling back and forth to deliver aides. She would take 50 bags of rice at most at a time. When she is questioned, she says “I am going home. I am buying these for my parents and relatives.” It is a bit easier to get in and out if you go with the natives. Doctors and nurses from KBC are divided into four groups. They travel in small groups and pretend as though they are going back home. It is not a good idea to take a lot of stuff. You run the risk of getting your things confiscated. So, they carry small amounts of things and travel back and forth more often. They may also bring back some natives back to Rangoon and send them back to the villages with needed items. Pneumonia, diarrhea, and injuries from cuts and bruises are the biggest problems. Some people have been starving and are dying. For liquid, they drink coconut juice. HKL will send me the pictures she took when the opportunity permits.

HKL also confirms that there has been discrimination against the Karen. While some help is delivered to other areas, Karen areas are visibly left out. But, Karen Baptist Convention (KBC) has established smaller networks throughout the affected areas. Keeping low key is important. The best way to help is to send money directly to KBC. Please note that KBC clinic and KBC are not the same. KBC clinic is under KBC. KBC helps anyone regardless of race, background, or belief.

Myanmar Burma Relief Organization (MBRO), www.myanmarburmarelief.org has been very effective in sending donations from Phoenix to KBC. It is affiliated with Friends of Burma. Under the leadership of Philip Htoon, this organization was formed. Adam and I are involved in this organization. I would highly recommend using this channel as it is quick and easy to get the money to reliable and trustworthy servants of God at KBC. On your check, please make a note that the money should go to KBC if that is your wish. If you also want your donation to go to the general fund, MBRO will ensure that every penny of your money is spent to help the victims. I have been asking around how other Karen churches or Karen people are sending their donation. Some sent it through Thailand or some other means. Karen in Phoenix sent their donation and MBRO delivers it the next day. Time has already run out so every second means life and death. Please talk to your friends, your church, your employer, etc…

Please contact me for questions or anything!

Tansy 623-594-6742

Anna Barbara Maung aka Cookie (librarian at Dr. Chit Maung library) is going there tomorrow to deliver the donation sent by Phoenix Karen. That’s the quickest way. Cookie’s husband, Saw Shi Sho, went to one of the remotest villages after the storm. There were 400 survivors in that village. They brought back 200 (women and children) of them to the city. The rest begged him to come back to get them the next day. He hasn’t been able to go back there. They will send us their personal accounts and pictures as soon as they can. People in Yangon are adopting kids who became orphans and also giving shelter to victims. Cookie is having six people in her house.

Cookie said that there will be curfew going into effect next week. People are not to go in and out of the affected area from 6pm to 6am. Myaung Mya area is affected less on relative terms. Karen farmers there are giving their rice to the victims. KBC also bought a lot of rice on credit or loan.

Greetings from FOM, Myanmar.

I hope you have quite a few information about the 14 hours last Nagis cyclone storm in Myanmar. I don't know where to start…..because of too much sad things.

We, the FOM has donated 200 medicated mosquito nets and 360 torch lights to KBC's General Secretary, Rev Greeta Din to distribute to the affected areas this morning. Regarding the information I received this morning from their office, 191 KBC villages destroyed. According to the report, under Myanmar Baptist Convention in Delta areas, There are about 100,000 Christian become homeless. Christian Death toll going up to 6,000. 291 Christian villages destroyed and among them 245 villages were totally destroyed. Countrywide, the estimaters said total death toll could going up to 100,000.

In my area, we still have no electric power, no communication, no telephones, no water. We are not in the prioritized list. This storm hit me again about $ 45,000 worth of damages. Half of the roofs gone and rain for 14 hours cause a lot of manages to me. The gasoline price went up to K.12,000 per gallon. Everything prices going up to 2 to 4 times. One of many many sad stories, My uncle Rev. Maung Bay,.who is the pastor and his son went to give communion and there was storm, did not back home. The next day after storm calm, both of their bodies were found dead on the broken trees. A newly born baby, three days old. There was storm their house gone and get wet the whole night and died the next day. A kid looking for the lost mother in the storm was found death in the broken trees.

I will try to call you. It is very hard to e-mail. Please go to google.com, Type "Myanmar" or "Burma" and search, you will get a lot of information about the storm in Myamar. Please, Please pray for those who suffers, those who lost, those who are crying in my country.

Your loving brother in Christ,

Say Plaw

Dear John and Ruth,

This morning my cousin told me that she heard people from Burma saying the government told the Karen Christians who went out to rescue people to save only Burmans and not the Karens. They will close all the access to the destruction area on May 13 and declare it a black zone and will not allow anyone to go in. My aunt(she is my grandma second cousin) is the general secretary of Karen Baptist Convention in the place of Rev. Honor Nyo and she has to cancel her trip to Singpore because she needs to negotiate with the government not to block access to the Karen villages totally on May 13. Please pray for her. The following is news forwarded by Maw Chi.

I love you all.
May

Refugee camps guarded like 'prisons'

Mizzima News

Sunday, 11 May 2008 18:00

Mizzima's correspondent returned from Pathein, the capital of Irrawaddy Division, one week after Cyclone Nargis hit the Delta. As a foreigner, he was denied access to areas which were hit hardest by the cyclone. But he saw hundreds of cyclone victims, including many orphans, and listened to their stories.

The Burma Army and local authorities keep survivors in evacuation camps that are guarded and managed like prisons. In Myaungmya, close to the totally destroyed township of Laputta, the government has converted the six government high schools into shelters, each housing about 600 survivors. No one is allowed to enter these schools and no survivor is allowed to leave, not even for the search of missing family members. Only those who can prove a legitimate interest in seeing one of the "inmates" are allow to check the list of inhabitants. Then the survivor, who must wear a number at all times, will be allowed to speak to the visitor in a separate area. The survivor is not allowed out. He or she has to return to the overcrowded quarters. Donations cannot be made directly to victims but must be handed to the camp authority.

Surrounding villages are forced to support the survivors through "voluntary" donations: water, rice, salt, clothing, blankets, etc.

On the way to Laputta, private donors and NGO are forced by soldiers to hand over half of the rice bags or other goods meant for survivors. No wonder the generals do not want foreigners in the disaster zone. Christian churches and Buddhist monks are discouraged by the authorities to help survivors and provide shelter. Some Christian churches have privately organized boats to go to the destroyed and flooded villages in the remote south of the Delta. The government tells the rescue teams that survivors "are violent and getting mad." On the way from Rangoon to the Delta, covering 120 miles, only one Army "convoy" could be seen. It consisted of three half-loaded trucks and one tanker with gasoline. Some 10 private trucks with "forced" donations headed for Laputta.

In Rangoon, local authorities publish daily sheets with the names of the destroyed and flooded villages and the number of casualties and survivors. Everybody reading these lists is filled with horror. The authorities only list the villages with predominantly Burman population. The Catholic, Baptist, Muslim and Karen villages are not mentioned and therefore are not entitled to help and assistance from the State.

Brief report on the damage of the Cyclone Naris 10 – 5 - 2008

The place that damage the area inside Burma.

1. Rangoon area

a. Bogalay - Was Destroyed all

b. Kyitela - Was Destroyed all

c. Pya pun - Was Destroyed all

d Ma oo bin - Was Destroyed all

e. Day da yeh- All most all

f. Hmaw bee – Half was destroyed

g. Pago - Half was destroyed

h. Myaung mya – Half was destroyed

There were about 87 churches in Rangoon area was destroyed by the cyclone nagis and houses, trees were broken, at least 100 of the churches were damaged.

2. In Basein Myanug Mya
1. Nga pu taw – some of villages were destroyed
2. La pu ta - All the villages were destroyed

Many of the villages were destroyed some of them were disappeared. About 40 churches in this area were destroyed and damaged. Some of the 60 churches were suffered from the damage and among of them 40 were completely destroyed.

3. Damaged and destroyed
1. Churches – some was destroyed and some were completely destroyed
2. School building
3. Houses – about 20000 – at least
4. Animals were destroyed
5. Some of the church members were died and some were lost
• Male &Female pastors were killed not less than 10
• Church member died (3000- 5000)
6. Villagers – victims were about 100000
4. Release program which was started now
1. Sent the representatives to gather the information , to bring back the victims to relocation side
2. Corporation with the left of the churches, and the individual ( Well wishers Partners)
3. Started distributed things and find the donation for the churches who were in trouble
5. Needs
1. Clothes
2. Clean water
3. Food
4. Medicine some got diaries
5. Temporary place

6.The needs for the survivor in future

a. Reconstruction of the villages, houses, roads, bridges and the churches building and school building

b. Clean water and health

Other of destroyed by the cyclone nagis

1. Head quarter of the Karen Baptist Convention- The roof were opened half ,Some building that the workers stayed – roof were opened half , the door of the building were destroyed and some of the computer were damaged
2. In Bible school ( Insein seminary )
1. Silver Care Centre Care for the olderly – roof were open and the rest room were destroyed
2. Other building were destroyed

Cost estimated of the damage

Hard to estimate among the churches.

I n the centre of the Karen Baptist Convention ( 150 – 200 ) million Kyats

In Bible school – 300 million Kyats

In Rangoon area many of the buildings were destroyed and the The Widu Church were damage and destroyed. This information were update on 7-5-2008 by Karen Baptist convention.

Notes

• Myaungmya Church centre called back about 100 people to take care and still find out the lost.
• Bassein Myaungmya also called back about 100 people to take care of them.
• In Laputa there were about 200 people who were take care of the centre.
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Neil, here is an excerpt from an email that originated with Robert Htwe of the Karen Refugee Committee in Thailand. I don’t know how he knows this. Htoo May and her friends are keenly interested some of these places mentioned. I don’t know how Robert knows this information.

….more than one hundred thousand people were homeless in Bow Ka Lay, Papu, Day D'yeh, La Poh Tah and Kyah Lah. The houses that were disappear about 200 houses and the houses were destroyed about 2,000 houses. The people died more than 3,000 and among the 3,000 people there were 15 pastors. Among the 15 pastors only two were buried. Now they have to buy diesel at Rangoon and send to Basin, Maw Myah, La Po Tah for helping people that were in the cyclone area and bring them to safety place. They also need food, houses supplies and mosquito nets for the people that affected by the cyclone. I will send you more information as soon as I also get more information from inside….

My wife and I went to Myanmar (Burma) in Jan 2006. We went to Pathein, which has experienced much of the loss of life. Many of the areas we visited are now severely damaged. Yet the joy of the Christians we visited, while tempered with grief, remains strong in Christ. We must help them. An organization that I serve on is actively getting funds over to Burma. We deal with trusted Christians we have known for years. 100% of money will go to the desperate situation in Burma. The link above will take you to a site that will allow you donate. It is under the authority of the Friends of Burma, a 501(c) charitable organization. All our board members have been to Burma, have ties and.or relatives living there. Please pray as well as give.

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