Burma Struggles Continue
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As Burma's military regime prepares for a referendum, victims of cyclone Nargis wait for vital aid. Tim Lorkovic and Eleanor Bell report on actions being taken in Australia.
'Burma Struggles Continue' Transcript
PROTESTORS
Free free. Burma Burma. Free free. Burma Burma.
JOURNALIST
Protesters gather outside the Burmese embassy. It's one week on from Cyclone Nargis and relief is yet to reach Burma's most affected areas. Despite this the government will go ahead with tomorrow's referendum to change the country's constitution. The regime says it will open the door for democratic elections in two years. Many Burmese Australians are calling it a shame.
MINTHURA WYNN
So we want to show people we don't need referendum right now. Stop referendum. People need survival.
JOURNALIST
These people are more concerned about their families back home than politics. Soe Lwin's father is in the worst hit part of Rangoon and he hasn't heard from him.
SOE LWIN
Of course I'm very sad. not only for my family, but for everyone who's suffering.
JOURNALIST
With more than 100,000 dead and a million left homeless, Cyclone Nargis is the worst natural disaster in Burma's history. World Vision CEO Tim Costello is in Rangun. He says the lack of aid has the potential to turn this into an even greater humanitarian crisis.
TIM COSETLLO
Dysentery, malaria. We're already seeing diarrhea, malaria. Our great fear is an epidemic of cholera.
JOURNALIST
Trevor Wilson is the former ambassador to Burma. He believes the government is not equipped to deal with the disaster without international support.
TREVOR WILSON
They don't have a good record as being caring for the people. They don't recognise the enormity of the disaster that's hit them and how badly affected ordinary people are.
JOURNALIST
Trevor Wilson says now is not the time to challenge the Junta.
TREVOR WILSON
At this time politics should really be put to one side - not only by the regime but by its opponents also.
JOURNALIST
The Burmese Ambassador to Australia declined to comment.