Myanmar

Top UN official to visit Myanmar, régime claims massive referendum turnout

Article published on the 2008-05-15 Latest update 2008-05-15 12:36 TU

John Holmes
(Photo: AFP)

With parts of Myanmar still under water and thousands of people unaccounted for, the country's military rulers have claimed a huge victory in 10 May's referendum. They say that 99 per cent of those eligible to vote did so and that 92.4 per cent supported their proposals to change the constitution. Those regions worst-hit by cyclone Nargis will vote on 24 May.

The Movement for the restoration of Democarcy, led by well-known dissident Aung San Suu Kyi, has sharply criticised the military government for holding the vote in the wake of the cyclone. It says the constitution will reinforce the power of the military, which has been in power for almost half a century.

The result comes as UN chief Ban Ki-moon said he would send UN humanitarian chief, John Holmes to the country to facilitate aid efforts. Ban said that too much time had been spent trying to obtain visas for aid workers and that, despite some recent flexibility, more needed to be done by the military government.

The EU's head of aid, Louis Michel, has also urged Myanmar's government to open an airbase and release visas for foreign aid workers. Michel said that "every hour counts right now" and that "thousands of lives are at stake".

In the Irrawaddy Delta, survivors have been moved from monasteries and schools into camps, according to Buddhist monks from the disaster zone. They said tens of thousands of people have been moved by boat and truck.