State radio said 92.4% of the 22 million eligible voters approved the constitution, dismissed by critics as a sham designed to solidify the military's rule. It gave voter turnout as more than 99%.All this comes as the junta still plays games with disbursing aid to those Burmese in need of assistance. The junta warns individuals not to hoard or trade aid, but that isn't stopping the junta itself from engaging in those tactics to punish those who it perceives as opponents and threats to its continued rule.
The Red Cross estimated that up to 128,000 people were killed in Burma. The junta admits only a fraction of that total were killed:
Myanmar's government issued a revised casualty toll Wednesday night, saying 38,491 were known dead and 27,838 were missing.The junta is finally allowing more foreign workers to provide assistance, but only from four countries: India, China, Bangladesh and Thailand.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, however, said its estimate put the number of dead between 68,833 and 127,990. The Geneva-based body said the range came from a compilation based on other estimates from 22 different organizations, including the Myanmar Red Cross Society, and on media reports.
The military regime in Myanmar has invited immediate neighbours India, China, Bangladesh and Thailand to send aid workers to join relief operations in the cyclone-hit country, in what UN described as "selective opening up to international staff."That's an improvement, but it's a pittance in comparison to the need.
The Junta was apparently still not giving visas to western aid workers congregating in Thailand.
The military regime's decision to allow the four countries to send 160 international aid workers followed an intense pressure to allow experienced personnel to help in the distribution of relief supplies.
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