Cyclone in Myanmar could see death toll over 100,000
by John Syratt

On Sunday, May 3 a violent tropical storm with winds up to 241 km per hour slammed into the Southeast Asian country of Myanmar (Burma) leaving death and destruction in its wake.

Cyclone Nargis caused the deadliest natural disaster in Myanmar’s recorded history as its catastrophic death toll (at CLN’s press time) reached at least 34,273, with a further 27,838 people still missing.

It is believed the death toll could reach over 100,000. The official Red Cross estimate is between 68,833 and 127,990 people killed, while the UN is saying over 2.5 million people have been severely affected – most of them facing issues such as homelessness, food shortages, lack of power, lack of clean water, and disease.

Since 1962, Myanmar has been governed by, what one person called, a reclusive and notoriously brutal military regime which suppresses almost all dissent and wields absolute power in the face of international condemnation and sanctions.

For the past 46 years, the generals along with the army have been accused of gross human rights violations, such as forcibly relocating its civilians and the widespread use of forced labor, which includes children. In crushing the democracy uprising of 1988, the army killed thousands of the country’s citizens