Emotional survivors gathered in Myanmar yesterday to remember the 138,000 people left dead or missing by Cyclone Nargis, despite authorities largely ignoring the storm’s first anniversary.
No official ceremonies were planned and state media made no mention of the deadly storm, which lay waste to large swathes of the country on May 2 and May 3 last year and drew worldwide criticism for Myanmar’s military rulers.
Only the Myanmar language daily newspaper Myanma Ahlin made any reference to the 2.4 million people affected by the cyclone, with photographs of the new houses authorities have built for some of the survivors.
Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar on May 2 and May 3 with wind speeds reaching 240kph and storm surges up to 4m high.
Thousands of homes were swept away, rice fields were flooded with saltwater and schools and hospitals were ravaged in the storm.
A year later aid agencies say half a million people remain without adequate homes, while at least 250,000 people will require food handouts until the end of this year at the earliest.
But many survivors were more concerned with the dead as they marked the cyclone’s anniversary yesterday, with those who could afford to paying about 100,000 kyats (US$100) in donations for a monk-led ceremony at home.
Win Khaing, 22, from Tha Kyar Hin O, hosted his own memorial before visiting the unveiling a new cyclone shelter in his village.
“We did a memorial for my mom and two-year-old niece by donating to Buddhist monks this morning. I think they are in peace now,” he said.
Most people in this predominantly Buddhist country believe that donations to monasteries can lead to a more peaceful afterlife for dead souls.
But many of those still reliant on handouts of aid to survive said they could not afford to pay for their own ceremony.
“I want to hold a memorial for my parents. But I can’t help as we are also relying on donations,” said 38-year-old Aye Tint, from Shwe Magyikan village, which neighbors Tha Kyar Hin O.
Aye Tint lost both her parents and two sisters to the cyclone, while as many as 60 residents from her village are believed to have been killed.
She and her sister Thaung believe they have been possessed with the restless spirits of their dead relatives, who they said would not find peace until a monk-led memorial is held.
“I feel so sorry for my mom as she came into my body. I have never faced anything like this in my life before,” Aye Tint’s sister Thaung, 50, said.
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