BOGALAY - PO AUNG would rather return to the ruins of his village in Myanmar's delta region than stay in a state relief camp.
'We keep hearing things about victims at the government-run camps,' said the 57-year-old who lost his son and mother in the storm. 'We just don't know what to do.'
Nearly two weeks after Cyclone Nargis tore through Myanmar's rice bowl, more than half a million people are thought to be sheltering in temporary settlements.
The lucky have been taken in by monks and private volunteers. The less fortunate are stuck in government-run centres, where people complain of tiny food rations and forced labour.
Since the cyclone struck the Irrawaddy delta two weeks ago, Myanmar has moved tens of thousands of homeless survivors into government-run shelters, pushing them out of monasteries and schools.
About 80,000 people had sought shelter in schools and temples in the town of Labutta, but now, only about 20,000 remain at 50 monasteries after the military moved them to camps set up in the towns of Myaungmya and Pathein.
The United Nations estimates that 550,000 people are now living in temporary settlements, where accounts from evacuees say there is not enough food, water or shelter for everyone.
'They have to break stones at the construction sites. They are paid 1,000 kyat (S$1.40) per day but are not provided with any food,' said Mr Ko Hla Min, who has been able to stay in his village outside Bogalay, a delta town 90km south-west of Yangon.
'Most people don't want to live in strange places and do new jobs. They want to go back to where they lived with their loved ones and go back to their traditional profession, agriculture,' said the 35-year-old, who lost nine members of his family.
He said the government relief effort in Bogalay, where at least 10,000 people are believed to have perished, has been negligible.
'We can see the relief aid materials given by donors stored at some places. I wonder when they will give them to us?' he said.
Adding to the frustration and anger sweeping the nation, the government has been blocking local people from sending aid to victims, say some reports.
According to online news site The Irrawaddy, security forces have been monitoring donors' activities and interrogating them when they try to hand over food and water to survivors.
Some were told all aid must be channelled through the military, and others told to hand over their aid to the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Association.
