NAY PYI TAW May 19
Vice Chairman of State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win addresses emergency relief and rehabilitation meeting for damage and losses caused by Cyclone Mocha in Rakhine State
Chairman of the National Natural Disaster Management Committee Vice Chairman of the State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win, accompanied by wife Daw Than Than Nwe and senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief arrived at Sittwe Airport this evening and they were welcomed by union ministers, the chief minister of the state, the commander of the Western Command and departmental officials.
Then, the Vice-Senior General Soe Win and party inspected the relief and rehabilitation activities in cyclone-hit Sittwe by car.
Afterward, the Vice-Senior General attended the emergency relief and rehabilitation meeting for damage and losses caused by Cyclone Mocha in Rakhine State held at the state government office and gave necessary instructions.
Also present at the meeting were union ministers, the chief minister of the state, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, the commander of the Western Command, deputy ministers, state ministers and departmental officials.
First, Chief Minister of Rakhine State U Htein Lin reported to the Vice-Senior General on formation of the state natural disaster management committee, opening of office for emergency natural disaster management at the state government office and in the district and township, preparations before the natural disaster, current arrangements for administrative affairs and supports for the people, storage of relief and support items by the state government, measures taken for prevention of disruption of communication during the postcyclone period, assignment of duties to respective departments for relief and rehabilitation, arrivals of relief items and medical supplies by air and waterway, systematic storage and distribution of relief items, repairs of cyclone-hit houses, restoration of power lines and provision of healthcare services by forming special healthcare teams.
Then, Union Minister for Transport and Communications Admiral Tin Aung San reported to the Vice-Senior General on implementation of rescue, relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation operations in accordance with the guidance of the Prime Minister, rescue and relief efforts made in real time, repairs of schools and universities hit by the storm to enable them to reopen as soon as possible in a timely manner according to their priorities, measures taken to better environment than previous ones in reconstruction efforts, inspection tours to stormhit townships and provision of necessary assistance, systematic compilation of death tolls and damage statistics in real time, efforts made to repair hospitals damaged by the storm as soon as possible, arrivals of relief items by Tatmadaw aircraft and vessels and distribution of them to areas in need, distribution of rice, edible oil, rations and medical supplies to cyclone-hit areas, tasks being carried out with the use of heavy machinery to restore electricity, measures taken to repair power lines and communication stations damaged by the storm in order to prevent disruption of communication and the use mobile water purifying equipment to supply sufficient water to the victims.
Afterward, union ministers Lt-Gen Tun Tun Naung and U Ko Ko Hlaing reported to the Vice-Senior General on distribution of relief items to IDP camps by making field trips, efforts made to return to normal and cleanliness and pleasantness of the towns hit by the storm by forming combined teams, distribution of foodstuffs, relief items and medical supplies to storm victims, offers and arrangements made to provide relief items and medical supplies for the victims by neighbouring countries and international organizations, preparations made by foreign companies in Rakhine State to offer technical assistance and efforts made to resume repatriation and resettlement during the post-cyclone period.
Then, Union Ministers U Thaung Han, Daw Thet Thet Khaing, U Myo Thant and Dr Thet Khaing Win reported to the Vice-Senior General on efforts made to re-erect power lines hit by the storm to supply electricity as soon as possible, repairs of national grid with the use of heavy machinery to supply electricity, transportation and distribution of reserve rice to necessary areas to supply enough food to the people in Rakhine State, distribution of construction materials to rebuild buildings damaged by the storm, distribution of instant food items, timely repairs and reconstruction of roads, bridges and buildings destroyed by the storm in Rakhine State, measures taken to repair or reconstruct hospitals, schools, essential buildings and religious edifices as a priority, joint preparations of construction associations in Rakhine State for rehabilitation efforts, arrangements made to provide healthcare services in Rakhine State by forming healthcare teams, provision of regular healthcare services at the cyclone-hit general hospital by repairing it, sending healthcare teams to areas in need and arrangements to receive medical supplies donated by neighbouring countries and international organizations.
Next, the attendees reported on rescue, resettlement and rehabilitation measures on a sector-wise basis in the natural disaster affected in Rakhine State.
Then, regarding the reports, the Vice-Senior General said only if a list of the damage is systematically made, will an exact number of construction materials necessary in repairing the damaged buildings due to the cyclone be delivered. In repairing the damaged buildings, priority must be given to the buildings of high school and university in time for the back to school season which starts on June 1. It is necessary to correctly collect data on the animals killed in the storm and make an arrangement on how to provide the live animals to the areas in need of them. The said data is to be sent to the National Disaster Management Committee through region-wise disaster management teams. It is also necessary to form disaster management working teams under the supervision of the state-level disaster management team.
The Prime Minister gave guidance that if international organizations offer assistance, corrugated iron sheets and nails for buildings, medicines and cyclone shelters could also be accepted. It is necessary to get the electricity back as soon as possible and work together to ensure the cleanliness and beauty of the city. Measures for rehabilitation must be quickly taken. It is necessary to correctly and quickly collect statistics to be able to rapidly take the rehabilitation measures. For this respective departments are to carry out the tasks quickly and correctly.
In his concluding remarks, the Vice-Senior General said according to the guidance of the Prime Minister on the disasteraffected areas the first point is that it is to ensure that rice, edible oil, salt, bean and preserved fish will reach every household of all the locals before resettlement in hand during the period of rehabilitation. The National Disaster Management Committee has prepared a collection of other foods beside 10,000 tons of reserved rice before the cyclone started. Of the reserved rice, 3,000 tons are being delivered by naval and civilian vessels to the Rakhine State in order to use it during the rehabilitation period. In supplying and distributing the reserved rice and emergency items, officials concerned are to systematically carry out the tasks and in doing so, the statistics are important. The second point is that those areas will have clean water. For that, the Tatmadaw and the Ministry of Cooperatives and Rural Development have made arrangements with mobile water purification machinery and will further provide manuallyoperated pumps as well. The third point is that the communications system will be restored. Departments concerned are to work together to restore the communications network. It needs to quickly restore the communications network as it is important to do office work. The fourth point is to build more storm shelters in the areas in need of them. Officials concerned need to submit plans on it during the rehabilitation period to mainly build towns and villages located on both sides of main rivers and along the coastal line.
As universities and basic schools will be reopened on June 1, priority must be given to repairing high schools of the damaged schools as quickly as possible. Similarly, it is necessary to quickly repair the damaged hospitals in the state and work with might and main in cooperation with collective teams for the cleanliness and beauty of the cities and towns.
The Government issued storm warnings in advance before the cyclone advising the people to move to safe areas. Despite such warnings and advice, it is sad to see that some did not follow the warnings and experienced risk of life. The damage just occurred at minimum as preparations were properly made nine days ahead of the cyclone. All are to cooperate to quickly take postcyclone rehabilitation measures to meet better conditions than pre-storm period. Officials concerned need to systematically supervise to get the relief items to the people who really need them and to ensure minimum waste of the items. Locals are urged to work together with civil servants who are in the cyclone-affected areas giving a hand in rebuilding their towns and villages to restore their towns and villages to be better than original ones.
100