Introduction

In early May 2008, Myanmar suffered an extreme Category 4 cyclone that struck its southern coastline for the first time in recorded history.

Cyclone Nargis devastated the Ayeyarwaddy Delta of Myanmar on 2nd – 3rd May 2008. The Cyclone made landfall in the southern Ayeyarwaddy Division at Cape Negrais and Hainggyi Island.  The Cyclone then continued through Labutta, Bogale, Kyaiklat, Yangon and Thanatbin at an exceptionally slow pace, thus intensifying the damage.  Affected areas (in order) include the Ayeyarwaddy; Yangon; Bago West and East Divisions; Kayin State; and lastly, Mon State.

Cyclone Nargis brought behind it a tidal surge that exceeded 4 meters above the norm and inundated vast areas of the Ayeyarwaddy Delta.

The worst Cyclone to hit Asia since 1991, Cyclone Nargis left 138,000 people dead or missing and affected an estimated 2.4m survivors, equivalent to 5% of Myanmar’s population. Mortality was at its highest in the south and coastal villages of the Delta, because there the impact of the Cyclone was significantly compounded by the accompanying “tsunami”. Close to where Cyclone Nargis made landfall, the islands of Hainggyi and Alekyun suffered major loss of life and catastrophic damage.

The official “Tripartite” study by the UN/ ASEAN/ Government of Union of Myanmar published in July 2008, placed a price tag of more than US$4 billion on the damage and losses to the country, a level of devastation on a par with the destruction caused in Indonesia by the 2004 Asian tsunami. Nevertheless, it is easier to count the cost of buildings, schools, boats, fishing nets, buffaloes and farming equipment lost, than to count the cost of destroyed lives.

In the week after Cyclone Nargis,  a group of business associates and concerned individuals established the “Cape Negrais Relief and Recovery Committee (“CNRR”)” to assist in relief and recovery for the victims of Cyclone Nargis, under the leadership of Mr. Serge Pun, Chairman of Serge Pun & Associates (Myanmar) Ltd.

CNRR is not an officially registered organization or charity in any country. It was set up by Myanmar and representatives from international businesses and individuals that believed it their corporate, social and national responsibility to assist in the recovery work in the aftermath of the catastrophe of Cyclone Nargis. It exists purely for this task. CNRR has no political, national, racial or religious affiliation. It was also decided that if possible many projects of CNRR would be closely associated with Myanmar Business Coalition on AIDS (MBCA) organization. MBCA is an official registered Myanmar NGO since 2002.

Judging from the scale of the disaster, it is clear that relief and recovery from Cyclone Nargis will neither be an easy task, nor of a short-term nature. It is anticipated that recovery will take as much as 5 years and demand considerable resources.

In guiding CNRR, MBCA is fortunate in being able to draw upon the resources and valuable experience in programme development, project design and management, logistics and distribution, healthcare, financial management, communications and co-ordination with local authorities, as well as in working with international donors and other external organisations of supporting companies such as Serge Pun & Associates (Myanmar), other organisations, donors and individuals.

To help the Delta community return to normal, CNRR has embarked upon a recovery programme.  To support this ambitious programme, CNRR, in association with MBCA, seeks donations, help and assistance of all kinds. MBCA aims to mobilize assistance from the public and private sectors, international and domestic organizations, foundations, INGOs, NGOs, companies and individuals who are able and willing to provide the much needed professional and financial resources in support of the recovery programme initiated by CNRR.

Judging from the scale of the disaster, it is clear that recovery after Cyclone Nargis will neither be an easy task, nor of a short-term nature - but together we can bring the life of the Cyclone victims back to normal