TU KA WADDY, MYANMAR — Beaten down by a ruthless storm, unscrupulous money lenders and their own government, farmers in Myanmar's rice bowl are long past being angry. They are too hungry, too tired and too fearful of what lies ahead.
Nearly five months ago, Tropical Cyclone Nargis tore through southern Myanmar, killing at least 85,000 people. Thousands still are missing, probably washed out to sea. The death toll is estimated to be 110,000, making it the second-deadliest named cyclone on record.
Those who survived lost what is usually their biggest harvest of the year. The next one is due in November, but farmers are struggling with a late start, bad seedlings and high fuel prices.
The country's economic mismanagement has left people dependent on rice for a larger share of their diet, but military rulers still are exporting it even as they put up obstacles to international aid. Total production this year could be down anywhere from 20% to 70%. The shortages and high prices could pose a threat to the military regime, which has ruled since the early 1960s.
Kow Win Hlaing's eight acres were flooded with seawater during the storm, and he was a month late replanting. He got free seedlings from a Buddhist monastery and from other donors, but many are of such poor quality that they don't grow properly, he said.
Making matters worse, he had to go into hock to buy diesel for his tiller and fertilizer. He expects the harvest from his paddies, located a two-hour riverboat ride south of Bogalay, to be about 60% smaller than last year. The $840 the farmer borrowed from a local money lender is more than three times the amount he expects to earn this year.
His face creased with worry and fatigue far beyond his 37 years, Kow Win Hlaing is ready to give up.
"I lost all my savings for the last 10 years to Nargis," he said. "I don't want to be a farmer anymore."
More than 2.1 million survivors still depend on food aid and other assistance, according to the United Nations. Most live in makeshift shelters cobbled out of bamboo poles and blue and orange tarps that strain under the weight of torrential monsoon rains.
Large white tents emblazoned with UNICEF in blue letters serve as schools for thousands of children, some of whom show signs of malnutrition.
