Many people and organinsations outside the ambit of the Burmese military regime have come forward to help cyclone victims given the regime's apathetic attitude towards the refugees.

Among them is a local church in Rangoon, which has been helping Cyclone Nargis victims in the devastated Irrawaddy River Delta in Southern Burma (Myanmar) with its own resources.

Church members went to help survivors in Kalamachaung in Tunte, across the river from Rangoon. They provided all the relief material that was needed there, a local church member in Rangoon said.

"Our church members went there several times and distributed rice, edible oil, exercise books, pencils among other things. It cost us about USD 1, 500," said an aid worker from the church. "I did not see the regime authorities helping them with relief material as much, though I saw some foreigners helping the victims," she added.

Even though the Burmese military junta has allowed international aid workers to go in and help the victims of Cyclone Nargis, there are many who need help in the affected areas, especially villages where access is difficult because of transportation problems, said an aid worker in Rangoon.

"We went to help the cyclone victims in Kunchangone because it was not too difficult to get there. But the villages that are in remote areas and where transportation is a problem could not get any donation or relief material," said an aid worker.