New Delhi - Cyclone victims are being relocated to their original places of residence by authorities in Maupin town. The refugees are being transported back to villages in Bogale Township , an aid worker said.

The aid worker, who witnessed the transportation of over 600 refugees from Maupin to villages in Bogale on Saturday, said despite their inability to reconstruct their homes the victims are being forced to go back to the villages.

"On Saturday, more than 600 refugees from Maupin were taken to Bogale in buses," the aid worker said.

The authorities had promised the refugees a sum of 20,000 (USD 18) and five 'Pyi' of rice (equivalent to approximately 12 kgs) on arrival at their home villages, he added.

"We don't know whether they [authorities] will really give," the aid worker said.

While a few refugees, who have relatives in Maupin town, refused to go back and stayed most, were forced to go, he added.

"I don't want to go, but I have to because I am being forced to leave," a 25 year old cyclone victim, whose destroyed home has not been rebuilt, said.

While Burma's military junta claimed that the 'emergency relief phase' is over in the cyclone affected regions, United Nations Chief Ban Ki-moon, during his opening remarks at the donors conference on Sunday in Rangoon said 'emergency relief phase' is far from over and would continue for at least six months.  

Ban on Thursday travelled to the cyclone affected areas in Burma 's Irrawaddy delta and got a first hand account of the devastation.

"The relief phase may have to continue for at least six more months and we need to work in a parallel manner with the relief phase in the long term so as to rehabilitate and reconstruct," Ban on Sunday told reporters in Bangkok after attending the Asean-UN pledging conference in Rangoon .

At the pledging conference, Ban told Foreign Ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), representatives from nearly 50 countries and delegates from various aid agencies in Rangoon that relief efforts must be strengthened and that freedom of movement for aid workers in the region is crucial.

Burma's military supremo Senior General Than Shwe, during his meeting with the world body chief on Friday, promised to allow aid workers 'regardless of nationality' to help cyclone victims.

At a press conference on Sunday night, after returning from the pledging conference in Rangoon , Ban said he hoped that Burma 's military rulers will honour their commitment.

"My sincere hope is that they [the junta] will honour their commitment - that we have to see," Ban said.

While the junta has not been heard repeating its claim that emergency relief phase is over, several aid workers said emergency relief has not reached a majority of the areas where the cyclone hit the hardest.

But Ban expressed optimism saying a tripartite mechanism has been evolved among the UN, Asean and the Burmese government.

"Now we have established a tripartite mechanism to implement and to address this issue," Ban said at the press conference.

"I am confident that on the basis of this agreement today we will be able to carry on helping Myanmar 's [ Burma 's] people and government in overcoming this tragedy," Ban added.