Sittwe: Even as people in Burma mourn the deaths of 30,000 people and over one million left homeless by cyclone Nargis, the authorities in Arakan State are organising a function in Sittwe for the ensuing referendum, said a town elder.

"We do not understand why the authorities are holding the function for the referendum in Sittwe with Rakhine singers performing during this critical period in Burma. Everybody is mourning because large numbers of people died in our country," the elder said.

The authorities in Sittwe, the capital of Arakan State, ordered all Rakhine singers to perform Rakhine songs to woo people to cast votes during the referendum campaign in Sittwe.

An eyewitness said many famous Rakhine singers, including U Maung Thein, Khaing Kyaw Lunn, and Nyar Sein Khaing, are performing from a stage set up on a vehicle.

The Rakhine singers are performing for people around Sittwe during the evening and night despite their reluctance to perform.

"If any singer does not follow the authority's order, he or she will face trouble in their career. The authorities can cancel permission for their song production. The singers are afraid, even though they do not want to perform in the referendum campaign," a producer from Sittwe said.

"Most people in Sittwe are disappointed with the authorities and we are concerned about the manner in which the government is making a big presentation for the referendum during such a critical period in Burma," said the elder.

A source said the average person is not interested in the referendum and everyone understands that it is an unfair and an unjust process. After the devastation by the cyclone, most people are unlikely to go to the polling centres to cast votes.