The amount of money donated as aid to survivors of Cyclone Nargis has been grossly understated in the local media by Burma's military rulers.  With the Junta claiming around eight-times less than the actual amount collected in villages, the statements have angered villagers and according to local sources the township authorities are being blamed for the 'misunderstanding' between the military authorities and the donors.

State-run television station MRTV broadcast the Junta's statements over the last two days, claiming that donations from Chaung Zon Township amounted to only 800,000 Kyat.  A head villager, also a member of the group organized to donate money in the wake of Cyclone Nargis denied the Junta's claims.  "We collected at least 100,000 Kyat from each village in this region (Chaung Zon) and sent an amount of over 4,500,000 Kyat to the township authorities.  The amount broadcast on MRTV is very different from the amount we delivered, so it is likely now to provoke a quarrel between headmen and the villagers who donated," the village headman said.

Township authorities from Chaung Zon in Mon state ordered over 45 villages to collect at least 100,000 Kyat each in post-Nargis 'donations', with a deadline of June 6.

The head villager also commented that the donated money seemed to have disappeared when placed in the hands of township or state authorities and he had no response when angry villagers approached him. They had carried out their duties as requested, yet something went wrong along the way.

Authorities in Mon state ordered local authorities to collect money in every village, amounting to at least 50,000 Kyat or 100,000 Kyat in Chaung Zon and Moulmein townships.  Authorities also forced donations from villagers in Ye town, Mon state, according to the residents. "We had to pay 1000 Kyat per house in the Aung Thukha block. They didn't give us any receipt or acknowledgement for our donations," a resident from Ye town told Kaowao.