Byline: Melinda Liu; With Jaimie Seaton In Bangkok
Burma's military rulers tried not to let the approaching storm distract them. They had spent 14 years preparing for the May 10 public referendum. Now all they wanted was a smooth vote and overwhelming approval of a new constitution to let them rule indefinitely. That remained their priority last week in the wake of the deadliest natural disaster in Burma's history. As surviving monks and villagers tried to clear roads, collect the dead and salvage what they could from their demolished homes, the generals ordered local officials to focus on the referendum. With thousands of square miles still flooded, the regime reluctantly ...