Cyclone may bolster junta’s hold on power

AFTER 46 years of unbroken military rule, many people, both inside and outside Burma, think it will take an act of God to get rid of the junta.

Analysts say there are many reasons why generals are resisting pressure to open up to foreign aid and workers after this month’s cyclone, and are unlikely to face serious unrest, despite criticism over the handling of the disaster.

Those living in the heavily populated Irrawaddy delta, where millions had homes or crops destroyed, will be too busy rebuilding their lives to worry about rising up.