Video: Relief workers still barred from Myanmar

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SEATTLE - The U.N. has agreed to resume flights into cyclone-ravaged Myanmar but relief workers, including Americans, are still being barred entry.

To make matters worse, heavy rain that is forecast is certain to make it harder to get supplies to almost 2 million people awaiting food, clean water, shelter and medicine.

Myanmar's military government says it will allow a single U.S. Air Force C-130 cargo plane carrying relief supplies to land in the country.

It may be hard for Americans to understand why a country in dire need would turn away help.

But Seattle residents who grew up in Myanmar say this disaster is showing the world what they saw for decades  - that it is a repressive military government that is delusional and doesn't care about its people.

For Simon Khin and his wife Pwint, it has been excruciating trying to follow the tragedy unfolding in their homeland from their Seattle home.

"I don't know what to think right now," said Simon Khin. "I try not to think."

"I mean we ourselves are having a difficulty comprehending," said Pwint Htun.

The two grew up in the southern part of Myanmar, formerly Burma. Their hometowns were among the hardest hit when cyclone Nargis tore through last week.

"Those areas are littered with bodies and carcasses," Pwint said.

Sadly, some of those bodies may be those of Simon's loved ones.

"I have some relatives on my father's side. As far as I know, there's no news coming out of that and I have no way of contacting them," Simon said.

Making matters worse, the Myanmar military regime continues to keep foreign aid workers out. Natives of Burma say it's a sign of how out of touch the paranoid generals are. The junta is known to base some decisions on astrology.

The generals have stayed in power by limiting basic freedoms. For example, you can't have a fax machine or cell phone without government approval. The military has also instilled fear and intimidation through violent crackdowns like the one in 1988 that stamped out a pro-democracy movement.

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Pwint Htun grew up in the southern part of Myanmar, formerly Burma.

"They massacred thousands of people in front of my house," Pwint said.

Simon and Pwint say since the military regime won't help, the people in Myanmar are relying on foreigners more than ever.

"Burma really, truly needs help right now," Pwint said.

"Keep hoping and don't give up hope - that's pretty much all we could do right now," Khin said.