Despite the huge devastation caused by Cyclone Nargys, Myanmar held a referendum on Saturday to approve a new army-drafted constitution. The country’s military leaders ignored calls coming from across their borders to postpone the referendum and did it as if nothing had happened in the South-East Asian country, Reuters reported.

About a week after the devastating tropical cyclone tore through the Irawaddy Delta bringing winds of about 190 kph (120 mph) with it, experts warned the Myanmar leaders of a second disaster that could bring the country to its knees – diseases.

Several nations and organizations offered aid, but the Myanmar leaders wouldn’t collaborate, thus leaving the survivors of the catastrophe to face diseases such as diarrhea and malaria even if they manage to find food and shelter.

In a military-ruled country such as Myanmar, the citizens have "patriotic duties" to fulfill such as voting the new constitution (a state-run TV repeatedly told them). However, their rulers seem to have no duties whatsoever.

Myanmar went to the poles to vote a constitution that preserves the dominant role for the military. The country is under the current military regime since a 1962 coup.

"I voted yes. It was what I was asked to do," a 57-year-old resident of Hlegu, 50 km (30 miles) northeast of Yangon, told Reuters.

The ruling junta has reportedly seized a food aid shipment sent by the United Nations on Friday. The military regime said they would accept donations but won’t permit foreign aid workers to enter the country.

However, they promised they would permit Pentagon’s first air shipment of aid which is scheduled to arrive on Monday.