TheinZaw (Mgdaw), 23 July 2019

Sittwepolice reportedly called eight suspected people from a Local Civil SocietyOrganization named Rakhine A Lin Ta Gar, including two women, questioned in thealleged money collection for Rakhine IDPs yesterday.

DawPhyu Phyu Than, the Secretary of A Lin Ta Gar association said that thequestioning by police on active local CSO group’s eight members were made twotimes on Sunday when it came after the CSO was taken picture by police on July19 at noon while they were on the way for money collection as volunteeringactivity near Pryi Daw Thar word Sittwe. 

Sheadded that “ We were called by No (1) Sittwe Police Station yesterday. Iasked them back what for. They were said to be calling us in accordance withtheir senior officials. And they asked us whether we had granted permission formoney bagging out and registration of the organization. They also asked wherethe donation money goes,”

 DawPhyu Phyu said that they had already submitted permission letter to the SittweTownship Administration Office since April 11.

“Theydid not reply anything so far and they did not say not to keep it on. That’swhy, we continue collection from local people. This is not a crime. We haverecognized certificate for donation and collection. We have all the records forall donations. We are just helping and volunteering for IDPs as the IDPs askedfor us” Daw Phyu Phyu Than said.

 Accordingto the records of Rakhine A Lin Ta Gar active CSO group, it was known that 37times donations have been transparently made so far for IDPs camps inthroughout Rakhine State providing money and other’s basic requisites for IDPsin case of necessary. Moreover, Friday money collection campaign was out forurgent requisition in terms of daily basic necessity, from Mruk Oo’sSinbawkaing IDP camp which was recently Monsoon flooded due to significant LayMore river rising.

TheChairperson Daw Kyawt Sein said, “ Rakhine IDPs are obviously in trouble. They didnot go for aid donation. They prevent others as well who go to help. We are notArakan Army member. We are honestly helping volunteers group. We have alreadysent for permission. Whenever we went to the GAD township office forpermission, they always said there was no authorized person. Thus, we kickedoff money collection and begging out for IDPs. That’s why we were called andbeing questioned. We heard that we would be charged against with two sections’.

Inquiringabout the questioning at Local CSO group, Narinjara News media correspondentwent to Sittwe No (1) Police Station in person, township Police’sInspector, however, was said to be tied up with meeting.