Narinjara News, 20 August 2022

The Sittwe police has prevented a charitygroup from collecting donations for the refugees fleeing their villages andeven threatened them to take necessary action if it continues to collect money.

MittaYoungchi Foundation collected donations from people in Sittwe, the capitalcity of Arakan State, for the newly arrived IDP to escape gun fighting betweenthe Burmese forces and Arakan Army members in Rathedaung and Muang Dawtownships.

Thefoundation president Ko Lin Lin said that the authority asked them to get thepermission.

“Wewere asked to apply for the permission. Now, we have stopped the collection drive. If we do it again, they may punish us,” headded.

Thepolice personnel even question me if the foundation’s car has the license andwho bought the land of the office, etc.Thefoundation was collecting donations near Beluma bridge in Sittwe and soon theywere summoned to Myoma police station.

"Thegovernment is not financially supporting the IDP refugees and it is nowpreventing others from collecting donations for the refugees. We cannot expectany kindness from the junta,” he asserted.

Thepolice clarified that donations must be collected by thecharitable organizations with permission only. But if any organisation appliesfor the permission, they will not be entertained.

On13 August, three fierce fighting took place between the junta forces andAA members. Following it, thousands of residents from villages like Chiang KhaLain, Don Baik, Aung Thukha, Aung Bala, etc left their places for safer places.