ANP continues providing food-aid to Rakhine IDPs despite military prohibition

Narinjara News, 26 October 2022

Even though the Myanmar military council has prohibited the social groups and domestic/foreign NGOs from providing assistance to the refugees in Rakhine State, the Arakan National Party (ANP) continues supporting them with humanitarian aid, said a party leader.

Leader of the disaster relief committee, U Ko Chay, asserted that the primary point is to help the IDPs who are currently living with difficulties. The military council has banned in extending any aid to the displaced people, but the ANP will continue to do so, he stated.

The ANP leaders held a meeting at its Sittwe-based central office on 23 October, where they resolved to continue helping the IDPs.

Next day, the ANP central office handed over Kyats 45 lakh (1.5 lakh per township) to three townships namely Rathedaung, Maungdaw and Buthidaung with an aim to support the refugees.

"We are not allowed to travel. Roads are routinely closed by the military council. So we have transferred the amount to the people in charge of the township committees. We are extending the amount for donating the rice grain,” he added.

The particular ban in Rakhine State came to its existence on 25 September. It has targeted the local and international NGOs and also social groups. With the ban, an acute shortage of food items surfaced in the refugee camps and now many families are facing starvation.

"I believe, the Burmese military council ban the food supplies with an aim to target Arakan Army members. But it has not hardly affected the AA, it has affected the common people. Most importantly the IDPs are facing problems,” said a person in charge of the Rathedaung military refugee camp.

Earlier on 19 October, ANP, which is the largest political party of Rakhine State, donated 30 bags of rice grain to the of Buthidaung township, who were facing difficulties due to the junta’s unwanted ban.