Nippon Foundation provides 60,000 rice bags to 7 ceasefire ethnic armed groups

Nippon Foundation, led by Mr Sasakawa, the special representative ofJapan government for Myanmar National Reconciliation, provided morethan 60,000 bags of rice to the ceasefire ethnic armed groups inMyanmar, said a statement issued by the NCA signatory Ethnic ArmedResistance Organizations (NCA-S EAO) on 5 July.

The foundation donated 64,000 rice bags for  distributing in territories of seven ethnic armed groups which signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) effecting between 2022 and 2023.
 
Chairman Sasakawa informed that his foundation normally supports  new town projects, schools & hospitals for ethnic people. Moreover, they have offered humanitarian aid to the concerned areas during 2022-2023.

The concerned areas include the localities under the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), Karen National Liberation Army Peace Council (KNU/KNLA-PC), Lahu Democratic Union (LDU), Democratic Karen Army (DKBA), Pao National Liberation League (PNLO) along with the territories under  New Mon State Party (NMSP) and  Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS).

Khaing Thurin, secretary of the ALP group led by Daw Saw Mya Raza Lin, told Narinjara News that the rice bags will help people displaced by the war.

“Now, we are planning to continue distribution for 2023-2024,” he added.

But the ALP received only a few bags of rice. Nippon Foundation in 2022 also donated over 50,000 bags of rice to Rakhine IDPs.

During his visit to Myanmar in November and after meeting with the junta chief major general Min Aung Hlaing,  Sasakwa announced about the donation.

Initially, the military council banned the donation program in Rakhine, but lately they have allowed to donate the rice bags among the people.

Narinjara News can not confirm whether those 50,000 bags of rice are included in the Nippon Foundation’s 60,000 bags of rice.

U Khaing Kung San, director of Wan Lek Regional Development Foundation, appreciated the gesture of Nippon Foundation.

"As the people of Rakhine State are poor, the rice bags will be helpful for them. Many families have no stable income.  So it will be a great relief to them,” he added.

Sasakawa also the one who intervened and negotiated with the Arakan Army (AA) and the military council in 2018. Due to his mediation, gunfighting in Rakhine State has been stopped till date.