NarinjaraNews, 28 June 2024

Themilitary junta has admitted that their officers looted the World Food Programme(WFP) warehouse in Maungdaw town of Rakhine State.

Major general ZawMin Tun, leader of the information team of the junta also confessed that theytook away 2,000 bags of rice grains.

"Sincethe rice bags were intended to support the Maungdaw refugees, the securityforces distributed one bag of rice grains  to each household in ward-1,ward-2, ward-3, ward-4, Ka Nyin Tan ward and Maung Ni ward on 22 June,” headded.

Zaw Min Tunofficially confessed the act on 27 June through the military-owned newspapers.

But he didnot reveal if the junta obtained the necessary permission from the WFP, aUnited Nations organization in Myanmar, before looting the rice bags.

A Muslimresident reported that on 22 June, the junta soldiers distributed the rice bagsto Muslim residents of Maungdaw, persuading them to support the junta.

These ricebags were distributed among  2,019 households in Maungdaw, including 190households in ward-1, 613 households in ward-2, 104 households in ward-3, 187households in ward-4, 606 households in Ka Nyin Tan ward and 319 households inMaung Ni ward, reported the military-sponsored media outlets.

Zaw Min Tunalso stated that they began moving the warehouse items to nearby safe locations from 21 June to prevent those from falling into the Arakan Army’s hands.He also disclosed that the AA fighters conducted drone reconnaissance on 22June and bombed the WFP warehouse.

"Themilitary junta remains a responsible organization in the country.  Didthey inform the WFP in Yangon before looting these rice bags or did they notifythem after the act under the law? The WFP's statement also did not mention anysuch initiative. Taking materials from an international organization withoutnecessary permission and distributing those independently is alwaysunacceptable. It constitutes an act of violence," commented aMaungdaw-based Arakanese politician.

An  AAstatement along with a video clipping claimed that on 21 June at  around 5pm, the junta soldiers and some armed Muslims collaborated to burn down the WFPwarehouse along with several houses in Wai Thar Li village under Maungdawlocality.

It alsomentioned that some packages, believed to contain cement, were also taken awayand used for the defence purpose at district rural office. Mentionable is thatZaw Min Tun's response came after the AA released the statement.

Earlier on25 June, the WFP issued a strong statement condemning the act of looting andburning of the WFP warehouse, where a total of 1,175 metric tons of life-savingfood items were also stored.