Hindus, Muslims give relief aid to IDPs in gestures of interfaith solidarity

By Myat Swe 28 Jul 2020

Myat Swe | DMG
28 July, Sittwe

In a show of interfaith solidarity amid the ongoing conflict in Arakan State, Hindus and Muslims in the state have donated relief supplies to internally displaced people (IDPs) who fled their homes due to hostilities between the military and Arakan Army over recent months.

On July 26, an organisation for Hindus donated rice and cooking oil to IDPs — primarily from the state’s Arakanese Buddhist majority — sheltering at six monasteries in the Arakan State capital Sittwe.

The organisation’s contributions were collected from Hindus in Sittwe and five rice sacks and ten viss of cooking oil were donated to each monastery, said U Maung Hla, vice chair of the philanthropic group.

“Arakanese people in Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships helped us when we [Hindus] were in trouble. So we feel obligated to help Arakanese people who are experiencing difficulties and displaced people who are facing livelihood hardships as much as we can,” he added.

The food supplies were donated to Kethara Monastery, Ottharlin Monastery, Mayu Dhamma Sikku Monastery, Dhamma Yama Monastery, Shwe Pyithar Monastery and Phayar Myar Thein Kyaung in Sittwe.

“I would like to express thanks to the organisation for Hindus for its contributions. Being displaced people, we are in need of food and accommodation. I want more charitable organisations to make donations here,” said Ma Khaing Aye Win, a displaced person from Yay Boke village in Rathedaung Township.

A total of 197 people are currently sheltering at Shwe Pyithar Monastery and the IDPs are facing livelihood hardships, according to the camp in-charge.

The displaced people are grateful to receive donations, said U Hla Tun Sein, camp in-charge for people sheltering at Shwe Pyithar Monastery.

A group of Muslim students in Sittwe also donated K300,000 (US$220) to displaced people as humanitarian assistance on July 22, the Arakan Students’ Union said in a statement.

The number of IDPs in Arakan State has climbed to nearly 200,000 due to ongoing clashes between the military and the Arakan Army over the past two years, according to the Rakhine Ethnics Congress (REC).

The IDPs are facing not only livelihood hardship but also other difficulties meeting basic needs as the number of donors who contribute to displaced populations is dropping, camp in-charges have said.