The 88 Generation Students group arrived in Arakan state’s capital Sittwe on Wednesday to hand out donations and provide moral support to victims of last month’s sectarian riots.
Leaders of the 88 Generation Students including Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Htay Kywe and Ko Jimmy met with refugees on Wednesday afternoon at makeshift relief camps set up at monasteries in the town.
“We are here to hand out donations from sympathisers to the riot victims and to give them moral support as well as to observe the situation over here to work out what kind of assistant we can provide regarding rule of law,” said Ko Jimmy.
He said the group handed out 500,000 Kyat in cash and clothing at each camp and stressed the need for security and rehabilitation programmes in the area.
“There are still requirements to be fulfilled in order for the [victims] to return to their homes. Health care here isn’t too bad,” said Ko Jimmy. “People mostly just need security, food, clothing and shelter. We would like to focus on these sectors.”
The group today also met with around 20 monks in Sittwe as well as civil society groups.
The activists are tipped to travel to Butheedaung and Maungdaw townships tomorrow.
Last month, prominent 88 Student’s Generation member Ko Ko Gyi came under fire from international observers when he said that the Rohingya “are not a Myanmar [Burma] ethnic race… It has become a national concern infringing on our sovereignty” during a public address as rioting consumed the western state.
Prominent activists hand out aid in Arakan state | Democratic Voice of Burma.