Speaking at a ceremony on 14th October to recount his experiences on a recent trip to Europe, he said that the international community is ready to offer a helping hand to Rakhine State to implement the Rakhine Action Plan that seeks to help develop the largely poverty-stricken region.

“Rakhine people need to be shrewd in their international relations in implementing the framework. If not, locals will lose opportunities due to the tarnishing of the image of Rakhine State,” he said.

The chief minister was referring to incidents in which international aid organizations, primarily Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors without Borders), were attacked or threatened over what was perceived as bias in supporting the Muslim Rohingya or Bengali community at the expense of the Buddhist Rakhine community.

U Maung Maung Ohn pointed out that the attacks against international agencies in Sittwe caused a blemish on the image of Rakhine State in the international community.

Chairperson Daw Nyo Aye of the Rakhine Women’s Network who led the protest to oust Médecins Sans Frontières or MSF from the State said, “We are not aggressive against MSF. If the providers do their work in a transparent and equal manner, there will not be any problem.”

A state of emergency had to be declared in Sittwe in March 2014 after an incident involving an American staff member of Malteser International who was seen to put a Buddhist flag in the back pocket of her pants, behavior regarded as extremely insulting. As a result, riots ensued and 14 offices of international aid organizations were destroyed in Rakhine State.

Negotiations between the authorities and local people continue over allowing Médecins Sans Frontières to provide health care services in relief camps in northern Rakhine State.