Hundreds of women in Sittwe, in Arakan state, have taken to the streets to protest against the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The protesters fear the OIC will interfere in the politically-charged Arakan state and even the rest of the country.
About 1000 Arakanese women holding posters and signboards peacefully marched through the streets to protest against OIC’s plan to open offices in Sittwe and Yangon, on Oct.10. The protesters hope they can halt the opening of the offices.
Daw Ma Nyo Aye, one of the protestors and a women’s’ leader, said the opening of the offices will interfere in Arakanese affairs. She said the recent conflict in Arakan state - which saw the worst sectarian violence in decades - is an internal issue and the OIC shouldn’t involve itself with it.
The demonstration took place after the Burmese government signed an agreement with the OIC, allowing the opening of offices in Sittwe and Yangon.
Other demonstrations led my Buddhist monks erupted in Yangon and Sittwe to protest the recent violence against the Buddhist community in Bangladesh. Over 1000 monks peacefully marched into the Bangladesh consulate in Sittwe to denounce the opening of the OIC offices in Burma.
According to OIC sources, the Islamic organization will open a Yangon office to assist for visas and relief efforts. The Sittwe office will provide humanitarian assistance.
An OIC delegation signed the agreement with Burmese Border Affairs Minister Lt Gen Thein Htay in Naypyidaw, on Oct. 11.
