Representatives from Burma Today News Agency, National Council Union of Burma (NCUB) and International Foundation for the Burmese National Congress also took part.

U Ray Htut, president of the International Foundation for Burma National Congress, said the OIC should respect the desires the Burmese people.

“This matter is totally unacceptable, not only to the Arakanese, but also all ethnic people, who must protest against it decisively. The people at home are opposed to it, and the Burmese people living in exile have to oppose it as well. If the OIC continues to force itself without regarding the people’s desire, the problems will become more complicated.”

U Khine Aung Kyaw, an Arakanese exile who participated in the demonstration said the Burmese government should make it clear to the OIC that it can’t open offices in Burma.

“We have heard the statement from the presidential office the OIC will not open its offices in Burma after the people protested across the country. But the Burmese government, as well as its ministry of border affairs that has signed the deal with the OIC, haven’t officially informed the OIC that they have cancelled its agreements with them, which would allow the offices to be opened.”

Another demonstrator, Ko Moe Chan, also said the peoples’ representatives in the parliament need to urge the government to suspend its agreements with the OIC after the public backlash that occurred across the country.

Ko Hla Htay, an organizer of the demonstration, told Narinjara if the OIC pushes ahead they will be violating the rights of Burmese nationals.

“The OIC’s plans are unacceptable. Even if they say they are advocating peace or humanitarian operations they must pay attention to the voices of the local people. They need the peoples’ acceptance, as well. People in Burma and abroad are demonstrating that they have open objections to its plans. If it moves on without regarding the local peoples’ objections, it’s violating the rights of the people.”

During the protest, demonstrators shouted “Respect the voices of Burmese people” and “Suspend the plans for offices”.

They also issued a statement in Burmese and English that was deposited in the OIC’s office mail box. The statement demanded the OIC suspend their plans for opening offices in Burma because it’s not a secular organization like the United Nations or ASEAN. The organization is based on religion, and Burma is not one of its member states.

OIC, which has 57- members, all Islamic, announced plans to open offices in Sittwe and Yangon after sectarian violence erupted in Arakan State, in June. The organization stated they would provide humanitarian aid to victims from both the Arakanese Buddhist and Muslim Rohingya communities without discrimination