The Buthidaung office of Aid Medicine International, or AMI, was closed down on Wednesday by the organization's leadership five months after local people attacked the office, said a clerk from Buthidaung.

"All activities of AMI on the western Burma border were stopped on Wednesday after some officials came to Buthidaung. But I don't know whether the NGO will come back again to the area or not," he said.

On 18 October, 2009, thousands of local Arakanese residents in Buthidaung attacked the office of AMI after a rumour spread that an Arakanese women worker from the NGO had been insulted by a Muslim worker.

In the attack, some parts of the office and many vehicles in the office compound were destroyed.  Troops rushed to the scene and dispersed the angry mob. After which, AMI put its activities in the area on hold.

"The officials of AMI left Buthidaung for Sittwe in a motor boat with many types of equipment owned by the NGO," the clerk said.

“AMI provided six months’ severance pay to its workers who lost their jobs because of the closure," he added.