Muslim students in the state capital Sittwe have donated 300,000 kyat towards helping Rakhine people displaced by the conflict. They presented the donation at Sittwe University student union at noon today. Ko To To Aung, chairman of the student union, commented that this was a humanitarian gesture and had been recognized by the union as a good deed.

“This donation has been provided based on humanitarian need. We’re students and we accept their donation. This is not based on race or religion. We have to see that they are students, this is not about rejecting something because it comes from somewhere else, this is about graciously accepting this donation," Toe Toe Aung said.

Maung Zin Min Tun, currently in his second year studying history via distance learning and who led the donation, said that they had organized Muslim students in Sittwe to collect donations on humanitarian grounds.

“We see the people of Rakhine State as brothers. That is why we have made this donation on humanitarian reasons when our Rakhine brothers and sisters are in trouble,” he said.

He added that they were distance learning students at Sittwe University and that he was glad that the joint donation had been accepted.

Maung Zaw Min Tun added that since the 2012 conflict, Muslim students had to undertake distance learning.