San Maung Than — The National League for Democracy (NLD) must lead the garbage cleanup effort on its own in Thandwe Township due to complications involving working with local authorities, says the party's incoming state MP for the area, U Win Naing.
Following their resounding victory in last months election, the NLD chairperson Daw Aung San Suu Kyi instructed winning candidates to start a nation wide garbage cleanup program on December 12th.
“Daw Aung San Suu Kyi told us to pick up the trash on December 12th and 13th. Aside from those who apply for sick leave, the rest [of the winning candidates] are not allowed [to take leave]. We must free our schedules for those days and lead by picking up the trash while holding trash bags. It’s time for everyone to do this”, U Win Naing explained.
Thandwe Township’s NLD plans to negotiate with local civil society organizations and youth activists to jointly pick up trash near the market, hospital, schools and other areas. According to U Win Naing, he and other winning candidates welcome the idea of taking part in a nation wide trash cleanup.
“We don’t need to draw up a statewide plan to carry this out in Arakan State. We will carry it out with our own arrangements in our respective townships. The NLD will carry this out in Tongup, Thandwe, Gwa, and Marnaung townships. I don’t know what the Arakan National Party will do. We want everyone to work on this together,” U Win Naing explained.
Residents of Thandwe town had to breathe in a very foul odor from a big garbage dump during the summer and some local people fell sick because of the stench from the garbage dump.
U Win Naing said many hospital patients have been facing difficulties because the big garbage dump is located near the hospital. In his opinion the local city development committee should have it relocated. It remains to be seen if this will be down.
