Maungdaw: Maungdaw District authorities borrowed rice and goods from shops in Maungdaw markets on Saturday to pose the goods as relief for flood victims when some ministers visited the town, said one rice shop owner.
On Saturday three ministers visited Maungdaw - Minister of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Maung Maung Swe, Minister of Transportation U Thein Swe, and Deputy Minister of Home U Phone Swe. District authorities presented the borrow goods as relief for victims of recent flooding in Arakan.
The rice shop owner said, "They brought 30 rice bags to the district office after borrowing them from us to show the ministers how they had arranged relief aid for the flood victims. The district authorities claimed they had collected the rice for distribution to those affected by the flood."
The district authorities also borrowed other items such as blankets, mosquito nets, clothes, and cooking pots from shops in the Maungdaw markets in order to present them as relief aid.
Another shopkeeper said, "The authority borrowed many items from our shops to show the goods to the visiting ministers as relief. After the ministers left the town to tour other places, the district authority returned the goods back to us."
The district authorities had also stuck noted on the goods indicating they had been donated by the state as well as Payaka, the Rakhine State Authority.
The visiting ministers and officials had their photos taken in front of the borrowed goods to be publicized in the government-run newspaper and on television.
The local SPDC authority has been known to falsely present goods as aid whenever high authorities visit the area.
A local clinic owner said, "It is typical when high authorities come to our area. They local authorities used to borrow medicine from my clinic to put in the hospital when the high authorities came to our town to inspect the hospital. After the authorities left, they sent back the medicine to my clinic."
According to a source, the flood victims have received some relief, including rice, from the government, but it was a small amount. In Maungdaw, rice is scarce and the price of rice and other commodities skyrocketed after flooding in the area. The only road used for transport along the border is still damaged after the rain and landslides, and goods are not making it to Maungdaw from central Arakan State.
Ref: Narinjara
On Saturday three ministers visited Maungdaw - Minister of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Maung Maung Swe, Minister of Transportation U Thein Swe, and Deputy Minister of Home U Phone Swe. District authorities presented the borrow goods as relief for victims of recent flooding in Arakan.
The rice shop owner said, "They brought 30 rice bags to the district office after borrowing them from us to show the ministers how they had arranged relief aid for the flood victims. The district authorities claimed they had collected the rice for distribution to those affected by the flood."
The district authorities also borrowed other items such as blankets, mosquito nets, clothes, and cooking pots from shops in the Maungdaw markets in order to present them as relief aid.
Another shopkeeper said, "The authority borrowed many items from our shops to show the goods to the visiting ministers as relief. After the ministers left the town to tour other places, the district authority returned the goods back to us."
The district authorities had also stuck noted on the goods indicating they had been donated by the state as well as Payaka, the Rakhine State Authority.
The visiting ministers and officials had their photos taken in front of the borrowed goods to be publicized in the government-run newspaper and on television.
The local SPDC authority has been known to falsely present goods as aid whenever high authorities visit the area.
A local clinic owner said, "It is typical when high authorities come to our area. They local authorities used to borrow medicine from my clinic to put in the hospital when the high authorities came to our town to inspect the hospital. After the authorities left, they sent back the medicine to my clinic."
According to a source, the flood victims have received some relief, including rice, from the government, but it was a small amount. In Maungdaw, rice is scarce and the price of rice and other commodities skyrocketed after flooding in the area. The only road used for transport along the border is still damaged after the rain and landslides, and goods are not making it to Maungdaw from central Arakan State.
Ref: Narinjara
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