OIC to offer more aid to conflict-hit Myanmar

YANGON (Xinhua) -  The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has expressed its readiness to further assistance to community-conflict-hit Myanmar, including western Rakhine state, according to a joint communique issued on Sunday.

OIC institutions and member states would not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity and religion in the provision of the humanitarian aid, an OIC delegation said in the communique issued at the end of its three-day visit.

The OIC also voiced support to the Myanmar government's efforts to further promote inter-communal reconciliation, dialogue, tolerance and peaceful co-existence in all social sectors.  

The group welcomed the efforts by the Myanmar government to end acts of violence and protect the civilian population from violence and ensure full respect for human rights and fundamental freedom including those in the Rakhine state.

The joint communique was published between Myanmar's Central Committee for Implementation of Stability and Development in Rakhine state and the OIC delegation.

During the visit, Myanmar Vice President Sai Mauk Kham met the OIC delegation, led by  its Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu and comprised of foreign ministers from the OIC member states of Djibouti, Turkey, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia,

The two sides discussed the ongoing rehabilitation tasks in Rakhine state and peace and stability efforts there.

Deputy Speaker of Myanmar's Parliament U Nanda Kyaw Swa also met the OIC delegation in the capital.

The OIC delegation also held talks with leaders of four religions, led by patron of Interfaith Dialogue Group of Myanmar Retired Ambassador U Hla Maung in the capital.

The delegation's Myanmar visit was to observe political, economic and administrative changes that Myanmar under the leadership of President U Thein Sein and to observe the Rakhine state and Meikhtila of Mandakay region which had been troubled with communal conflicts.

Hundreds of protesters, including Buddhist monks staged street demonstrations in Yangon, Mandalay, Meikhtila, Lashio and  Bago  against the OIC presence, accusing the OIC of interfering the country's internal affairs before and during the delegation's visit here.