Myanmar nationalists protest Malaysian aid for Rohingyas

Nationalists in Myanmar staged a demonstration as a Malaysian ship carrying food and humanitarian aid for Rohingya Muslims arrived in the former capital Yangon claiming that the aid was a form of political exploitation.

U Win Ko Ko Latt, chair of Myanmar National Network, said they did not object to international community support but did not want any aid that aim to be used as political exploitation, reports the Myanmar Times.

"We appreciate the humanitarian aid of Malaysia but we don't want to use the 'Rohingya' word. The Malaysian prime minister used this word before the food flotilla left from Malaysia. We object to it," he said.

However, the Myanmar government said that the food flotilla for Myanmar humanitarian mission arrived in Thilawa International Port on Thursday with a total of 358 tonnes of relief goods intended for both communities in Rakhine state.

Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Minister U Win Myat Aye said the government will distribute the relief goods to the refugees from the Bengali community as well as the Rakhine community, reports the Myanmar Times.

The aid shipment, which left Malaysia on February 3 carrying 2200 tonnes of supplies, had been due to stop at the Yangon port before heading on to Teknaf port in Bangladesh.

However, Malaysia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement later that Bangladesh had decided not to allow the ship to dock at Teknaf. No further details on the decision were given.