65 Tons of Rice Provided as Emergency Relief to Meiktila in Central Myanmar Where Muslims and Buddhists Have Clashed

As a result of clashes between Buddhists and Muslims in Meiktila, approximately 13,000 people have become IDPs since March 20 and are facing severe food shortages.

In response to the situation, the government of Myanmar and the Myanmar Peace Center have requested assistance from the Nippon Foundation in the form of emergency aid relief. The Nippon Foundation will meet this request by providing 65 tons of rice (1,300 50-kg bags) as relief supplies to the IDPs on March 30.

The rice will be procured and packaged in Myanmar and then transported to the emergency aid relief center in Meiktila (located in a facility of Myanmar Post and Telecommunications). From there it will be handed over to government representatives and then be distributed at the IDP camps.

The relief aid, which will be provided to all IDPs regardless of religion, is separate from the humanitarian aid relief that is currently being supplied to IDPs residing in regions under the control of ethnic groups.

The Nippon Foundation plans shoot video footage of the distribution of the supplies. Anyone wishing to use the footage may request to do so by contacting the foundation (contact information listed below).

Contact

The Nippon Foundation
Public Relations

Tel
+81-3-6229-5131
Fax
+81-3-6229-5130
Address
1-2-2 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
E-mail
pr@ps.nippon-foundation.or.jp