Pariaman Collects Rp116 Million To Help Rohingya Refugees

Pariaman, (Antara Sumbar) - A number of people who are members of various elements in Pariaman Municipality, West Sumatra, managed to raise Rp116 million to be distributed to Rohingya Muslim refugees in Myanmar.

"The funds are mostly distributed to zakat (alms) house to be forwarded to Rohingya Muslims in various evacuees," one of Rohingya Care's fundraisers, Reza Saputra stated in Pariaman on Thursday (Sept 14).

The fundraising has started since Monday (Sept 4) and finished on Saturday (Sept 16) with an initial target of Rp100 million, but for people who still want to distribute the aid can be done directly to zakat house, he explained.

Fundraising has exceeded the initial target and get a positive response from various circles of society in Pariaman, he said.

"Alhamdulillah, public gives good response, for example, all elementary schools in Pariaman with the initiative can raise funds up to Rp25 million," Reza Saputra who is the member of Parliament Pariaman said.

Fund raising, he said, is the basis of concern and nationalist sense that comes from a number of people from various organizations and elements to help Rohingya Muslims.

"As citizens who love the homeland and sense of nationalism, all forms of colonialism on the world should be abolished because it is not in accordance with humanity fairies and justice fair," he remarked.

In addition to collecting money from community, he said, it also received clothes, food, medicines and goods from community to be distributed to Rohingnya refugees.

Assistance in the form of goods will be distributed to zakat house which is then sold and the money will be handed over to Rohingnya refugees.

"Zakat house has a program to sell donated goods, then the money is given to the beneficiaries," he noted.

Meanwhile, Pariaman Mayor, Mukhlis Rahman appreciates the youth in the area for having come to sympathize and care about cases of violence experienced by Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.

"The youth in Pariaman must prove themselves and care about our oppressed Muslim brothers in Myanmar by conducting a fund-raising solidarity action," he said.

He added that in addition to the role of government in the case of Muslim violence, the youth also have a strategic role in helping fellow human beings.

The youth, he said, must be sensitive to the ongoing case either from local, national or international scale.

"The case of violence against Rohingyas in Myanmar is an international concern, and Pariaman youth have done," he continued. (cha)

Editor: Vicha Faradika