A rice donation programme to poor people by the chairman of the township National League for Democracy was halted by authorities in Thada Oo township of Mandalay division in central Burma. He was warned to stop donating in future.

U Kyin Maung, chairman of Thada Oo NLD, on Tuesday was donating rice to 100 families, who are struggling to meet ends. However, he was stopped by the local authorities and warned not to continue, a close friend of Kyin Maung said.

“He was just donating rice to poor people and did not have any purpose for doing so. But the local authorities accused him saying ‘you are doing it so as to indirectly persuade the people and if you do it next time we will take action against you as per the law’,” U Ko Gyi, a close friend and member of the NLD, told Mizzima over telephone.

While Kyin Maung and family were planning to donate to 100 families, due to the disturbances by authorities only 25 families received the rice.

U Ko Gyi said while Kyin Maung did not donate the rice in his capacity as the Chairman of the township NLD, the authorities accused him of influencing and organizing the people and restricted his individual social life.

“It is like members of the NLD are being restricted from any activities. If even donations are being restricted, other activities will be definitely restricted,” U Ko Gyi added.

In August, a similar rice donation in a slum area in Rangoon by Burmese veteran politician U Win Naing was stopped and he was attacked by members of junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA).

“Due to increasing essential commodity prices, daily wage earners are having a difficult time in fending for themselves. It is even more difficult for people in rural areas,” U Ko Gyi added.