The yearly Rakhine water festival held by Rakhine Cultural Preservation Committee in Mi Zan ward in Sittwe will be cancelled this year, according to the Committee.

U Waing Maung, a member of the committee, said that although a meeting has not been held yet, each committee member agreed to suspend this year’s festival and to donate funds to IDPs camps.

“Since fierce conflicts have erupted in Buthidaung, Ponnagyun, Rathedaung, Kyauktaw and Mrauk-U, displacing villagers. The number of IDPs is increasing. So, most of committee members recommended to donate the committee’s fund to IDP camps instead of holding the festival,” he said.

Discussion will be made in the meeting to be held in coming weekends to decide if the yearly Rakhine cultural water festival should be held in Yangon Region, said U Zaw Aye Maung, Rakhine Ethnic Affairs Minister for Yangon Region.

“We can’t say right now. We will hold a meeting in the near future. However I think the festival will be held in Yangon,” the minister said.

A meeting will be held to decide if Rakhine singing competition, which is held annually in Htan Bin Yin ward in Sittwe, should be held, said U Ahla Maung, president of Rakhine  Singing Competition Committee.