Ihsanoglu said, when visiting the Sittwe camps, he and other members of the IOC delegation were met by crowds of 5,000, swelling with emotion, but due to the language barrier, unable to communicate.
"They were desperate. They were afraid. They were happy we were there, but it was a happiness expressed in crying," he said, adding that he was eventually able to offer the Islamic greeting, "Assalam Alaikum," or "May God grant protection and security," and the crowd responded in kind.
"I can't explain the feeling I had," he said. "It was very moving."
The OIC visit to Myanmar was marred by frequent demonstrations, thousands turning out to meet the delegates when they landed in Yangon and then Sittwe, some carrying banners that said "OIC get out" or chanting "Stop interfering in our internal affairs."
