UN official urges Myanmar to grant aid organizations access to IDPs in Arakan

By DMG 15 May 2019

A UN senior official expressed her serious concern about the condition of IDPs in Arakan State, the number has reached over 30,000 within a six-month period due to the ongoing armed conflicts between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army.

Ms. Ursula Mueller, assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator in the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), visited Arakan State on May 12 and 13.

She visited Myanmar for six days to assess the necessary requirements for humanitarian assistance and the side effects of conflicts in Arakan, Kachin and Shan states. Then, she released her findings during her trip.

In her statement, she urged the Myanmar government to allow humanitarian aid workers access to over 30,000 IDPs due to the armed conflicts in Arakan State.

“The United Nations calls on all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian laws to protect civilians and allow access for humanitarian assistance,” she noted.

During her two-day trip in Arakan State, she met the Arakan State government and Bengali refugees in the Darpaing Internally Displaced Persons Camp in Sittwe.

Ms. Mueller made requests in advance to meet displaced people resulting from armed conflicts between the Tatmadaw and the AA, but regional authorities did not allow her access for security reasons.

She also met with top leaders including the State Counsellor in Nay Pyi Taw during her trip in Myanmar.