Emergency health care needed in western Myanmar, group says
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Yangon - The medical aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres(MSF) on Monday expressed concern over victims of sectarian clashes in Myanmar's Rakhine State, where about 50 people have died this month.
"MSF is extremely worried that victims of the clashes are not receiving emergency care, and about the ongoing healthcare needs of our patients," said Joe Belliveau, MSF Myanmar operations manager.
MSF, one of the leading providers of emergency aid in Myanmar, pulled out of Rakhine State in the west of the country on June 9, after Muslims of the Rohingya ethnic group allegedly attacked Buddhist Rakhines in Maung Taw township, killing seven people.
Altogether 50 people have been killed in communal fighting in the state since May 18, when a Buddhist woman was raped and murdered, allegedly by three Muslims.
The incident sparked a series of clashes across Rakhine State, which borders Bangladesh, displacing up to 30,000 people.
The state was placed under emergency law on June 10.
MSF criticised Bangladesh for refusing entry to refugees.
"People seeking refuge and in need of food, water and medical care should be allowed to cross the border," Belliveau said.
"In both Myanmar and Bangladesh, MSF is trying to reach those affected by the violence, but they should also be allowed to reach us (in Bangladesh)," he said.//DPA
