Myanmar pledges to allow aid to Rakhine

MYANMAR’S Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi yesterday has promised “necessary” access into Rakhine State would be allowed so humanitarian aid can be given in areas where the army has been accused of persecuting minority Rohingya Muslims.
Suu Kyi also pledged to provide other Asean foreign ministers with regular updates on developments in the troubled region.
In the special meeting called by Suu Kyi in Yangon, she reiterated “the government’s serious commitment to the resolution of the complex issue and the need for time and space for the government’s efforts to bear fruit”.
The meeting was chaired by Saleumxay Kommasith, foreign minister of Laos, which is currently chair of the 10-member Asean bloc.
Suu Kyi called the “retreat” with an aim of “apprising fellow members on the Myanmar government’s efforts in ensuring peace, security and development in the state in question”. She has been criticised for having remained silent on the crisis in Rakhine State.
During the meeting, Suu Kyi briefed ministers on developments in Rakhine State in the wake of coordinated armed attacks against three 
border police outposts in October.
She also provided details on her government’s efforts to address the issue, including the provision of humanitarian assistance to the communities in northern Rakhine State and cooperation with UN agencies.
Suu Kyi asked for time and space for the government’s efforts in solving long-running problems in the area.
In the post-meeting statement, the ministers expressed their appreciation to Myanmar for holding the meeting. 
“The ministers suggested ways and means of promoting peaceful coexistence and harmony among the communities, protecting the human rights of the civilian population and providing greater humanitarian assistance and healthy care for all in the state.”
Asean ministers have pledged to help with humanitarian and development assistance while the Myanmar government reiterated its readiness to grant necessary humanitarian access and to keep Asean members informed of developments in the Rakhine state.
Meanwhile, Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said Suu Kyi thanked Thailand for having helped Myanmar in agricultural development. “Thailand is ready to provide other assistance in Rakhine State such as public health, building of rice mills, development of legal personnel, in order to develop the life quality of local people to prevent further problems. 
Myanmar will report the outcome of the meeting to a Myanmar panel led by former UN head Kofi Annan.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told reporters that ministers had a “transparent and honest” exchange of views during the meeting, “so we sit as one family to listen to what is actually going on and to say that we are waiting to help Myanmar in again restoring the peace and stability in Rakhine State”.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said that the most urgent matter was the humanitarian condition of people in the affected areas. He warned that the crackdown could trigger a repeat of last year's boat crisis, when thousands of starving Rohingya were abandoned at sea by traffickers as they tried to flee southwards to Malaysia.
“Reports from many sources alleging arbitrary arrests, extrajudicial killings including of children, rape by soldiers, burning of Rohingya villages, as well as destruction of homes and places of worship. It is troubling that these alleged violations occurred in the context of security operations conducted by government authorities,” his statement said.
More than 27,000 people from the Muslim ethnic group have fled from Rakhine State to Bangladesh since the start of November to escape the heavy-handed crackdown.