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MYANMAR – The junta council has blocked all local and international humanitarian aid groups from travelling and providing aid in Rakhine State, according to regional aid groups.
Local media sources reported that a notice dated June 7 was reportedly distributed internally to the government offices in Rakhine State and a spokesperson from a humanitarian aid team working in Rakhine State confirmed as below.
“It’s true. Definitely confirmed. Because it only started yesterday (June 7), it is difficult to say what it is like on the ground yet. They (junta council) have decided to go till the end without changing their stance. They are looking to gain political advantages out of this. They want people to turn to them only for help. So, they are controlling both local and international aid teams.”
The reported internally circulated notice, signed by junta’s Minister of Border affairs Colonel Kyaw Thura addressed to the coordination committee of the Rakhine State Government Office mentioned to “pause all approved travel permits starting June 7.”
A responsible person from a Rakhine based aid team stressed that local and international aid teams need to avoid being used by the junta council that only aims to benefit politically out of the situation.
“This is definitely concerning. There can be more arbitrary arrests going forward. They (junta council) seem to believe that they can somehow affect the revolutionary forces by doing this (blocking aid delivered to cyclone victims). At a time when the entire country is suffering, local and international groups need to avoid being used by them or going along with their demands,” said the responsible person.
United League of Arakan/ Arakan Army has announced during the last week of May that 146 people were killed, ten injured and three went missing in Rakhine State during Cyclone Mocha and that over 1.2 million people were affected and are in need of assistance.