Myanmar has suspended the activities of a top international aid agency in a strife-torn western state, an official said Friday, as the United States called for free humanitarian access in the former junta-ruled nation.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has stopped working in Rakhine state since Wednesday because its operating licence has expired, regional government spokesman Win Myaing told AFP.
"It's a temporary suspension at this moment. They might resume their work again," he added.
He denied the move was connected to recent protests against the aid group.
MSF provides primary healthcare services in several remote areas near the border with Bangladesh where impoverished stateless Rohingya Muslim communities live under severe restrictions of movement.
It has faced increasing pressure in recent weeks after it said it treated injured people in its clinic near the site of a reported mass killing of Rohingya that was strongly denied by the government.
The medical group, which won the Nobel peace prize in 1999, is believed to be in the process of renegotiating a memorandum of understanding with the Myanmar government that covers all its operations in the country.
The US Embassy in Yangon issued a statement calling for open aid access.
"The United States encourages (Myanmar) to continue to work with the international community to provide humanitarian assistance to communities in need and to ensure unfettered access for humanitarian agencies, in accordance with international standards," it said.
"Free, regular, and open access is essential to ensure the benefits of humanitarian activities are delivered appropriately to all people of Rakhine State."
Rakhine remains tense after several outbreaks of inter-communal violence between Buddhist and Muslim communities since 2012 that have killed scores and displaced 140,000 people, mainly from the Rohingya minority.
The United Nations in January said it had "credible information" of a series of attacks that left dozens of men, women and children dead with the alleged involvement of police.
Myanmar, whose sweeping political reforms have been overshadowed by religious bloodshed, has vociferously denied civilians were killed but said a police officer was presumed dead after a clash.
The government has launched its own investigation into the incident, which is due to release its report imminently.
Last week the UN's rights envoy to Myanmar, Tomas Ojea Quintana, raised "serious concerns" over the impartiality of that probe.
Myanmar's government considers the estimated 800,000 Rohingya in the country to be foreigners while many citizens see them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and view them with hostility.
MSF is the largest provider of treatment for HIV and AIDS in Myanmar, with over 30,000 patients across the country.
It also has programmes for the treatment of tuberculosis and malaria as well as reproductive health services.
Myanmar has suspended the activities of a top international aid agency in a strife-torn western state, an official said Friday, as the United States called for free humanitarian access in the former junta-ruled nation.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has stopped working in Rakhine state since Wednesday because its operating licence has expired, regional government spokesman Win Myaing told AFP.
“It’s a temporary suspension at this moment. They might resume their work again,” he added.
He denied the move was connected to recent protests against the aid group.
MSF provides primary healthcare services in several remote areas near the border with Bangladesh where impoverished stateless Rohingya Muslim communities live under severe restrictions of movement.
It has faced increasing pressure in recent weeks after it said it treated injured people in its clinic near the site of a reported mass killing of Rohingya that was strongly denied by the government.
The medical group, which won the Nobel peace prize in 1999, is believed to be in the process of renegotiating a memorandum of understanding with the Myanmar government that covers all its operations in the country.
The US Embassy in Yangon issued a statement calling for open aid access.
“The United States encourages (Myanmar) to continue to work with the international community to provide humanitarian assistance to communities in need and to ensure unfettered access for humanitarian agencies, in accordance with international standards,” it said.
“Free, regular, and open access is essential to ensure the benefits of humanitarian activities are delivered appropriately to all people of Rakhine State.”
Rakhine remains tense after several outbreaks of inter-communal violence between Buddhist and Muslim communities since 2012 that have killed scores and displaced 140,000 people, mainly from the Rohingya minority.
The United Nations in January said it had “credible information” of a series of attacks that left dozens of men, women and children dead with the alleged involvement of police.
Myanmar, whose sweeping political reforms have been overshadowed by religious bloodshed, has vociferously denied civilians were killed but said a police officer was presumed dead after a clash.
The government has launched its own investigation into the incident, which is due to release its report imminently.
Last week the UN’s rights envoy to Myanmar, Tomas Ojea Quintana, raised “serious concerns” over the impartiality of that probe.
Myanmar’s government considers the estimated 800,000 Rohingya in the country to be foreigners while many citizens see them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and view them with hostility.
MSF is the largest provider of treatment for HIV and AIDS in Myanmar, with over 30,000 patients across the country.
It also has programmes for the treatment of tuberculosis and malaria as well as reproductive health services.
