US seeks action on Myanmar; UN eyes $200 m for refugees

Yangon/Dhaka, September 22

The US wants Myanmar to take urgent action to end violence in Rakhine state, where a military offensive has created a crisis that could jeopardise its economic and political transition, a US official said on Friday.

Bangladesh and aid organisations are struggling to help 422,000 Rohingya Muslims who have arrived since August 25, when attacks by Rohingya militants triggered a Myanmar crackdown that the UN has branded ethnic cleansing.

A senior UN official said an estimated $200 million would be needed to help the refugees in Bangladesh for six months. Aid workers fear a humanitarian crisis is also unfolding in Rakhine state, though Myanmar has restricted access.

"We think, urgently, actions need to be taken to stop this violence and facilitate humanitarian assistance, lower the rhetoric, lower the tension and... start doing the hard work to solve the longer-standing problems," US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Patrick Murphy said.

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has faced a barrage of international criticism over the plight of the Rohingya, for not speaking out more forcefully against the violence or doing more to rein in security forces over which she has little power.

Tension between majority Buddhists and Rohingya, most of whom are denied citizenship, has simmered for decades in Rakhine, but it has exploded several times over the past few years, as old enmities, and Buddhist nationalism, surfaced with the end of decades of harsh military rule.

Murphy, who spent three days in Myanmar this week, said there were "many points of responsibility" and he wanted to see everyone follow through on commitments Suu Kyi made to uphold rights and the law in an address to the nation on Tuesday. — Agencies

Hasina urges ‘safe zones’ for Rohingya

• Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina has proposed creating UN-supervised safe zones inside Myanmar to protect Rohingya who are fleeing a military crackdown to seek refuge in her country
• “These people must be able to return to their homeland in safety, security and dignity,” Hasina told the UN General Assembly
• She accused Myanmar authorities of laying landmines on the border to prevent the Rohingya from returning and said the UN must take immediate steps to find a solution to the crisis