Call for Dialogue with Displaced Persons/Myanmar Authorities

UN Renews Call for Dialogue between Displaced Persons and
Myanmar Authorities

New York, Aug 13 2013 - The United
Nations refugee agency today reiterated its call for
dialogue between displaced Muslims in Myanmar's Rakhine
state and national authorities after recent violent clashes
left one man dead and 10 other people injured.

"UNHCR is
reiterating its call for peaceful dialogue and confidence
building between the IDPs [internally displaced persons] and
Government. We believe this is key to avoiding further
violence," Adrian Edwards, spokesperson for the UN High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told a news conference
in Geneva.

The latest incident is reported to have
started on Friday morning, when a dead body was found in a
creek near Ohn Taw Gyi IDP camp outside Sittwe, the capital
of Rakhine state.

The cause of death and the handling of
the body erupted into a dispute between a group of IDPs and
the local police. This is believed to have led to violent
confrontations between the police and IDPs that led to
several injuries.

Mr. Edwards noted that the situation in
the camps had calmed enough yesterday to allow humanitarian
work to resume. UNHCR is the lead agency for shelter, camp
coordination, camp management and protection in the
humanitarian response in Rakhine state. Its current priority
is to provide temporary relief for the displaced during the
rainy season.

"Our teams are working with partners and
the IDPs to strengthen camp management and help establish
reliable camp committees that can mitigate any future
tensions," the spokesperson said.

He added that "camp
coordination and camp management activities are of paramount
importance to assist in ensuring constructive dialogue with
the authorities in order to prevent future
incidents."

Some 140,000 people remain internally
displaced in Rakhine state following last year's
inter-communal violence, according to UN agency
figures.

An additional 36,000 people in isolated areas and
host communities in the state have also been adversely
affected, with little to no access to work and basic
services.

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

ENDS

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