Government replies to questions about humanitarian assistance they are providing in Burma; what plans they have to increase aid to provide emergency assistance to the internally displaced, and refugees on adjoining borders. And Minister gives his assessment of Amnesty International’s report “Bullets rained from the sky”, about war crimes and displacement in eastern Myanmar. Report finds that more than one million people have been displaced in Myanmar.

Jun 23, 2022 | News

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL699):

Question by Lord Alton of Liverpool :
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what humanitarian assistance they are providing in Myanmar; and what plans they have to increase aid to provide emergency assistance (1) to the internally displaced, and (2) refugees on adjoining borders. (HL699)

Tabled on: 07 June 2022

Answer:
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon:

Meeting humanitarian needs remains a key priority for the UK. We continue to provide humanitarian assistance through international Non-Governmental Organisations, UN agencies and the Red Cross, including food, water, hygiene and sanitation services, shelter and medical equipment, to the most vulnerable in Myanmar, especially those in displacement camps.

Since the coup the UK has provided £49.4 million in aid to Myanmar, the majority for humanitarian and healthcare assistance. £24 million of this has been spent on emergency assistance to over 600,000 internally displaced people and refugees on the borders with Thailand, Bangladesh, India and China. The UK continues to provide humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya in Bangladesh, and to the Rohingya and other vulnerable groups who remain in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. The UK has been a leading donor to the Rohingya response in Bangladesh, providing over £330 million since 2017.

The UK will remain a leading donor to the humanitarian response in Myanmar.

Date and time of answer: 22 Jun 2022 at 17:28.

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Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL700):

Question by Lord Alton of LIVERPOOL:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of Amnesty International’s report Bullets rained from the sky, published on 31 May, about war crimes and displacement in eastern Myanmar. (HL700)

Tabled on: 07 June 2022

Answer:
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon:

The UK Government is deeply concerned by Amnesty International’s latest report which highlights widespread atrocities against communities in Kayin and Kayah States, including indiscriminate attacks against civilians. We have been clear in our condemnation of the military coup in Myanmar. We are committed to ending the culture of impunity and continue to push for de-escalation of violence to create space for a political resolution. We are also fully committed to responding to urgent humanitarian needs, particularly for the most vulnerable communities, as well as supporting and sustaining the pro-democracy movement.

We are using sanctions to target the military’s access to equipment which allows them to continue their campaign of violence. We have provided £500,000 to the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar which collects and preserves evidence of human rights violations for future prosecution. We also established the Myanmar Witness programme which gathers and reports on open-source information on serious human rights violations and abuses, including those against the Rohingya.

Date and time of answer: 22 Jun 2022 at 17:29.

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Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL698):

Question by Lord Alton f Liverpool :
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the Myanmar Humanitarian Update published by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on 31 May, which finds that more than one million people have been displaced in Myanmar. (HL698)

Tabled on: 07 June 2022

Answer:
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon:

The UK is deeply concerned by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)’s latest report and agrees with the assessment of the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar. The UK is prioritising meeting the humanitarian needs of the most vulnerable communities across Myanmar. Since the coup the UK has provided £24 million in humanitarian assistance in the border regions. Humanitarian access is, however, extremely challenging which has left many hundreds of thousands unassisted in hard to reach and remote areas.

The UK works closely with OCHA and have provided £4.6 million since the coup to the OCHA-managed Myanmar Humanitarian Fund to address displacement across the country. The UK continues to call for the military to end the violence and ensure full and unhindered access to those in need.

Date and time of answer: 21 Jun 2022 at 17:17.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

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