“Humanitarian assistance is a temporary measure to respond to immediate needs. Sustainable solutions must be found to restore a lasting peace and harmony between the people of Rakhine State,” said Ashok Nigam, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Myanmar in a statement.

Currently food and temporary shelters are being provided by humanitarian agencies, but there are issues that need to be urgently addressed such as children’s education and trust building between the communities.

“Reconciliation between communities is the larger priority,” said Nigam. “The root causes of the tensions that exist between the people must be addressed. Inter-communal tensions fuel fear and resentment. Left unresolved, they will drive communities further apart.”

Nigam also called for the citizenship status of Rohingya Muslims in the state to be addressed.

“The consequences of statelessness for Muslims in Rakhine State continue to have a direct effect on fundamental human rights, and the social and economic development of Myanmar,” he said.

Since fighting first erupted in the western Myanmar state last June, 167 people have died and more than 10,000 buildings destroyed, according to the UN report.