Tomas Ojea Quintana, the UN Special Envoy on Human Rights in Myanmar, announced on August 21 that the UN could provide aid only once a year to the conflict zones which are beyond government's control.
“According to information we have on these regions, they are in a very critical condition. It is highly important to provide sufficient food in these areas”, he said at a press conference at the Yangon International Airport before his departure.
It was announced that the UN could assist regions which are under the control of Ethnic Armed Groups only once from July 2012 to July 2013.
He expressed his anxiety about human rights in Myanmar as the government did not give him permission to travel to Lai Zar where the headquarter of Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) is located.
“This is an act of denial towards finding a solution to humanitarian aids cut-off. It is also a refusal to accept the critical condition of human rights”, he added in his statement.
During his visit in Myanmar, Quintana went to Rakhine state and Myeikhtilar township where the clashes between two different groups took place a few months ago. He encountered protesters during his visits to Rakhine state and Myeikhtilar.
He told the media that security police officers from Myeikhtilar region did not protect or help him when a mob surrounded his car during his visit to Myeikhtilar.
The protesters accused Quintana of submitting a biased report in favor of the Bengalis to the UN after he came to investigate human rights violations in Myanmar earlier. The 10-day visit was his 8th to Myanmar.
