United Nations special envoy visits Rakhine State

23 January 2019
United Nations special envoy visits Rakhine State
Christine Schraner Burgener, United Nations (UN) Special Envoy for Myanmar, arrives to Sittwe airport Sittwe, Rakhine State, Western Myanmar, 22 January 2019. The UN Special Envoy for Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener is visiting Rakhine State on 22 January and 24 January. Photo: Nyunt Win/EPA

The United Nations special envoy to Myanmar met on Tuesday with the deputy speaker of the Rakhine state parliament and leaders from the region’s dominant political party, RFA reported.

Christine Schraner Burgener asked deputy speaker Mya Than about the situation of some 6,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) who have fled their communities in Rakhine State due to an increase in hostilities between the Myanmar Army and the Arakan Army (AA) since late November.

Burgener also met with leaders from the Arakan National Party (ANP), which represents the interests of the Rakhine people in the state, and will stay the night in Rahine’s capital Sittwe so she can visit the Kyeinni Pyin Muslim IDP camp in Pauktaw township today.