Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the security and human rights situation in Rakhine, Burma.

The British Government is deeply concerned by the recent flare-up of violence in Rakhine State. This was triggered on 9 October, when three Burmese Border Guard Police posts were attacked by armed Rohingya groups. We have called for restraint, humanitarian access and an investigation. We are aware of a number of disturbing reports of human rights violations by security forces in Rakhine State. We have made several representations to the Government of Burma, both through our Ambassador and also through Ministerial contacts. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my noble Friend, the Rt Hon. Baroness Anelay of St Johns, visited Burma from 9-12 November. She urged Burmese Government Ministers to resume immediate humanitarian access to the affected areas in Northern Rakhine and for a full and independent investigation into all reports of human rights violations. The Government of Burma has committed publicly to do so. I also raised the situation in Rakhine with the Burmese Minister of Construction in London on 29 November.