Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to press the government and military of Burma to allow unhindered access to all areas of Rakhine State for international aid organisations, human rights monitors, and media.

The Foreign Secretary spoke with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi on 7 and 17 September. He raised our concerns about the continuing violence in Rakhine State, the need for any allegations of human rights abuses to be investigated and for humanitarian access to be granted to affected communities. He also convened a meeting of Foreign Ministers to discuss Rakhine at the UN General Assembly on 18 September, where he pressed for an end to the violence and full humanitarian access. The Minister of State discussed these points further in an Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) event at UNGA on 19 September.

The Prime Minister also urged the Burmese military to stop the violence in Rakhine State and announced the UK would suspend defence engagement until the issue is resolved.

I have also raised Burma in the Human Rights Council on 11 September, where I strongly condemned the violence and pressed the security forces, who are in the lead in Rakhine, to protect civilians and abide by international norms. The UK also discussed Burma during the Interactive Dialogue with the Fact Finding Mission on 19 September, and the Item 4 statement on the same day, and pressed Burma on the same points.

We will continue to urge the Burmese authorities to allow the access of aid, food and medication to all affected communities in Rakhine. We are working closely with them to support this.

The Burmese authorities organised a visit of local and international media to Maugdaw in Rakhine State at the end of last week.