Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure that the Burmese army ceases its attacks on civilians in Rakhine, Kachin and northern Shan states to allow unhindered access for international humanitarian aid agencies, human rights monitors and media to all affected areas in those states, and to implement the recommendations of the Rakhine Commission report, chaired by Kofi Annan.

We continue to work with international partners to resolve this crisis. We have raised the situation in Rakhine three times at the UN Security Council, which has called for the Burmese authorities to stop the violence and allow humanitarian access. We are considering with other Council members what further steps are needed.

The Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific reiterated these calls with civilian and military leaders when he visited Burma from 25-27 September. Given the scale of the humanitarian assistance required, we continue to urge the Burmese authorities and the military in particular to allow greater access urgently.

The British Government remains concerned over continued human rights abuses in Burma's ethnic border areas, where hostilities are still taking place. We have repeatedly called on the military to end hostilities comprehensively, and on all sides to enter into dialogue towards a sustainable and comprehensive nationwide ceasefire and political reconciliation process. The UK sponsored the UN Human Rights Council resolution in March 2017 which established a Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) to look into allegations of human right violations in Burma, and supported the Human Rights Council's decision in September 2017 to extend the FFM's mandate to cover the recent outbreak of violence in Rakhine.

The UK supports the recommendations of the Rakhine Advisory Commission led by Kofi Annan. We welcome the Burmese government's establishment of the Ministerial Implementation Committee for the Rakhine Advisory Commission and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi's announcement on 12 October of the establishment of a civilian force to deliver humanitarian assistance, resettlement of refugees, and long-term development in Rakhine. We are watching closely to ensure her positive words translate into swift action, and stand ready to ensure she gets the international political and technical support needed.