The Foreign Secretary on 11 June 2018, spoke to
Burma’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi about the welfare of the Rohingya
people and the recent violence in Kachin and Shan States.
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said:
*I reiterated my deep and continuing concern about the
situation facing Burma’s Rohingya people to State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi,
and encouraged her to show the leadership needed to bring together the
communities of Rakhine State.
*I welcomed Burma’s agreement of a Memorandum of
Understanding allowing UN oversight of the refugee returns process in Rakhine,
and her Government’s announcement of the establishment of a Commission of
Inquiry into human rights violations in Rakhine. I underlined the need for swift
implementation of both, to support the creation of conditions to allow the
safe, voluntary and dignified return of refugees and ensure those responsible
for human rights violations in Rakhine are held to account.
*Recent fighting in Kachin and Shan States is also deeply
troubling and I stressed the need for the Burmese military to exercise
restraint and ensure humanitarian access to those people forced to flee from
their homes by the violence.
*We also discussed the passing of Burma’s Wildlife Act,
which is welcome and lays down some of the toughest punishments in South East
Asia for illegal wildlife trade crimes.
Source: GOV.UK