The US assistant secretary of state for east-Asia warned that the US was prepared to take action against Burma should they continue to block international NGO’s from working in the Rhakine state, reports The Guardian today.
Speaking after a two week visit to Burma, Daniel Russell said,
“The fact that we have a stake in the success of the government and the reform efforts doesn’t mean that we pull punches. The crux of my message was: the whole world is watching.”
Meanwhile the last remaining rebel group based in the Rhakine region , the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), called on the US to take a leading role in peace-talks to secure fundamental rights that guaranteed a future for minorities.
The deputy commander in chief of the KIA, Gun Maw, told Reuters that he had expressed his views to US officials during their visit to Burma.
“We would like to have the US present at the peace process as witness, so this agreement will become strong. At present, p we are still asking the US to be involved. Whether they will be we don’t know yet,” said Gun Maw.
The Kachin rebels are set to hold another round of talks with the Burmese government next month, in attempts to end over 3 years of fighting.
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