Myanmar denies closing down of ICRC field offices

Xinhua General News Service, Wed 29 Nov 2006 

Nay Pyi Taw: The Myanmar government denied on Wednesday that it has closed down field offices of the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) in five areas of the country, but saying that it was just a temporary suspension.

The denial was made by Police Chief Brigadier-General Khin Yi at the first press conference held in the new capital of Nay Pyi Taw.

Some foreign media had reported that the government had ordered five ICRC field offices in Myanmar outside Yangon to close, namely, in Mandalay, Mawlamyine, Hpa-an, Taunggyi and Kyaing Tong.
Khin Yi stressed that all organizations in Myanmar, including the ICRC, must abide by Myanmar’s related rules and regulations for their functions. He disclosed that the government is preparing to promulgate new rules and regulations to govern the launching of operation of all organizations.

He said that before the introduction of the new rules and regulations, the government temporarily suspended the operation of the ICRC field offices but is still in contact with the ICRC.
Between 1999 and 2005, the ICRC made 453 visits to prisons and labor camps across Myanmar, according to ICRC.