19 Jun 2012

GENEVA / MYANMAR UNREST

Ethnic tensions continue in Myanmar with sporadic violence in the northern state of Rakhine, despite government efforts to restore calm. But, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency, the border between Myanmar and Bangladesh remains closed, barring access to people fleeing the violence. CH UNTV

Posted at: June 19, 2012 11:47 am

Duration: 02:05

Available in: SD

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STORY: GENEVA / MYANMAR UNREST
TRT: 2.05
SOURCE: CH UNTV 
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / FRENCH / NATS

DATELINE: 19 JUNE 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

SHOTLIST:

FILE – 2011, PALAIS DES NATIONS, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1. Wide shot, UN Flag

19 JUNE 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

2. Wide shot, 
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Adrian Edwards, Spokesman, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): 
"The situation remains tense.  The efforts of the Myanmar authorities to restore law and order are continuing.  However there are reports of sporadic violence.  According to initial government estimates, at least 48000 people have been displaced.  We expect this number to continue to grow as new information comes in." 
4. Cutaway, two journalists
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Adrian Edwards, Spokesman, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR):  
"In Bangladesh we continue to monitor developments along the border between Myanmar. After a brief lull over the weekend, seven boats carrying 128 people arrived yesterday from Myanmar.  UNHCR continues its dialoge with the government of Bangladesh with the management of these arrivals.  The Government has however maintained their position of keeping the borders closed.  One hundred and thirty nine persons were pushed back from Bangladesh by border authorities yesterday."
6. Cutaway, journalists
7. SOUNDBITE (French) Elisabeth Byrs, Spokesperson, World Food Program (WFP):  "Aid has reached 66,000 displaced people and an estimated 90,000 are in need of assistance, people who are in need of assistance after the recent violence that has taken place in this state.  The situation is improving; people can circulate now with no problem, so we expect the operations to scale up within the next weeks"
8. Cutaway, journalist
9.  SOUNDBITE (French) Elisabeth Byrs, Spokesperson, World Food Programme (WFP):
"Our main problem is access due to the fact that the state of Rakhine is very isolated with very poor roads, very bad infrastructure, no bridges - so we are obliged to use small trucks and the large trucks cannot use these routes.  So the area is extremely isolated, extremely difficult and that's the principal obstacle that we have." 
10. Med shot, journalists listening

STORYLINE:

Ethnic tensions continue in Myanmar with sporadic violence in the northern state of Rakhine, despite government efforts to restore calm.  But, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the border between Myanmar and Bangladesh remains closed, barring access to people fleeing the violence.

Speaking at a press conference today in Geneva, UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards said that 139 people who had crossed the Naf river, between the two countries, had been turned back by the Bangladeshi authorities yesterday (18 June) and there were reports of boats drifting in the mouth of the river.

UNHCR said that the people were in need of food and water, and most importantly, of a safe haven.  The UN Refugee Agency had to withdraw its personnel from the region for security reasons 10 days' ago, so are not physically present in the area to provide assistance, but the organisation is working with Bangladeshi authorities to pressure them to re-open the border.

There was a sudden escalation in the violence some ten days ago causing more people to flee, leaving an estimated 48,000 (by government sources) people displaced and widespread destruction of property.

Humanitarian aid to the thousands of displaced is, however, starting to get through despite difficult access to the isolated border region.

The World Food Program were providing food to 66,000 people and they estimate that 90,000 are in need of aid, but efforts were severely challenged by a lack of road infrastructure in the area.  Some of the displaced can only be reached using small trucks.

According to spokesperson, Elisabeth Byrs, WFP will scale up operations within the coming days and is finalizing plans for a three-month food assistance operation which will require additional support from donors.